Giving it up, nearly going down

I gave blood today at the Life Serve Blood Center in the East Village. And it's not even lent or nothing! I know - I'm so proud of me too! Really, they make it pretty darn convenient to donate that I can't even feel all put out or anything, like I used to when I donated in Creston with Red Cross.

In Creston, they would come each month and would call and try to schedule an appointment - to which I would have to say, "I'll have to just drop in." Because it all depends on my migraine schedule (yep, I'm just like Michele Bachmann - I have migraines. But just so you know. I am good and able to run the country dammit.) One cannot donate blood after taking the meds. (But can run the country).

So when I did drop in to donate blood in Crestonia, there would be a long line and a bunch of stuff to read. And in the olden days I'd go through a lot of stuff before they tested me for low iron - and then a couple times I got rejected. After waiting an hour to donate. It hurt man! At Life Serve, they email me when I'm eligible to donate, I block a time online and they whip me through the check in process. Even the iron test hurts less.

At Life Serve, I was in and out in under an hour. It's only a couple blocks from my office, and both times I've donated they've managed to tap my tiny skinny vein so it gushed quickly. And they have Lorna Doones for a snack with Orange Juice. I do miss the lil church ladies making a fuss over me though - in Creston they had that going for them!

One tiny problem this time though. I was a little light-headed between the blood-letting and the heat. So when I decided to stop at Valley West - Von Mauer on the way back to Joan's I was way light headed by the time I got in the door. Good thing they've got those comfy chairs there! Once I sat down and rested, shopping was possible. Phew - I know you're relieved. But, much to Pablo's relief, no purchases.

On to Jason's Deli for supper -oops, feeling faint again, head down once I get in the door. But I recovered to order my usual Cali Club. While I waited for my sannie, I sat and read my very lite book club book - "Life's a Beach". All of the sudden I had a picture of myself - how I must look, in my new seersucker cropped pants, in my reading pose. Pat Bullock! By God, she had some seersucker pants. I quickly snatched my Blackberry out of my purse, because Pat didn't have one of those. I'm NO Pat. Phew!

Purchased gas after supper - again with the lightest of heads. Guess it's time to get to Joan's. So now I have my feet up, safely typing on my computer. I'll hold the hand rail walking downstairs tonight - Joan's stairs have gotten me before ya know.