Among the many papers I have due weekly this term, I was given an assignment called the "blow your mind paper". This paper is meant to push us out of our comfort zones. We were supposed to partake in an activity which made us feel uncomfortable and stretch us as individuals.
Most of the suggestions were things that I did not feel I am really "uncomfortable" doing. Such as, zumba classes, yoga, attending spiritual or political meetings which conflict with our current beliefs, these type of things. The fact is when I really look at it there is not much I feel I cannot adapt to. What can I say I am pretty adaptable.
This is one of the reasons I made a conscious decision to ensure my children learn the art of flexibility and celebration of "life" in general. From food to cultures, this is a subject I feel we need to approach openly. Therefore being put in uncomfortable situations is kind of normal.
I like to ask a lot of questions and learn a lot about "new" people.
From what I hear I am really easy to get along with and pretty fun in most situations. Again, I chalk this up to having a really easy going and adaptive personality. So going and singing karaoke would not bother me. I would be nervous, but only for the first little bit. Going to a cultural celebration (like dia de los muertos, that was this week) would be more interesting than nerve wrecking.
I love being out of the house and talking to people. So, this was a delima for me to find something that was really authentically scary for me. Brent hates public speaking, or being "seen" in group settings. He is an observer. He likes to sit in the corner and watch. So for him a zumba class or singing karaoke would be like a death sentence....
I was wracking my brain. Finally it hit me.
I have always wanted to donate blood.
I am TERRIFIED of needles.
(like, I had natural births to avoid needles...that's how scared I am)
This was perfect.
The idea of donating blood has always appealed to me.
I love donating to charities, giving my time to people, you know paying it forward.
Brent donates blood ALL of the time.
He has tried and tried to get me to go since I am O positive and VERY healthy with a high iron count.
Well this paper was just the push I needed. Nothing motivates me like getting straight A's.
A classmate of mine had a bad experience her first time donating blood, she actually passed out. She and I decided this was our "uncomfortable" experience and made our appointments.
I read the material the Red Cross emailed me at least 3 times.
I ate high iron meals all weekend, and consumed extra water.
I was so nervous when I pulled up to the building. I was sweating buckets.
My palms were damp and I did not feel like talking at all. (which is weird for me)
My friend Kaitlynn pulled into the parking lot and I finally pried myself out of my car to go meet her at the front door. Our appointments were for 6pm. I had to set it late so the kids were taken care of. As I entered I tried to calm my rapid heart beat. My internal monologue was running on repeat, assuring me that people do this all the time and survive.
We checked in...and I guess your first time donating is kind of a big deal. Everyone was super nice and excited for me. I scanned all the paperwork to find ANY reason I could not donate.
The visiting Europe exclusion dates?
Diseases?
The medications?
Nothing applied to me.
I was good to go.
Gulp.
They bring you to a little room and go through a series of health questions to ensure you are not carrying a disease and knowingly infecting the donation pool.
Finally, almost and hour later I was ready to actually donate.
They laid me down and began checking veins...again.
I apparently was given the "master" phlebotomist to insert the needle.
He was very nice and tried to distract me.
However, by the time I was lying on the table across from Kaitlynn I had already made peace with the entire process.
Much like when I was in labor and you hit a wall realizing no matter what you cannot go back. There is only one way out of this...
Same with blood donation.
I was already too far in the process to turn around.
And honestly, I always think of little kids who are experiencing horrible illnesses and treatments. I think of my own children, for some reason needing a blood transfusion. It motivates me to suck it up for the 5mins it will take to donate.
So that is what I did.
I laid there peacefully, with a crossword puzzle.
Finally it was time to insert the needle. (prior to this they just had me squeezing a ball with my arm tied off...prob to get a vein popped out)
I did not look the whole time.
I just focused on the ceiling.
When I first laid down I was antsy for a whole different reason.
Not because I was nervous, I was restless because I had not sat still like that for a long time.
The term "just lay there and do nothing" is not in my vocabulary.
After everything I think THAT was the hardest thing...sitting still.
It was so quick.
He announced that I was "done" and I was very surprised.
He slowly worked the back of the "bed" up one rung at a time.
Then I sat up and drank water.
I dangled my feet over the bed, the whole time we were conversing about houses and kids. Kaitlynn was already done and eating cookies.
Soon I joined her.
We received a cute pin of a blood drop with the red cross logo in it.
They had a lot of OSU memorabilia, I got a key chain and car window sticker.
Mostly I was excited that it was NOT a big deal at all.
I really really REALLY wanted Brent to go with me, but I am glad I did it without him too.
I look forward to being a donor more and more.
It will be awesome the first time we get to donate together.
I think I will always be uncomfortable about it, and I will NEVER want to look at the needle, but as I was walking out the door to leave the sweet lady who checked us in congratulated me. She said, "You handled that like a champ. You are a natural, and you just saved three lives."
Whether their math is off or not I will take that with me.
There are so many ways we can make a difference in the world.
So many ways to show our love for all of mankind.
We were given the best example of a selfless life, centered on love.
Giving blood pales in comparison to the suffering of others.
Through our personal trials and tribulations we gain perspective of the plan God has for us.
I cannot imagine having someone close to me in need of a blood transfusion or injured to the point where it is necessary, but it does happen. Blood donors are needed. I know doing what is right and needed is not always the most comfortable thing. With this knowledge I can accept that donating is an act of serving that I can do. I just wish I had come to this realization years ago. Still, it is something I know has entered my life now for a reason.
Moral of the story: Go DONATE BLOOD!
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