if you step out of your comfort zone

If I can do this, I might even be able to learn to swim. (Oh, talk about panic. Water in my ears! I couldn't even take a shower when I was a little girl, the water on my head scared me so.)

The line for the current red badge of courage now starts behind bonny. Hello, Laga! See what you did there, bonny?

So, um, I guess Valium in the blood is right out, then? How about alcohol? No? Dammit.

Asprin won't raise your blood pressure, but if your blood pressure is already low, the donation process can take a long time. Asprin makes it flow faster.

For me, it was an inconvenience issue. But for you, it sounds like getting it over and done asap would be a plus.

it sounds like getting it over and done asap would be a plus.

When I had the blood test to get married, my husband had to lie spread-eagle on top of me (all 230lbs of him) to hold me down. The sticker dug around 5 times. It was a horror show. Faster moving blood would really help.

I told my beloved surrogate mom (who, after 3.5 harrowing weeks in hospital is home and doing quite well, considering) about this adventure and, in her way, she has given me a most awesome gift for my birthday...a poem and a bandaid!

"Your thought for your birthday
Gave me such a lift,
I'm inspired to give you
The enclosed little gift.

If you press hard two fingers
To wipe out the blot
You'll have less of a bruise
On the targeted spot."

Once, years ago, I banged my elbow on a table. She leapt on me, grabbed to booboo and rubbed it so hard, I wailed. The outcome? No bruise! No one ever did stuff like that for me as a kid.

So, the motherly advice makes my heart swell. As does the support here. You all rock.

Okay, so, I just went to go to the bathroom and found a HUGE field mouse outside. When it saw me, it tried to get away, but there was something wrong with its front legs (collapsed under it), so it just ended up shoving itself around in a circle. I couldn't just leave it like that, so I got one of the guys to catch it and take it out back (small strip of "field" of weeds, a gully, etc. behind the buildings). When he came back in the guy conjectured that it must have fallen (maybe we have a nest in our overhang or something) and broken its legs - and added that he doesn't think its going far. I wish there was something I could do, but I'm never home (and my two cats are). If it happens, I can deal with the "natural order" of one of the local birds of prey finding it. I would not be okay if I left it there to get killed with a shovel by one of the maintenance guys.

But I'm still kind of brokenhearted and mildly freaking out. I wonder if any of the local rescues make housecalls?

And I feel bad for being so dark for so long and then laying this on you guys, but I needed to get it out, so thanks.

That is SO hard, Epic. Bless your caring self.

It's a really tough call. I've gone both ways...going the extra 5 miles to contact rescues or taking a mouse to a vet to be put down...and other times I've had to shut my eyes and hope that my faith in fate is well-founded.

The fact that you have a heart to be broken is a testament.

Thanks, Bonny. I appreciate that.

Best of luck with the blood donation, bonny and zen.

Epic, I'm sorry you had to deal with the hurt field mouse. While it's sad for the mouse, there's probably an owl who has chicks to feed.

Donating blood is not a hardship for me, phlebotomists love my veins (and did you know in ASL "phlebotomist" is the same as "vampire"?) but I used to go to the bloodmobile when it came by work so I haven't donated since I got fired. I needed the poke, so to speak.

I needed the poke

I haven't given blood since the phlebotomist poked around my arm so much, my fingers were twitching. Took her what felt like 30 minutes and 4 pokes to find a vein. That's it. No more for me. Sorry.

Okay, see, that's what makes me faint. Just thinking about it.