Blood Donation

I received a phone call on Monday night from my local chapter of the American Red Cross. They were notifying me of a blood drive held at my church on Wednesday (yesterday). The lady on the phone told me that there was a shortage of blood in the area and they desperately needed donors... especially those with O negative, A negative, and B negative blood types. My blood type is A positive, but I still like giving blood.

When I was about 21, my church was having a Red Cross blood drive. I decided to donate. A little while later, I worked at Home Depot and they were having a blood drive and I donated there. Then I got my tattoo and couldn't donate for a year. When I went back to try to donate at my church again, I had a fever... I didn't feel sick or anything, but I had a fever. The next time I tried to give blood, I had high blood pressure. My bottom number was 104 and it has to be less than 100 to donate.  I have given blood probably half a dozen times. I could have given more, but I forget when I'm available to give again. Which is not a good excuse, but it happens...

The last time I gave blood was almost one year ago exactly... I went with my friend Megan on my lunch hour. I got back right after 3. At about 3:30 or and it started getting pitch dark outside… My boss was getting worried which made me get even more worried. He was saying “shit is about to get serious here”. All of us at work with smart phones got this pop up thing that said “TORNADO WARNING ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA UNTIL 4:30. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY." Terry (coworker) told me I should go move my car out from under the tree and I told him I wasn't going outside. So, he went to move my car for me... Everyone else was going outside to look at the weather and I was the only one in the office. The phone rang and it was my dad. He said, “What’s it doing there?” I said it was getting dark and scary looking. He said, “Did you know there is a cloud with a lot of rotation coming right down route 16 towards you?” (Our building is on route 16.) I said no and then the wind blew so hard that the entire building moved and every door in the place blew open. I yelled, “OH MY GOD!” and started to slide under my desk. My dad said, “What just happened?!?!” I told him about the wind and the doors and told him that looking out Tim’s office door I couldn’t see ANYTHING. Dad said, “I’m getting off the phone, but get under your desk if you have to!” That scared me even more because my dad doesn't worry... Then the power went out. It was like 3:40 by this time. It was so dark in the building I couldn't see anything! Luckily I work for an electrical distribution company and my coworker brought us all flashlights. My phone was blowing up with people sending text messages saying there was a tornado warning and to be safe. It was raining and blowing SO hard.

My mom found this video: Click this link... I can't figure out how to embed it. 

Pretty creepy... Anyway, after receiving the call, I decided to give blood yesterday. I'm always nervous when giving blood because for some reason I always have a fever and/or high blood pressure. The lady who helped me yesterday was named Jennifer. She took me into the little private room and did everything but my blood pressure first. I checked out on all of that. Then she went to take my blood pressure and the cuff wasn't working so she went and got a different one. She used a big cuff on me right away and my blood pressure was good! I was able to give blood. It was quick and painless and I helped save lives. Makes me feel good!!! I checked and I'm eligible to give blood again on the 25th of September, so I'm going to look into it again around then.