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Apr. 2nd, 2008 01:37 pmUPDATE: The library found out that there's a donor center at 1955 Monroe Dr., which is a lot more convenient than the Sandy Springs donor center. Yay!
UPDATE: The library found out that there's a donor center at 1955 Monroe Dr., which is a lot more convenient than the Sandy Springs donor center. Yay!
Bloodletting
Mar. 11th, 2007 10:55 amI gave blood today at the Methodist church. Apparently their 'method' involves walking right past the bloodmobile and into a building to sing songs about how nice it would be if people would occasionally do something that helps others. I wasn't there when the bloodmobile opened for donations, and I took my time afterward, and yet nobody else had donated before me and nobody else had come in by the time I left.
As I drove away, I asked a couple of Methodists walking from the parking lot toward the church if they'd please spread the word that I'd been the only donor so far, and after all, it's Lent. They looked at me kinda funny at that point; perhaps they surmised I wasn't one of them. Which makes me think that I should round up a bunch of agnostic and atheist people to get together and bum rush the bloodmobile at a yuppie church. I'd like to think that the clergy would take it as a challenge when they found out that godless heathens were saving more lives than their own flock...
And just to be clear, I'm a universalist (and, now that I've been exposed to the term, an apocatastasist) Christian, but I'm dismayed; my optimistic side hopes that everyone in that church gave blood on Good Friday and just isn't eligible to donate again. My pragmatic side figures that it's time for some good old-fashioned shame to get churchies to open their hearts and veins.
Oh, and I've just requested In the Hands of a Happy God: The "No-Hellers" of Central Appalachia from iBorrow. Sounded interesting.
As I drove away, I asked a couple of Methodists walking from the parking lot toward the church if they'd please spread the word that I'd been the only donor so far, and after all, it's Lent. They looked at me kinda funny at that point; perhaps they surmised I wasn't one of them. Which makes me think that I should round up a bunch of agnostic and atheist people to get together and bum rush the bloodmobile at a yuppie church. I'd like to think that the clergy would take it as a challenge when they found out that godless heathens were saving more lives than their own flock...
And just to be clear, I'm a universalist (and, now that I've been exposed to the term, an apocatastasist) Christian, but I'm dismayed; my optimistic side hopes that everyone in that church gave blood on Good Friday and just isn't eligible to donate again. My pragmatic side figures that it's time for some good old-fashioned shame to get churchies to open their hearts and veins.
Oh, and I've just requested In the Hands of a Happy God: The "No-Hellers" of Central Appalachia from iBorrow. Sounded interesting.
Blood donation
Aug. 26th, 2006 01:10 pmI went to the Florida Blood Services bloodmobile, which was parked outside a theater. I figured I'd get movie passes instead of a t-shirt, and I was right; I got two passes, not good for special engagements. Certainly the best swag I've gotten for blood.
I tried donating by apheresis. The system takes whole blood, holds onto the red blood cells, and pushes the plasma and platelets back into me on the same line. It didn't hurt until the first cycle was ending; apparently the vein they picked wasn't terribly fond of having fluid pushed INTO it. I started feeling pain and pressure, and they quickly shut off the machine. I imagined the crook of my elbow swelling up like a cartoon hose, but I'm sure it was nothing like that.
They were able to use the portion of blood that I had managed to donate, but I have to wait the full four months before I can donate blood again. I'm not saying I would have gotten around to donating again, but I'd like to have had the option. Oh well, maybe I'll help someone out around Christmas.
Speaking of donating blood at Christmas: I was at a funeral a year or two ago, and one of the speakers (referring to the deceased, whose life was bound up with organ donation, both as a recipient and as a lifelong advocate and activist) said that Christ was the ultimate organ donor. Well, I tend to think He was the ultimate blood donor.
Anyway, I think giving blood ought to be part of the modern Christmas celebration, for anyone who chooses to regard Christmas as a religious observance. (Frankly, the Christmas I'm aware of is primarily a secular phenomenon.) I don't know how to make it happen. Maybe I should just put a bug in God's ear and hope God will nudge the Pope, or other influential people. So do I pray about it or just figure that God is everywhere, even on LJ?
I tried donating by apheresis. The system takes whole blood, holds onto the red blood cells, and pushes the plasma and platelets back into me on the same line. It didn't hurt until the first cycle was ending; apparently the vein they picked wasn't terribly fond of having fluid pushed INTO it. I started feeling pain and pressure, and they quickly shut off the machine. I imagined the crook of my elbow swelling up like a cartoon hose, but I'm sure it was nothing like that.
They were able to use the portion of blood that I had managed to donate, but I have to wait the full four months before I can donate blood again. I'm not saying I would have gotten around to donating again, but I'd like to have had the option. Oh well, maybe I'll help someone out around Christmas.
Speaking of donating blood at Christmas: I was at a funeral a year or two ago, and one of the speakers (referring to the deceased, whose life was bound up with organ donation, both as a recipient and as a lifelong advocate and activist) said that Christ was the ultimate organ donor. Well, I tend to think He was the ultimate blood donor.
Anyway, I think giving blood ought to be part of the modern Christmas celebration, for anyone who chooses to regard Christmas as a religious observance. (Frankly, the Christmas I'm aware of is primarily a secular phenomenon.) I don't know how to make it happen. Maybe I should just put a bug in God's ear and hope God will nudge the Pope, or other influential people. So do I pray about it or just figure that God is everywhere, even on LJ?
