The Anti-Birthday and the dangers of Blood-letting
So, I am now 30 and loving it. My birthday this year was just as awesome as last year (with Em!) and started when I woke up to go to my cousin's wife's baby shower (everyone kept saying, "I didn't know it was your birthday! And Matt's too???!!!") I saw my Aunt Pat and cousin Rhonda both of whom I haven't seen in a long while (Aunt Pat had moved to Mississippi a few years ago). We stayed for a few hours, talking with everyone and just having a good time (I LOVE MY FAMILY, seriously. Wouldn't trade ANY of them.) then went back home where gifts were exchanged. Matt has this THING about my shoes so he bought me some walking shoes since I walk 4 miles everyday.
Then we went to dinner with Aunt Faye, Uncle Marty, Michelle, Sam, baby Alex, Maw-Maw, and the 'rents to Chilis (Matt's choice) and it was even more fun and laughter and love. The plan had been to go to the French Quarter afterwards (just me and 'rents) but TS Bonnie kinda screwed that plan and I went get a bottle of Tequila and everyone went back to my house where we cut up, had cake, and watched Alex go delirious with laughter (I'll have some video of this kid up at some point in the near future). My dad has this child laughing to the point of snorting WAY past his bedtime.
Then, after everyone went home, my mom, dad and I had a round of tequila shots (which was hilarious cuz my mom is NOT a drinker and my dad would rather stick to beer, thanks).
All in all, a satisfying day that I'm glad I got to spend with the people who know me best and - in particular - my bro who is old enough to say he would rather spend it with his friends and/or girls but chose to spend it with his older sister instead.
My birthday was actually the start of my WEEK LONG VACATION from work but really, my first birthday present was that I GOT A NEW JOB AT HALLIBURTON. You all know how long I've wanted a full time job at Hall-world and I FINALLY LANDED IT! And my dad told me today that - apparently, my new manager, Larry, LOVES me and has been talking about me to other folks in Hal-world XD.
And this brings me to the "dangers of blood-letting" portion of the subject title. On the first day of my actual Vacay which was Monday, July 26. I went take my drug test (pre-employment) and then went donate blood (cuz it was time) then went to my mom's house to wait for a call from the Girl Scout council (I was supposed to go there - in N.O. - if they called and told me they had a certain book I need for this coming year) and ended up changing into my walking shoes and walking 2 miles around the neighborhood until bad weather forced me inside.
To be thorough, I knew I probably SHOULDN'T have walked since you aren't supposed to do any exercise after giving blood for 24 hours. But I've given 31 units and never had a problem so I did anyway.
The moment I walked into the house, I noticed my eyes weren't filtering light like they should but I drunk some water and sat down for a few moments, took off my shoes, and relaxed, thinking if I just let my body rest, it would be alright. A few minutes later, sweating profusely (something that never happens to me - not a big sweater) I went to the bathroom for #2 and as I'm sitting on the toilet I notice two things rather quickly, 1. my heartrate is EXTREMELY fast but my breathing is normal and 2. I can't see colors anymore.
At that point, I realized I was going to pass out in a matter of seconds (I'm a first aider and felt VERY CALM at this realization) so I called out for my mom and despite the fact I was having diarrhea, I pulled up my pants and called for her a second time so that I could tell her WHAT TO DO.
Unfortunately, she didn't come so I look at myself in the mirror as my hearing started to fade and thought, "You have to hold on."
Next thing I know, I'm on my back looking up at the kitchen ceiling with my mom screaming things like, "Did you hit your head?! What's WRONG!? What should I do? SANDY WAKE UP PLEASE!" She was hysterical and then she was pushing chocolate down my throat thinking I might have been having a diabetic episode (never mind that I'm not diabetic). I also noticed my entire body was DRIPPING with sweat. Once I was awake, I felt energetic and just as calm as I was before I lost consciousness. But my mom still made stay with her for a few hours, supervising that I ate something and drank LOTS OF WATER.
She's still asking me things like "What day is it?" and "What's your full name?" thinking I might have been brain damaged despite my assurances that I am just FINE and that it was due to my own stupidity that anything like that happened in the first place.
Mom can't remember how long I was out but she did say I WALKED into the kitchen from the bathroom with this zombie-blank look in my eyes and I told her, very clearly, "I am going to pass out" before my knees buckled and I just FELL. She said I never closed my eyes and she tried to steer me to the floor but she wasn't sure if I hit my head on the counter or not.
