Saturday, December 27, 2003

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How to Prep for Giving Blood On the subject of giving blood, it amazes me how many people avoid it like the plague. A few of them tried and had some degree of unpleasant experience, many more just don't like the idea. Here is my story... Like many, my first experience giving blood was when I was recuited at my first professional job. I signed up, without much concern. I showed up for my 8:30 appointment, gave, and afterward, felt very, very poorly, nearly faint. I ate and drank a little and then was fine. Didn't think too much about it. So, when the next blood drive rolled around six months later, I signed up again, reported for my 8:30 appointment, and again felt faint after. I concluded that giving blood didn't agree with me, and thereafter avoided blood drives. A couple of years went by, and then my wife, Beth, started getting recruited at her office blood drives. She gave, with no subsequent problems. Eventually, this became too much for my male pride to withstand: my wife, who barely made the body-weight qualification (I weigh the best part of 100 lbs more than she), was giving routinely! So I tried it again. Only this time, I worked at a different office, and for whatever reason, they had their blood drives in the afternoon. So, after going out for the Pizza Hut buffet lunch I had grown fond of, I reported for my appointment. I gave as usual, but this time, I felt fine afterward. No problems at all. I didn't think too much about it, but I was glad to have had a better result. So, when the next blood drive rolled around, I signed up without hesitation. Same routine, afternoon apointment, right after lunch. Again, I felt great after. In fact, I felt so good, I went to the YMCA that evening, for a weights + bike workout (I don't think that part is Red Cross-recommended). And it dawned on me what the difference was: an empty stomach versus a very full stomach made all the difference! So now, my advice is: look at giving blood as a guilt-free opportunity to have an enormous (preferably buffet) lunch. Works like a charm for me. 10:29:09 PM    comment []

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How to Run a Blood Drive I try to give blood frequently. In fact, I've often thought it would be good to organize a group of people and challenge each other to give 6 times in a year (exluding boundary conditions, that is the most you can give in a year). But, as with so many things in life, convenience is everything, and I usually wind up giving maybe twice a year, when there is a blood drive at work. Recently, though, I gave at church. I had noticed they had regular blood drives, always on a Friday, from 12-6. This time I called early enough to get a late appointment. When I was in "recovery", I got to chatting with Steve, the organizer. Turns out he has been organizing the church blood drives for several years, and has it down to a science. The key innovation was that he already had the next date scheduled (within a few days of the medical minimum 59), and was passing around the signup. THAT is the way to do it--before I left the premises, I was already signed up for the next cycle! (This experience was part of the inspiration for my idea about flu vaccine by subscription.) 10:18:57 PM    comment []

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Another child-development first: Anna-Claire wore a garment belonging to her mother. It was every so slightly big, but only slightly. 12:10:16 PM    comment []