Blood Donor Extraordinaire

You should donate blood, even if only to break from your diet and eat to your heart's content. I donated blood today for the first time in my life. The student council at school put together a blood drive on campus today. What a great idea - set up 2 blood donation centers at a high school and tell impressionable youngsters to give up their blood. If I were a high schooler and some one offered me the opportunity to skip class to eat cookies, I would donate blood! I decided to donate 1) because I get excited to do new things and 2) I really like getting my blood drawn (I am so weird). I think that the Red Cross is great, and I know the need for blood is huge, but donating a pint of blood while lying in an antiquated dentist's chair inside a trailer seems a little sketch . . . whatever. Much of the process is answering questions about your sex life (or lack there of), health history, temperature taking, blood testing, and travel history. The best part was being able to watch them take my blood. I have NO idea why this fascinates me so much, but I REALLY liked watching them put the needle into my vein (even though they suggested that I not look at that part) and watching the blood poor into the packet. It was cool when they drained the blood into the tubes at the end because I could feel the blood pouring out. It is times like this that I remember my adolescent dreams of becoming a doctor . . . my sophomore chemistry class killed that dream quickly. Speaking of my vein, I was complimented 3 times on the vein in my arm with things such as, "Beautiful!", and "Nice one!" People may not say that about my ass, but damn it they say it about my vein! I'm holding on to that one. What a conversation starter, "Hi, I'm Ashley, check out my vein!" After giving blood I was starving. I ate a small package of Oreos, Nutter Butters, and Cheez-its (about 35 fat grams - way over the number of fat grams I should be consuming in one day, let alone 10 minutes) and I drank a can of OJ. About an hour later I ate a burger, sweet potato fries, zucchini fries, a glass of wine, several glasses of iced tea, and 3 bites of banana cream pie. Donating blood = bottomless stomach. I would rate my first blood donation as a success. Dear Red Cross, I'll see you again in 56 days! Maybe I'll go back to school to pursue my medical dreams . . .