Together, we can save a life!

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. In addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; communications services and comfort for military members and their family members; the collection, processing and distribution of blood and blood products; educational programs on health and safety; and international relief and development programs.

Now, maybe you already knew that, maybe you didn't. I didn't know that back in high school when I became a blood donor. Having my aunt Jean tell me about the American Red Cross one afternoon after she came to visit after being to a 'blood drive' is what made me decide to become a blood donor. Since I couldn't travel the world saving lives, I figured I could do the next best thing and donate a pint of my life every 8 weeks or so.

I saved a life last week, when I visited the donor center on Forest Ave.

They have the place looking festive, and they're helpful and very nice. I made a new friend, her name is Marcie, and she is just great. We laughed and had a great time. I don't mind having a needle stuck in my arm, but I hate the finger stick! I know they have to test the iron, and Marcie seeing my anxiety about this little thing, actually told me a joke to make me relax!

After finding out that my iron was fine, I got to finish up the paperwork and take a short test regarding medications I've taken, countries I've visited/lived in and once I was done with that, I got to proceed out to the donor area and wait for a 'bed'. I was looking forward to this, because it meant I could lay down. I was tired...


I was looking forward to having a nice little nap on the comfy bed. No such luck. I was distracted by the smell of fresh baked cookies... Uh, excuse me... How long has it been since I donated blood? Since when did they start making cookies here??? Last time I was here, I got a bottle of water and a package of Lorna Doones... These were no Lorna Doones I was smelling now. I started looking around for Mrs. Claus, my Grandmother, or Martha Stewart. Holy cow, get me off this table and lemme find whoever is cooking up that delicious smelling treat!


I finished filling my pint bag in no time flat (I think even my blood was ready for a cookie) and was escorted to the snack area to rest for 15 minutes. A sweet young man named Mario (who looked to me like a dead ringer for Dustin Pedroia) gave me my napkin with my time to leave, asked what I'd like for a beverage and gave me a cookie. Finally! A cookie! It had just come out of the oven, and was still soft, hot and I just knew it would fall apart if I picked it up.

I was so tempted... It looked so good, and I had been smelling it for what seemed like forever!

Since they didn't have any milk to go with this delicious piece of heaven they'd offered me, I selected OJ. Finally, juice half gone and cookie cooled enough to pick up, I brought it to my nose and smelled that wonderful aroma that I remember from childhood. Ahhh.... Nothing like the smell of freshly baked cookies. Unless it is bread or cake! I put the cookie to my lips and took a bite. Ah.. UG! Wait!! This cookie has RAISINS in it! EEWWWWW!!! I HATE RAISINS!

Thankfully the cookie was still warm enough for me to pick them out easily, but my experience was ruined. I was not happy about the cookie any more. I wrapped up the dried grapes in my napkin that 'Dustin/Mario' had written my time on, drank my juice and looked around to see if anyone else had eaten their raisin cookie. They had. I was apparently the only one at the table who didn't like raisins.

Well, I don't know if this one girl did or not. She didn't get to eat her cookie. She felt a little ill, and had to go lay back down. She was better by the time I left, but she had to start her 15 minutes over. She hadn't eaten or had anything to drink all day, and that is a BIG NO NO!

Something important to remember...

1. Eat and drink throughout the day. Don't show up on an empty stomach and expect not to be sick. (And eating means more than licking a yellow skittle, and peeling a grape.)

2. Ask for Marcie - she's great. I promise you'll love her.

3. Eat the cookie whether or not you like raisins. It's really the only place a complete stranger s is going to actually BAKE a cookie for you and give it to you for FREE. ( and you can trust them)

4. Donate regularly! (my next eligible date is 9/18/08 - hope to see you there!)

*The American Red Cross supplies roughly 44% of the donated blood in the United States

*Annually, the American Red Cross teaches around 12 million Americans the skills of first aid, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Automated external defibrillator (AED), water safety and lifeguard training.

*Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.

For more information on the American Red Cross please go to http://www.redcross.org/

Rock on with your bad self,

H