Bloodletting

Ah yes, a quick visit to "Theodoric Of York, Medieval Barber" this morning for a good bloodletting.

Actually the CBC gave me a call again to donate, and the only way I could fit it into my schedule was to go at 7:00 am today. The problem with all this is that Diane got me started doing Apherisis, which is platellete and plasma donations. Not a big deal, but I'm a slow bleeder - and in fact they finally gave up and called time after I had been hooked up to the machine for two hours and still wasn't finished.

I'm conflicted, because I feel that it is good to give blood, they keep asking me to, and then I end up wasting half a day (with the half hour screening process and drive) - and I'm not even sure they can use it since it isn't a full donation. I've had problems before with some of the machines, where they had to stop it because it wasn't working right. Not only that, but after about an hour or so, it seems like the attitude of the vampires there (or phlebotimists, or nurses, or whatever they are) changes a bit - I start feeling like a burden. The last few times I've almost felt ashamed because of the time it took, like I'm a burden to them or something. And the person who I start with is not the one that ends taking me off at the end.

It's not like there are no empty machines when I leave, so I don't appear to be holding anything up. And once I'm hooked up it isn't like they have to do a whole lot - most of the time (until today) everything goes fine (if long) and they don't even have to adjust the machine. Even today, it only went off about 3 times. But I guess just lying there quietly, listening to my ipod, having my blood sucked out, spun and pumped back in for two hours just makes me a big burden to them. I don't know.

It does feel like a complete waste of time to have it stopped close to 90% of the way done.
*sigh*

And to make it worse, I gave up my workout today because of it. Now normally we would have our weigh in tonight, so I'd work through lunch and work out at 5 (just before weighing in at 6:30). So when they called to ask me to come in, I figured I could do it early and make up some of the time at lunch (since I didn't work out at lunch on Wednesdays anyway). So I told my boss I'd be in late (knowing it would take me a while) and work through lunch today. Then Diane found out that Jill Conner Brown is at Books & Company in The Greene tonight, so we went and weighed in last night instead (on the positive side, I did lose the 1.8 lbs I gained last week, so I'm back to 214). But it also means I need to head over there right after work (we know there will be a big line, and since I'm right down the street I'll go there right after work to get a line number so she can get her stuff signed). And thus no workout.

I hate when real life interferes with my plans ;-) (God am I a whiner or what!)

The sacrifices I make - I should be a saint :-)