Give ‘Til You Bleed
October 28th, 2005 by rsm
I’ve been feeling out of sorts lately. It’s not the typical ennui that comes with the autumn season. In fact, Fall is usually a time of great regeneration for me, a time to burst with energy, but something is not right. I’m drained lately, and not by psychic vampires or worse. I’ve not slept well in weeks and normally sleeping is an easy passtime for me.
The desire to give more of myself is there as well, but I don’t have all the energy for it, either. I worry about the effects of aging as people tell us we’re too old and our bodies fail to back up our defiant stances. More on this crap soon. It might be a running theme for a while. I feel a big change coming on again, and friends, you know that means “BIG.”
I suppose there’s another reason for the fatigue today. I was weak as heck in the gym as well. Two words: Blood Drive.
As always I urge all people who can to donate blood. Yes, there are some questions on the questionnaire that seem a bit screwed up and prejudicial, but there are reasons for them. Your answers will vary along with your mileage. Remember, this is not a free HIV/HEP test. Don’t use it as such. Those are available elsewhere. Be clean and have some iron in your system and get out there and drain yourself down. If you are at risk, you risk killing another person with your donation.
Afraid of needles? How do you think the soldier who took all those nails in his leg from an IED feels? Always feel a little faint when donating? How do you think the little girl who was crushed under a fallen tree branch in the last big storm feels? Giving blood is not about you, it’s about making a real sacrifice for the betterment of others, others whom you don’t even know. It’s easy to demand charitable contributions of money. Forced charity is what our whole system of taxation is based on. Your money, your land, your home can all be confiscated legally these days because someone you don’t know decided you needed to make a sacrifice for the betterment of others. When it is your blood, that makes a difference. At this time, as a civilian no one can force you to give a unit of whole blood.
If I could safely give 2 units in one donation I would. Then there is the pain. It hurts… a little, and it feels unnatural because it is, but so what? That’s part of the sacrifice. Every single one of you have felt worse pain before. Had a bad experience? I can just about promise you that you will NOT see that same person this time. Been bruised? You’ll live. A soldier might need you to help him or her live.
NOW… please also be aware of where you are giving and what your intentions are. I do not mean to bash the Red Cross. I worked many a blood drive for them. I went from being a volunteer instructor to a paid instructor on a number of subjects. If you want your donation to go to hurricane victims, this is probably the best place.
HOWEVER, if you want your blood to go to service-members specifically, look elsewhere.
The Red Cross has been known to host blood drives on military bases and then immediately charge the military for the blood they collected. The Red Cross does have to stay operational, but this is just the warning I impart to you.
If you want to donate to the US Armed Forces, especially if you want your blood headed to the forward theater of operations, you know, the “good guys” we all claim to support with our tacky oversized refrigerator/car magnets, look for the Armed Services Blood Program. Go to their website. They will probably have a drive near you soon. If not, and especially if you can’t give but still want to do something, coordinate your own blood drive. Or just drive to a donation center one day. Get some buddies together and make an afternoon of it. Augusta, GA=Party Town. (okay, that was a lie, but you can make anything a party if you have the right people with you.)
I’m gonna have some spinach and try to get out of this funk.