You Just Might Save a Life

You hear the words “Donating blood.” What comes to mind? Perhaps “Ewwwww gross!” Or, “No way, not me. That involves needles. Needles + blood + pain = scary!” These are all legitimate thoughts. It is kinda gross if you think about it and for those scared of needles it can indeed be scary.

I have always been scared of needles. It goes back to my one of my earliest childhood memories - being in the ER and having several adults holding me down while I screamed and they poked me over and over and over. (They were trying to get an IV in me because I was very dehydrated, but I was two and all I understood was that it hurt.) Whenever I am faced with a shot or a needle of any kind, I still have to remind myself that, “It doesn't hurt that bad. It doesn't hurt that bad. It doesn't hurt that bad.” To this day, it still makes me uncomfortable and nervous.

So, why would it be worth it to donate? We all instantly think of people who have suffered a major trauma in a tragic accident. But they are not the only people who rely on other's generosity to survive. According to what I have read, people who are severely anemic, have blood clotting disorders, many who are fighting various cancers, or those who are undergoing a major surgery may also need transfusions. Many, many lives are saved or prolonged by blood donations.

Whole blood can only be donated every 56 days for those who are eligible. And not everyone is eligible. To donate you must answer an extensive list of health related questions, be in good general health, have the right amount of iron in your blood, etc. Many people do not qualify because of time spent out of country, medications that they take, being pregnant, or age and weight restrictions (you must be at least 17 and cannot weigh less than 110 pounds), etc. 

Maybe you wonder why I feel so passionate about something that scares me. Well, my Granddad died of leukemia when I was 12 or 13. He had many, many transfusions over the course of his treatments. They gave him more time with us and I will always be thankful for that.

So even though I don't enjoy it, I find that it is worth it to face my fears knowing that it could help saves someone's life. Or it could help prolong a life, giving someone's loved ones a little more time with the person they will soon have to learn to live without. And to be honest I think it falls a little bit under the “do unto others” part of the “Golden Rule.” I would want my loved one to have the blood necessary to survive...

The question to ask yourself (if you are eligible) is this: Is a little inconvenience, discomfort, and a teeny bit of pain worth the potential to save someone else's life? For me that answer could be nothing less than rolling up my sleeve, turning my head, squeezing that little stress reliever thing for all it's worth, and enduring the discomfort that is naturally a part of the process. But when I walk away with my arm wrapped, I can hold my head high knowing I faced my fears and that maybe, just maybe, I made a difference in someone else's life the way others made a difference in my Granddad's life.