02010106

My mother has been running our church's blood drive for the past several years. Every year she asks me to give blood, but I refused to donate because of my running. This year I could not say no to my mother's request. I drove down to Virginia Beach and signed up for a time slot. I got to wait in line for an hour while I kept getting more and more nervous. My whole family was there to support me- even my father was checking on me as he donated two times what I did. Giving blood was not a problem. My nervousness was misplaced. I will have to donate blood more often from now on. I may never catch up to one of the men at the blood drive who has given 11 gallons of blood (88 pints). If I gave one pint of blood every 8 weeks it would take me 13.5 years (that would be overdoing it I think). I hope to at least donate twice a year if I am able.