Giving "life"

I'm giving blood today. I'm nervous. Did I mention I'm nervous? That my blood pressure is probably skyrocketing because I'm nervous? I know giving blood is wonderful and I know how many people that it helps, it's just, I don't do so well with it.

When I was seventeen a blood bus was coming to my school. I wanted to give blood SO badly. I took iron pills for a month because my iron count was one or two points lower than it was supposed to be. I am not the biggest fan of needles, but even that couldn't stop me. I wanted to give blood, to help someone. I also wanted to find out my blood type.

Anyway, the big day came. I went on the bus, saw the people with slowly-filling-with-red bags and got a little light headed. I got even more light headed when the technician stuck a huge needle in my arm. Ok. It wasn't that huge, it was just a little bigger than I was expecting, but it didn't make me feel better. I sat there looking out of the window for the sixteen minutes I was allotted to fill my own red bag.

I went over my limit.

Do you know what happens when you can't fill that little bag in sixteen minutes? They have to throw it away. They can't use it because it's not enough and they can't let you sit there longer because the blood starts to clot or something. So I was done, I had gone through all of that and I couldn't even help someone because they were going to throw my blood away. I got up to go. I was still light headed. Let's just say they made me sit down on the bus some more before they'd let me leave.

I wouldn't say I was traumatized by the event, but I do joke that that's why I got three tattoos and one redone over the next five years, so I wouldn't have to give blood or make a different excuse about why I wouldn't give blood. Did you know that you can't give blood within a year of getting a tattoo? I thought about getting another one yesterday. And isn't it ironic that the thought of getting a tattoo doesn't bother me, or the needles that puncture your skin then. But the thought of giving blood makes me weak in the knees, and not in a good way.

Now what does this all have to do with health and weight loss? Well, a lot. For one thing I have to take it easy for a few hours after I give blood. I've put it off until the end of my day at work because if I get sick I don't want to leave my co-workers in the lurch. But I might not get my workout in and that bothered me. It made me realize once again how dedicated I am to this right now. Also, my blood (if I can fill the frickin' bag this time) might help someone else live. I really might "give life" as they say, and that though inspires me just as much as people on here inspire me to continue reaching for my weight loss goals.

So I'll let you know how the blood-letting went tomorrow, or tonight if I'm feeling really ambitious. But please, keep striving for your goals. Please keep being inspired by people and things and places in your life. Never give up. You never know what obstacles, big or small, you'll be willing to overcome tomorrow by overcoming one today.