Birthday Blood Drive

[ohtobeahayes]

Hi Friends!
It's Birthday week in our house.  Out of the 6 of us, 4 are in August, and 3 of us are this week. Me yesterday, our oldest son tomorrow, hubby Friday.
For our birthdays we round up our friends and find a nearby blood drive and go donate blood. There are so many people that donate their blood often. I'm trying to learn to do it, but honestly, I'd rather donate an organ. Donating blood makes me feel horrible, but it's such an easy way to give that we do it anyway. We bring the kids though so hopefully I will raise some blood donors and they will grow up thinking it's easy and no big deal, just the smart thing to do, and one of the easiest ways to help someone in a way that matters a lot.

So in case any of you are good at donating, I'm inviting you to donate blood today, wherever you are! 

Happy Birthday to us!

[Karol]

  Nice! Happy Birthday!!

[Clark]

Thank you so much, Nicki!

[treehugger]

Happy (collective) birthday to your family! Today is my birthday, and I can't donate blood today since I give every 8 weeks and the timing is off. But I agree, that donating is a wonderful to celebrate/mark a birthday.

Sorry that giving blood makes you feel horrible. It's certainly not easy for everyone. It's usually a piece of cake for me (except the last time, with a brand-new phlebotomist, eek!), so I feel an extra obligation to do it regularly.

Enjoy your week of celebrations!

Kara

[lawphi]

I would donate on your behalf, but I am turned away for being too small.  Most drives have increased the weight to 120 in my area despite the Red Cross saying my weight is safe. 

Can you imagine that?  I weigh enough to give a kidney, but not enough for a measly pint of blood. 

[ohtobeahayes]

I know, isn't that *funny*?   It blows me away how I'm a PRO at surgery, best patient ever, but giving blood takes me out for the rest of the day. I'm going to beef up my iron to SUPERMAN or POPEYE levels and see if that helps me afterward.

Kara, for one of the surgeries I had a newbie trying to put my IV in. I KNOW we all have to start somewhere, but bless her heart. She was sooooo soft and gentle with me, and poked me and missed 4 times, blood everywhere before the resident stepped in to save me. It was all I could do to just look around and keep chatting and not tell her to knock it off and get it in there already. hehe I'm sure she's an old pro by now.

Thanks to you guys who do this regularly. I'm committed to becoming a regular.

Nicki

[Scott337]

Nicki...happy birthday friend!   Too funny...I had a newbie on the morning of my surgery.  He tried each hand 4-5 times to put the IV tube in and missed every time.  Now I'm not squeemish at all and I don't mind being poked, but after this, I actually passed right out on top of the guy and in front of my wife.  The main guy came in then when I was awake and hit the vein first attempt.  Poor kid.  What a way to start surgery day!

Scott

[Aries7]

Very cool idea Nicki and Happy Birthday to you, your Husband and your Son!