sometimes i get roped into things that i never had intentions of participating in. donating blood at school is one of those things. i am definitely not against donating blood, i don't seem to ever find the time to do it. i know, it took all of about 20 minutes, but i will tell you being a single mamma an extra 20 minutes is like an extra 20 hours.
so here is the scenario:
thursday afternoon about 3:15pm. i pull into the parking lot at school and approach a group of my lady friends, when i am asked, "heather are you going to donate blood?" i have a few questions, do i have time before school gets out and where is it? so i am shuffled off to the bloodmobile. since i am coming straight from work i am in my work attire (suede skirt, heels, tights, blouse, sweater), this is important to the story.
i enter the bloodmobile and sit next to a husband and wife couple who have also been roped into donating blood. the head guy asks me if i have ever donated blood before. i tell him "no. i tried in high school but i didn't weigh enough." you can barf at me now, but i've never had an eating disorder i am just not a very big person. anyway, they can't find me so i have to start from scratch.
name
birthdate
sex
the basics. then they give me this electronic notepad with a series of questions. most of them are pretty straight forward, any of the following obscure disorders/diseases? probably not since i have no idea how to pronounce them. been out of the country in the last 12 months? no, i wish i could elaborate...i am a poor divorced woman you think i can afford to take a trip out of the country? but you can't it is just yes or no. then the questions get a little funny. have you been in contact with a prostitute in the last 12 months? yes, but only for coffee. (thank you michelle h. funny answer) have you had sex with a man who has sex with a man in the last 12 months? well i am not sure, and really would he have told me if he had?
these questions kind of made me giggle. funny thing is i was chatting with some other folks about the questions and there were some good points made. let's say you are dying and need some blood. if you don't get the blood your death is eminent. if you had the choice between getting infected blood and living for who knows how long or dying because the only blood available was infected what would you choose? i am thinking i would choose the infected blood. just something to ponder....
so back to my experience. i have filled out my paperwork and getting ready to donate blood. i get all settled on my table, note to self suede and vinyl don't mix well you just stick there is no sliding onto the table gracefully, when the parent next to me asks if i can give his keys to his wife so she can get their kids together. sure... unpeel myself from the table and get to the door... this is where typical flo comes in.
scenario: bloodmobile is essentially a motor home. there are about 4 steps out the rig. bloodmobile is parked at school and it is dismissal so there are loads of people around.
i walk down the first 2 steps, open the door and the weight of the door pulls me right out of the bloodmobile. as i am falling to the concrete below, the organizer of the blood drive and a woman i have known for five years catches me. i go crashing into her bosom. you know in cartoons when the face is smashed against a window, yeah that was my face in her chest. if i had to choose a chest i did well, nice and cushiony, whereas if you fell into my chest you might as well hit the pavement there is absolutely no cushion there.
i have not given blood yet! most people reserve the woozy falling stuff for after the donation, not me. i fell out of the bloodmobile prior to donating my blood. only flo. the rest of my experience was pretty uneventful. i didn't pass out, get dizzy or fall off the table....success!
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