Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Believe It or Not

Recently, I went to give blood. I have Type 0-negative blood, so they throw a party when I walk in; it's nice to be appreciated. "Carol" was the "Collection Specialist" conducting the preliminary interview, during which my vitals were taken and personal information verified.

Full Name?

Barbara Jean 4444


5911 American Dream Boulevard
Anytown, WI


April 26, 1963

She takes my blood pressure and continues...

We have you listed here as "Female" ? She looks me in the eye in a professional tone.

I look back, eyebrows knitted. (Do I look like a guy?)

Yes, that's right; I'm a female. Why would you ask that??

Well, some people change that, you know.

Yeah, some people have sex-change operations and forget to notify the Red Cross, since that's relevant to blood donation. (Not.) Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm thinking if I'm in need of a blood transfusion, they will not take my blood from the "female" shelf.

What a weird question. Don't you agree?

Before I go, a bit of very good (serious) advice for those interested in giving blood for the first time; before you go, drink at least a few glasses of water. That's a secret a lot of people don't know, but it's logical; it's a lot easier to get blood from hydrated, faster-flowing veins than blood from veins that are sluggish and slow. I always drink a quart of Propel in the hours before I go, and it speeds up the time I have to wait, making others jealous of how fast I am in and out of there. Now, go give blood! People like the Quilao Family appreciate it more than you know!

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