Be nice to me! I gave blood today!

I have an eventful history with donating blood. It all starts with a blood drive in high school. Needles have never really bothered me, so I figured it would be a piece of cake. I was fine through the whole process until it was done and I stood up to walk to my cookies. I didn't *faint* but I lost all function in my legs and fell smoothly to the floor. They wouldn't let me drive home after that, so it turned into a big hassle getting my mom to come pick me up. Now these were the days of eating too little (because I hated the "table politics" in the cafeteria) and taking too much No-Doz so that I could 1) stay awake all day and 2) have enough energy for swim practice after school.

I figured that's why it didn't work out so well.

Fast forward 6 years or so to my training period at work here in Oregon. There was a blood drive. I signed up. I figured I wouldn't have a repeat of my high school experience. (You can already guess that I was wrong.) To make a long story shorter, just about the same thing happened--I got all the way through and then just about fainted as I was heading toward the cookies and juice. Again, they kept me there until they were sufficiently convinced that I was feeling better, and then they sent me off with all the cookies that were left because I was the only person left by that time.

When asked over the past few years, I politely declined all opportunities to donate again. Until today. Third time's a charm, right?

No.

Same thing. Got all the way through it fine. Then, I felt sick. I nearly hyperventilated. They had cold, wet towels draped over my face and neck, and I was breathing in a paper bag trying *really hard* not to get sick. (I succeeded in that, at least.) I got lots of juice and some cookies and crackers, and now I'm drinking boatloads of water.

Oddly, I'll probably do it again sometime. Maybe not in three months... but sometime. It's such an important action and gift--I figure the discomfort I go through is worth it on the other end when someone who needs it can use that blood I gave. If you find yourself thinking or voicing any excuses, be sure to also check out some reasons why you should push those excuses aside.