i know i tweeted about this earlier today, but i don’t think y’all took me seriously.
on Saturday, February 7th, i want to go lose my blood donation virginity and i want ALL of my geographically-compatible friends and acquaintances to do it with me.
i also know that this will take more wrangling than a Project Runway premiere/sushi-making party, but this… this is all for the greater good.
plus, there is all the juice and cookies you can stand to consume! and a pin! and knowing you’re saving up to THREE LIVES! and, if you don’t already know it, your blood type (so you can finally fill in that “blood type” box found, oddly, on lots of Japanese paper products marketed to teens).
and, you can hold my hand because, frankly, i’m scared to death.
not of the needle (thank goodness i’m finally over that teenage phobia). or the blood (c’mon, i have a uterus). what i’m really afraid of is passing out in front of all those strangers. i’m fairly certain, intellectually, that won’t happen; but, my own issues with public humiliation are still great enough to insist on my nervous system quivering at the mere thought. will you be my security blanket?
today, i got the skinny on how the whole blood donation thing goes by a lovely lady from Canadian Blood Services. it’s all very thorough and medical with lots of questions about where you’ve been and who you’ve slept with, but it’s also entirely confidential and safe.
i’ve been wanting to give blood for years and years, but my ignorance of the procedure combined with that nagging fear mentioned above kept me away. i feel like it’s my duty to carry on the family practice of being a prolific blood donor. my dad donated regularly for decades (until he got cancer (he’s fine now, thanks!) and they took him off the list).
so, my awesome grand plan is for us all to gather in North Vancouver for a nice big brunch (they want you to be well fed & hydrated), then head over to St. Andrew’s United Church and get our blood drawn together! afterwards, who knows? the sky’s the limit!
who’s with me? who wants to save some lives?! if you’re reading this and can get to North Van without aid of a plane ticket or passport, i really hope you will consider joining me.
I’m in! Remind me, and I will absolutely come with you. I actually have NO IDEA what my blood type is – on forms I put down “RED” – so this will be fun!
Yes, I have a strange idea of fun.
I would join you, but as I’ve mentioned before, my year in England at the wrong time has disqualified me from donating.
I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever get a clean bill of health and be declared CJD free.
On Feb. 8th, ask me why I haven’t donated since college. ;-)
I really should try again, though.
And I have a secret shame to admit – I always got a little thrill that my blood type is A+ – woohoo, that’s the highest grade there is, right?? ;-)
I would, but thanks to my sojourn to Africa last year they don’t want my blood again until after May 1st. I’d be in for your encore donation though!
I would also join you if it weren’t for my recent trip to Mexico…but let’s make a date for next year sometime!
Wow, you have some well-traveled friends!
kimli: huzzah! i cannot wait to get poked with you!
fgj: silly english mad cows. you could come to be our official photographer!
jen: silly honeymoon to deep, dark africa! if i don’t die, you’re totally on for the encore!
mel: you might still be eligible! mexico isn’t entirely bad. you should call 1-888-2donate to find out for sure!
heather: i know… it’s depressing. ;)
Neither Markus nor I can donate. Markus, because of the whole European, mad-cow thing. And me, because I have no veins. No, seriously. I’ll show you next time I see you. PS – Are we still on for Saturday?
I’m in like flynn! Sign me up. Jana shouldn’t though. I’m sure you know why ;).
Scared as hell for needles. and I think the last time I grew the courage to do it, I was pushed away. Something about the philippines and qualifications… i dunno. I’d come for the moral support though!
Don’t worry, I checked…because I actually left the all-inclusive and went out to experience real Mexican culture (ie. crossed the border into a neighbouring state), my risk for malaria is apparently too high.
So, how did it go?? Did you make it through okay? They told me to stop donating in college because I would pass out every freaking time. It was just a few seconds, but the strangest thing, everything slowly going gray, red, and hazy.
I should try again, though, because when I was doing all the fertility treatments, I had to have blood drawn all the time without passing out (whimpering, yes, passing out, no).
Sounds pretty good to me ;)