Give it a Try

Can you think of anyplace you go where they thank you profusely for coming the minute you walk in the door, invite you to lounge in a comfy leather recliner for twenty minutes, tell you NOT to exercise for the next 24 hours, hand you a free tshirt and then encourage you to eat twinkies/ding dongs and other sugary snacks for twenty minutes before you leave?

"Where is this magical land?" you ask. "Tell me, so I too can go there!"

Here's your answer: your local blood donor center!

At this point, if you're like most of my friends, you're compiling a list of why you can't donate blood. Even if you've been denied in the past, I would encourage you to check in and see if now you may be eligible to give. I just finished my one year "deferral" following our trip to Costa Rica and spent a lovely morning giving blood, the gift of life.

My best friend and I make giving blood together a special occasion. Every few months, we book a date, go together to donate, and then do a quick lunch afterwards. I'm not a big "going out to lunch" girl, so it's a treat to have this special time with Mara. In the mean time, I get a good assessment of my health (my blood pressure, pulse and iron levels are all very healthy). I walk out with the feeling that I've done something very worthwhile and that perhaps I've helped someone in tremendous need in the process. If you've never given blood and you're afraid, let them know when you walk in the door that it's your first time and you will be treated like a queen (or king!). My daddy introduced me to the joy of being a blood donor - I was so scared the first time I donated that I was sure I would pass out. I couldn't believe it when I was done in twenty minutes and there was so little discomfort involved.

Sure lots of people have valid reasons why they can't donate, but lots of us can! If my child were in an accident or had a disease that required transfusions, I would pray for lots of people like me to save my child's life. That may sound dramatic, but it's true. Believe me, the joy that comes from giving blood vastly outweighs any pain you may feel. If you need any more encouragement, or a virtual hand to hold when you donate, email me and I'll be there for you!