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B+, down one pint.
May. 24th, 2009 08:59 amNo special plans on this Memorial Day weekend (for non US folks: We have a three day weekend; Monday is off for shopping mall sales to remember war dead.)
I was finally able to give blood; my attempt on 5/9 was aborted when they put the needle through my vein.
Yesterday the charge nurse abdicated to one of the LVNs who was amazingly skilled; she had to play the needle back and forth in the vein. It was an opportunity for me to breath, soft-belly, into the pain. Just as I saw exasperation on her face, the other nurses watching gave a collective, "whoa!" and dark color filled the tubing on my arm. I filled the donation bag quickly, as well as the 8 vials for various tests including qualification for apheresis (finally!) Once I qualify, I will be able to donate platelets twice a month. Whole blood is every 54 days.
The LVN called me kiddo and I said, "Anyone who calls me kiddo when I'm 40 is my new best friend." She put her face next to mine, peered closely and said, "I would never have guessed" and then they other nurses came by to cluck agreement. Up-righting her self she threw her head back and announced, "You have a youthful look. You always will." I laughed and said, "My immaturity shines right through."
It was a light hearted time; earlier when the health history nurse was taking a sample for the hemoglobin reading she said, "will you pass the hemoglobin test?" I suppose she asked based on my pale face. I said, "absolutely." The reading was 15g/dl (just fine) and she raised an eyebrow, "What's your secret?" I replied, "Beef. Lots of red meat. A side a week."
On holiday weekends, the Stanford Blood Center gives away t-shirts to encourage donations. I had never seen it so mobbed. Who knew people will donate blood for a t-shirt? I now am the owner soft beige shirt from American Apparel that has the green-arrow recycling logo on it and the text: I recycle life (Stanford Blood Center.)
It may seem silly, such a small thing, but it brings me great joy. To give - something - to help. I am still on sabbatical from hospice and there's a gap in my calendar for volunteering. I'm debating a few options - working at the local domestic violence shelter, visiting in-bound elderly, literacy for adults. I have a time budget of four hours per week.
If you have volunteer ideas, I'm all ears. Uhm, eyes ;-)
I was finally able to give blood; my attempt on 5/9 was aborted when they put the needle through my vein.
Yesterday the charge nurse abdicated to one of the LVNs who was amazingly skilled; she had to play the needle back and forth in the vein. It was an opportunity for me to breath, soft-belly, into the pain. Just as I saw exasperation on her face, the other nurses watching gave a collective, "whoa!" and dark color filled the tubing on my arm. I filled the donation bag quickly, as well as the 8 vials for various tests including qualification for apheresis (finally!) Once I qualify, I will be able to donate platelets twice a month. Whole blood is every 54 days.
The LVN called me kiddo and I said, "Anyone who calls me kiddo when I'm 40 is my new best friend." She put her face next to mine, peered closely and said, "I would never have guessed" and then they other nurses came by to cluck agreement. Up-righting her self she threw her head back and announced, "You have a youthful look. You always will." I laughed and said, "My immaturity shines right through."
It was a light hearted time; earlier when the health history nurse was taking a sample for the hemoglobin reading she said, "will you pass the hemoglobin test?" I suppose she asked based on my pale face. I said, "absolutely." The reading was 15g/dl (just fine) and she raised an eyebrow, "What's your secret?" I replied, "Beef. Lots of red meat. A side a week."
On holiday weekends, the Stanford Blood Center gives away t-shirts to encourage donations. I had never seen it so mobbed. Who knew people will donate blood for a t-shirt? I now am the owner soft beige shirt from American Apparel that has the green-arrow recycling logo on it and the text: I recycle life (Stanford Blood Center.)
It may seem silly, such a small thing, but it brings me great joy. To give - something - to help. I am still on sabbatical from hospice and there's a gap in my calendar for volunteering. I'm debating a few options - working at the local domestic violence shelter, visiting in-bound elderly, literacy for adults. I have a time budget of four hours per week.
If you have volunteer ideas, I'm all ears. Uhm, eyes ;-)
