I can honestly say I was blessed to not have to deal with the fear of needles. Reading that sentence alone probably made someone cringe somewhere because of the word “needle.” For the record, my husband is one of those people who cringed. He hates them. HATES them. He shuddered and trembled when I had every IV placed in the hospital. I thought he was going to pass out when he saw the needle for the amniocentesis we had for our son. The point is, when it comes to donating blood (and even having labs drawn, and shots), let’s just say he isn’t the first person in line.
I am the opposite. I don’t live with the fear of needles that he does. I can hold a full, calm, and casual conversation while donating blood. I know that my veins are diagonal, they are small, and they like to roll. I know what to expect, and if for some reason the phlebotomist is having trouble getting flow, I offer to do it myself. I donate blood often and whenever I am able. I am in no way disrespecting those who have a fear of needles, but rather calling on everyone for help because this is a cause near and dear to my heart.
I owe a great debt to those who donate blood and plasma. I have only had one blood transfusion, during my c-section, and the complications led to blood loss. My son received his first transfusion within his first few hours of life and has received at least one transfusion each year since his birth due to surgeries. I can think of no greater way of saying thank you than by taking a moment to do it and encouraging everyone to help out in some way shape or form.
I mentioned this earlier, but I owe a great debt to those who donate blood and plasma. I know I cannot ever track down the people who gave blood to save my son’s life, or even my own. Instead, I donate whenever I am able to. I know that there is no price that can be given when it comes to giving someone another chance at life, but if I can help in any way possible, I will.
To find out where you can donate blood in your area, visit the American Red Cross or One Blood to schedule your appointment.