- January 31, 2006
Donating blood

I donated blood to the Red Cross yesterday. It was the third time in my life that I�ve done this. Actually it would have been the fourth time but back in November when I went they sent me home because I had a cold. I guess if you have a cold your blood is contaminated too. Who knew?

I started donating about a year and a half ago. I had decided quite a while before that that I wanted to, but I just never found the opportunity, or noticed the opportunity, because I�m sure it was there. Then one day I saw an announcement in the paper and just went.

So what are my motives? I guess the most important one is altruistic. I don�t do any volunteer work, which I would like to do if I found something worthwhile, so as long as I�m on hold for that, at least I can help a little with my red blood cells. I have some secondary motivation too though. However, I�m not terribly sure how valid it is. Don�t tell me if I�m wrong. I read somewhere that one of the reasons men have more heart attacks than women is that they have a bigger build up of iron in their blood. This is one way women are protected as long as they are menstruating. Maybe it doesn�t work that way, but I figure I�m reducing my chances of a heart attack by reducing the concentration of iron in my blood. And then there is the problem of high blood pressure, which I�ve had for a long time now. My theory, based on no scientific evidence that I know about, is that the less blood you have � up to a point of course � the lower your blood pressure. Like a tire, the less air, the lower the pressure. Plus, it�s a pretty easy way to lose a few ounces. (It�s not more than that either. I checked this time and the difference was 100 grams at most. Still, every little bit helps.) You have to be careful here though and not accept all the food and drink they offer you when you are done. The first two times I made the mistakes of going to the room where they expect you to eat a sandwich or two, have a few soft drinks and take a huge chocolate bar home with you. The young girl who was supposed to accompany me to this calorie stockpile was very surprised when I said I didn�t want anything. I don�t think too many people refuse a free meal.

The last time I donated was just before our summer vacation and the place was packed. The turn out is always good and it takes at least an hour in all to get through the process, but they were overwhelmed in July and I was glad that I was there early. I think I only had to wait the usual hour and not twice as long. They even ran out of food before it was over. There was a photographer there while I was waiting in line, taking quite a few pictures. I�m a little camera shy so I just dodged behind the person in front of me whenever the camera was pointed my way. I think the photographer noticed and got sweet revenge by taking a photo of me while I was at his mercy giving blood. I had my eyes closed and looked rather like a corpse lying in state when the picture appeared a few days later in the newspaper, and not the local paper that comes once a week either, but the paper from Mainz. I might even have missed it because we were busy packing for our trip to Holland, but my neighbor asked me if I had seen it. So I�m not only doing good, I�m famous for it!!

previous - next

Paradise Now - February 01, 2006older_entries%%

Donating blood - January 31, 2006older_entries%%

An Eventful Sunday - January 30, 2006older_entries%%

The Broker by John Grisham - January 26, 2006older_entries%%

The Winds of Change by Martha Grimes - January 24, 2006older_entries%%