Blood.
I was just prompted to "restore from saved draft" before starting this entry and realized that I was in the middle of writing something quite some time ago but I abandoned it and forgot about it.
It was about giving blood for the first time. So I guess I'll start with that.
I've wanted to give blood for years, but never really got around to it. Recently the city has been doing some work on bike trails (yay!) and on near our house was extended into Oviedo (almost to the movie theater, which is awesome). I researched donating blood and found out that there's a Florida Blood Center right at the end of the trail, so I made an appointment right away. Overall it was a great experience. Everyone was friendly and informative (with the possible exception of the lady who came in and took a couple people that came in after I did even though my paper was on the top, so I was sitting there for quite awhile). No big deal, I didn't have anywhere else to be. My blood pressure was a bit high, and when the lady told me so I admitted that I have pretty bad anxiety issues. She mentioned that her mother had what she called "white coat anxiety" because she'd get nervous anytime she was in a doctors office, which would raise her blood pressure, therefore doctors would think her bp was high (though when she checked it herself, she was always fine). I said I was a little nervous about giving the blood, since it was my first time, but that I have a lot of social issues, so it was pretty huge for me to walk into a new place and interact with all these different strangers (even though I didn't have to do a ton of talking). After she checked my blood pressure and blood sugar, I was passed off to a guy in the main room. He had some trouble finding a vein and was jabbing me in both arms to try to make something pop out. Eventually he just stuck the needle in, but nothing was happening. A girl came over to help him and got it in right away. So it pinched a little more than it had to, but no big deal. I had a bruise for almost two weeks, but I don't really care about that either. They guy gave me a bunch of stickers on my way out ("first time donor" and "give someone another birthday! donate blood...". I took a pack of cookies as I was leaving, the lady from the front desk (who also took my bp) hugged me, and at least 3 different people in there told me how I had saved 3 lives that day. Andrew went back in after we left because he thought we left something in there, and they gave him another pack of cookies to bring to me. Haha!
Next we biked over to the mall/movie theater down the street and had some food and lots of liquid and watched a movie (Observe and Report) before biking home. The movie was pretty fun, I think at this point it probably goes without saying that I'm a big Seth Rogan fan (but I guess I just said it anyway). I was tired biking home so we took it slow, and I felt tired for the next couple of days, but overall it was a good experience.
As a matter of fact, I just got a call today saying that they're in urgent need of my blood type and I'm eligible to donate again as of today, so I'd like to try to do that before I leave for Massachusetts on the 25th. However, I've been extremely tired lately, as if I'm getting sick, so I should probably get some strength back before I attempt it. Hopefully it'll all work out.
Oh yes, and I am, in fact, going to Cape Cod for the summer. I leave a week from tomorrow and will be there until August 5th.
It was about giving blood for the first time. So I guess I'll start with that.
I've wanted to give blood for years, but never really got around to it. Recently the city has been doing some work on bike trails (yay!) and on near our house was extended into Oviedo (almost to the movie theater, which is awesome). I researched donating blood and found out that there's a Florida Blood Center right at the end of the trail, so I made an appointment right away. Overall it was a great experience. Everyone was friendly and informative (with the possible exception of the lady who came in and took a couple people that came in after I did even though my paper was on the top, so I was sitting there for quite awhile). No big deal, I didn't have anywhere else to be. My blood pressure was a bit high, and when the lady told me so I admitted that I have pretty bad anxiety issues. She mentioned that her mother had what she called "white coat anxiety" because she'd get nervous anytime she was in a doctors office, which would raise her blood pressure, therefore doctors would think her bp was high (though when she checked it herself, she was always fine). I said I was a little nervous about giving the blood, since it was my first time, but that I have a lot of social issues, so it was pretty huge for me to walk into a new place and interact with all these different strangers (even though I didn't have to do a ton of talking). After she checked my blood pressure and blood sugar, I was passed off to a guy in the main room. He had some trouble finding a vein and was jabbing me in both arms to try to make something pop out. Eventually he just stuck the needle in, but nothing was happening. A girl came over to help him and got it in right away. So it pinched a little more than it had to, but no big deal. I had a bruise for almost two weeks, but I don't really care about that either. They guy gave me a bunch of stickers on my way out ("first time donor" and "give someone another birthday! donate blood...". I took a pack of cookies as I was leaving, the lady from the front desk (who also took my bp) hugged me, and at least 3 different people in there told me how I had saved 3 lives that day. Andrew went back in after we left because he thought we left something in there, and they gave him another pack of cookies to bring to me. Haha!
Next we biked over to the mall/movie theater down the street and had some food and lots of liquid and watched a movie (Observe and Report) before biking home. The movie was pretty fun, I think at this point it probably goes without saying that I'm a big Seth Rogan fan (but I guess I just said it anyway). I was tired biking home so we took it slow, and I felt tired for the next couple of days, but overall it was a good experience.
As a matter of fact, I just got a call today saying that they're in urgent need of my blood type and I'm eligible to donate again as of today, so I'd like to try to do that before I leave for Massachusetts on the 25th. However, I've been extremely tired lately, as if I'm getting sick, so I should probably get some strength back before I attempt it. Hopefully it'll all work out.
Oh yes, and I am, in fact, going to Cape Cod for the summer. I leave a week from tomorrow and will be there until August 5th.