I can't donate anymore, and I'd feel like you and zenkitty were helping take up the slack, bonny. I was a six-gallon-plus donor and a platelet donor.
Go ahead and admit you're nervous when you get to the person checking your medical information, i.e., the first person you see who isn't a volunteer. He or she can aim you at the best sticker. Be sure to drink plenty of water starting the day before; the main cause of dizziness is loss of blood volume. Also, it's probably best to look away when the needle is going in. That seems to be the worst time for a lot of people, including me.
Todd, you're probably on the way home, but is that color OPI?
I haven't given blood in a couple months. When's the Buffista Blood Drive?
I'm not allowed to give blood, I lived in the UK for too long, apparently. I might be mad, but I was that way before mad cow disease.
I'm not allowed to give blood either. Pesky iron issues and all.
Though you are right, the one thing, upon which I can focus to do ANYTHING, is him.
This was my thinking. I could psych myself into surviving anything if Lucy was there to focus on. And with my mom, we found out way, way too late that there's a little more flexibility w/r/t animals in medical settings than you would imagine.
Good on ya, bonny and Zen and Laga.
I can't give any more, either, so I volunteer at least once a year.
I just had sushi. I am going through quite a low point right now. The sushi helped just a little. I'm hoping Glee helps some more.
Barb, I hear you. Even after I was out of the tattoo/Central American travel zones, about two times out of three I'd be turned away for iron deficiencies. (Which, afaik, is about my likelihood to pass out, not the quality of the blood. So WTF?). My boss was also LBP and would take asprin the morning of any blood drives - doesn't affect the iron content, but for those of us with LBP, it means the process doesn't take 45 mintues.
(And aspirin does not affect the donated blood past an hour or two, to be clear.)
Bonny, I've tried a few times to donate, but even though I feel fine, apparently my subconscious has white-coat fear so my pulse goes up over 100 every time I try and they won't take blood if your pulse goes over 100. So try to maintain your "zen" as best you can, so your pulse doesn't betray you.
Also, go you!
Also, Wow! That's a helluva list. As always, you're an impressive lady.
If you do it, I'll give it another shot, too, and try to convince my subconscious to chill the heck out.
Separate post...
Fay, I have no words. So much peace to you and yours.