I had a headache for the rest of the day and I have definitely learned my lesson. NEVER exercising after giving blood EVER AGAIN.
We don't want a repeat performance.
I have other (possibly) good news but that's reserved for my special journal ^_^
Hope everything is going well for everyone else! I CAN'T WAIT TO START MY NEW JOB WHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Sandy, who is ECSTATIC to be working for Halliburton again.
Then we went to dinner with Aunt Faye, Uncle Marty, Michelle, Sam, baby Alex, Maw-Maw, and the 'rents to Chilis (Matt's choice) and it was even more fun and laughter and love. The plan had been to go to the French Quarter afterwards (just me and 'rents) but TS Bonnie kinda screwed that plan and I went get a bottle of Tequila and everyone went back to my house where we cut up, had cake, and watched Alex go delirious with laughter (I'll have some video of this kid up at some point in the near future). My dad has this child laughing to the point of snorting WAY past his bedtime.
Then, after everyone went home, my mom, dad and I had a round of tequila shots (which was hilarious cuz my mom is NOT a drinker and my dad would rather stick to beer, thanks).
All in all, a satisfying day that I'm glad I got to spend with the people who know me best and - in particular - my bro who is old enough to say he would rather spend it with his friends and/or girls but chose to spend it with his older sister instead.
My birthday was actually the start of my WEEK LONG VACATION from work but really, my first birthday present was that I GOT A NEW JOB AT HALLIBURTON. You all know how long I've wanted a full time job at Hall-world and I FINALLY LANDED IT! And my dad told me today that - apparently, my new manager, Larry, LOVES me and has been talking about me to other folks in Hal-world XD.
And this brings me to the "dangers of blood-letting" portion of the subject title. On the first day of my actual Vacay which was Monday, July 26. I went take my drug test (pre-employment) and then went donate blood (cuz it was time) then went to my mom's house to wait for a call from the Girl Scout council (I was supposed to go there - in N.O. - if they called and told me they had a certain book I need for this coming year) and ended up changing into my walking shoes and walking 2 miles around the neighborhood until bad weather forced me inside.
To be thorough, I knew I probably SHOULDN'T have walked since you aren't supposed to do any exercise after giving blood for 24 hours. But I've given 31 units and never had a problem so I did anyway.
The moment I walked into the house, I noticed my eyes weren't filtering light like they should but I drunk some water and sat down for a few moments, took off my shoes, and relaxed, thinking if I just let my body rest, it would be alright. A few minutes later, sweating profusely (something that never happens to me - not a big sweater) I went to the bathroom for #2 and as I'm sitting on the toilet I notice two things rather quickly, 1. my heartrate is EXTREMELY fast but my breathing is normal and 2. I can't see colors anymore.
At that point, I realized I was going to pass out in a matter of seconds (I'm a first aider and felt VERY CALM at this realization) so I called out for my mom and despite the fact I was having diarrhea, I pulled up my pants and called for her a second time so that I could tell her WHAT TO DO.
Unfortunately, she didn't come so I look at myself in the mirror as my hearing started to fade and thought, "You have to hold on."
Next thing I know, I'm on my back looking up at the kitchen ceiling with my mom screaming things like, "Did you hit your head?! What's WRONG!? What should I do? SANDY WAKE UP PLEASE!" She was hysterical and then she was pushing chocolate down my throat thinking I might have been having a diabetic episode (never mind that I'm not diabetic). I also noticed my entire body was DRIPPING with sweat. Once I was awake, I felt energetic and just as calm as I was before I lost consciousness. But my mom still made stay with her for a few hours, supervising that I ate something and drank LOTS OF WATER.
She's still asking me things like "What day is it?" and "What's your full name?" thinking I might have been brain damaged despite my assurances that I am just FINE and that it was due to my own stupidity that anything like that happened in the first place.
Mom can't remember how long I was out but she did say I WALKED into the kitchen from the bathroom with this zombie-blank look in my eyes and I told her, very clearly, "I am going to pass out" before my knees buckled and I just FELL. She said I never closed my eyes and she tried to steer me to the floor but she wasn't sure if I hit my head on the counter or not.
I had a headache for the rest of the day and I have definitely learned my lesson. NEVER exercising after giving blood EVER AGAIN.
We don't want a repeat performance.
I have other (possibly) good news but that's reserved for my special journal ^_^
Hope everything is going well for everyone else! I CAN'T WAIT TO START MY NEW JOB WHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Sandy, who is ECSTATIC to be working for Halliburton again.