My best friend is running a marathon on Saturday. I’m so proud of her. She’s worked so hard and is ready! She texted me yesterday, “I’m getting nervous!”
Ridiculousness! She’s put in the work and is totally prepared. I told her I’d do something brave for her, if she’d remember her race goals (finish, have fun, don’t get injured). She’s going to rock that marathon!
This one was for you, Kasey!
I don’t know why giving blood freaks me out, but it does... in an irrational way. I’ve always been terrified I will pass out or start seizing or something. Or be too weak after to do anything. I finally gave blood for the first time about 5 years ago, and my friend, Jeddi, passed out right next to me while we donated together.
Anyway, one of the young men in our ward hosted a blood drive for his eagle project.
I did not sign up. Didn’t even consider it.
...until yesterday afternoon, when I told Kasey (who by the way,faithfully donates blood every 8 weeks, and came along to hold my hand and my baby the last time I donated) I’d try something brave.
There IS a blood drive, today.... I thought.
I know it’s dumb that I feel so afraid of giving blood. I’m generally quite drawn to humanitarian efforts. It’s like I don’t believe there’s actually enough blood running through my body to remove some and still function.
I felt prompted to text my neighbor, who passed out or vomits when we even talk about blood. Ha! SHE would talk me out of it!
False. Surprisingly, Weezy was all over the idea of donating blood, and she and her husband even picked me up and we went to donate together.
I reasoned with myself. I’m healthy and capable. I have rare blood that some other AB negative out there really needs. I can run for miles and miles, and people say that after they donate the just feel kind of woozy, so certainly my body knows how to operate on less energy. I’m prepared for this and will be fine.
Unfortunately, I failed the iron test, but just barely. So I finished my chicken salad and hung around a minute and then tried again on the other hand and it was up enough that they let me proceed. Hooray!
But then my veins were too small and they moved me off the table again. Another nurse offered to try and she got one!
Success! And, I felt great! I was fine. I don’t know why it freaks me out so much. I don’t really want to do it again, but I’m documenting here that aside from feeling really tired 12 hours later, I was completely ok donating blood, and there’s no practical reason to avoid it in the future.
Look at that beautiful hot bag of my blood! Some unlucky person is going to be walking around with a pint o’ Meg Willardson in them!
I promised Weezy I wouldn’t post any pics of her (unless she passed out, and then I would break the internet with the video haha), but here’s Tiger, who filled his bag up in record time. Laura sang along with every old school twangy country song on the radio and died that I didn’t even recognize a single one of them. She and tiger and the nurse knew every word, every song, every singer. The nurse finally turned around at me and exclaimed, “what is wrong with you?!” Haha to which my friends replied apologetically, “she can’t help it, she’s from California”. I’m thankful for friends who kept me laughing and distracted the whole time. I felt great.
Great project, Sean! Congrats on completing your path to Eagle! I’m also super impressed by all the youth who showed up to support Sean and donate. Way to go, sugar creek!
