Being a Blood Hero

I was out of the loop for a week and a half due to some health issues, but during this time I donated blood for the first time.  It was a fascinating experience, and one I plan on repeating in May when there is another blood drive.  I’m donating blood for health reasons, but while donating was for my benefit, it is also hopefully going to help someone else.

After donating I went on the website and started reading the statistics and information about donating blood.  Here are the statistics from the company I donated with.  Blood Centers of the Pacific.

Blood Centers of the Pacific helps 50,000 patients every year with blood donated by community volunteers.

BCP works closely with businesses, community groups, non-profit organizations, churches, synagogues, schools and colleges to schedule “on-site” mobile blood drives. We process more than 200,000 blood components, and distribute about 145,000 pints of blood and almost 24,000 units of platelets to more than 40 hospitals annually.

So, wow, that is kind of amazing how much blood is used.  And this is just in Northern California.  You add in all the other blood banks and the Red Cross, and that’s a lot of blood used and needed.

And here is some information taken from Wikipedia regarding blood donations.

Storage and blood shelf life

The collected blood is usually stored as separate components, and some of these have short shelf lives. There are no storage solutions to keep platelets for extended periods of time, though some are being studied as of 2008.^[78] The longest shelf life used for platelets is seven days.^[79] Red blood cells, the most frequently used component, have a shelf life of 35–42 days at refrigerated temperatures.^[80][81] This can be extended by freezing the blood with a mixture of glycerol but this process is expensive, rarely done, and requires an extremely cold freezer for storage.^[37] Plasma can be stored frozen for an extended period of time and is typically given an expiration date of one year and maintaining a supply is less of a problem.^[82]

Demand for blood

The limited storage time means that it is difficult to have a stockpile of blood to prepare for a disaster. The subject was discussed at length after the September 11 attacks in the United States, and the consensus was that collecting during a disaster was impractical and that efforts should be focused on maintaining an adequate supply at all times.^[83] Blood centers in the U.S. often have difficulty maintaining even a three day supply for routine transfusion demands.^[84]

Donation levels

The World Health Organization recognizes World Blood Donor Day on 14 June each year to promote blood donation. This is the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the scientist who discovered the ABO blood group system.^[85] The theme of the 2012 World Blood Donor Day campaign, “Every blood donor is a hero” focuses on the idea that everyone can become a hero by giving blood. As of 2008, the WHO estimated that more than 81 million units of blood were being collected annually.^[86]

In the United States it is estimated that only 111 million citizens are eligible blood donors,^[87] or 37% of the population.^[88] However less than 10% donate annually.^[88] In the UK the NHS reports blood donation levels at “only 4%”.

Donor health benefits

In patients prone to iron overload, blood donation prevents the accumulation of toxic quantities.^[90] Donating blood may reduce the risk of heart disease for men, but the link has not been firmly established and may be from selection bias because donors are screened for health problems.^[91][92]

Research published in 2012 demonstrated that repeated blood donation is effective in reducing blood pressure, blood glucose, HbA1c, low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio, and heart rate.^[93]

I think donating blood is a really amazing thing.  I never did it before because I thought I couldn’t handle it.  And after being ill right after, and being a bit woozy all day, I’m not sure how well I handled it, but my doctor said I could. So, I plan on doing it again two more times this year.  I like thinking how I might help someone who needs it.  I think it’s something we should all be thinking of doing.

Do you donate blood?  Have you ever thought about it?  Are you one of the 90% of people that don’t donate?  Maybe you could consider it. Check out your local blood banks or the Red Cross.  Talk to your doctor.  Can you be a Blood Hero?

Signing off

~Kate

Being Proactive

I am being incredibly proactive.  I just finished writing my post for Christmas.

Next year.

Yes, I decided that I never get around to a proper holiday post, so why not do it now, while I’m in the spirit and have major inspiration.  I need to add a picture, but I have it all ready for the 24th of next year.  It’s kind of fun.  Like a little present to myself and all my readers.  Now, sure, it takes away the surprise if I tell you now that I already typed it up, but will you actually remember that I told you that?  Probably not.

I’m never one to be very good at blogging on time.  In fact, I’ve become quite horrible about it.  I was much better with the WordPress challenge of Postaweek  last year.  It was much easier when I had a deadline.

But I’m trying.

I’m trying to get back on track to blogging more regularly, along with writing query letters and writing in general.  I’ve gotten bogged down in holiday cheer and the whole relaxing after a crazy summer and fall.  I have millions of ideas in my heads, and actually some time to write, yet I spend it futzing and reading.  Oh well.  Reading is important.

So, here’s to one of my New Year’s resolution of being proactive.

Signing off

~Kate

Happy Thanksgiving (Gobble Gobble)

A lamb gives a turkey a kiss on a farm in Lindsborg, Kansas c. Joel Sartore/National Geographic/Aurora Photos

Happy Thanksgiving dear readers.  Enjoy all the fun and festivities. Don’t forget to watch The Parade.  And if you are lucky enough to be there in person, good for you.

We have so much to be thankful for, living in this country. It is the best, and we should be proud of it.  Let’s keep it that way, and God bless every one of you on this special day.  Don’t forget the reason why we have this holiday.  Celebrate your freedom.

Signing off

~Kate

Suspended for Long Hair

While I think most school dress codes are a good thing, there are times you sort of wonder.  There are always going to be times when a rule needs to be stretched and in the case of an Ohio boy growing out his hair for a charity, that is a time for such a stretch.  Below is the article taken from Yahoo news.

Student suspended for growing hair for charity Locks of Love

By Nadine Bells

Shine On Blogger

 

By Nadine Bells | Shine On – Wed, 24 Oct, 2012 1:43 PM

Zachary Aufderheide has been suspended by his school for growing his hair even though it is for charity. (Face …What was supposed to be a thoughtful gesture for charity has resulted in a suspension for one Ohio teen.

Zachary Aufderheide, 17, of Canton, Ohio, is growing out his hair to donate a 10-inch ponytail to Locks of Love, an organization that provides wigs for cancer patients.

However, his growing hair violates his high school’s dress code, so Canton South High School gave the junior an ultimatum, cut his hair or face a two-day in-school suspension.

Only one inch away from his goal, Aufderheide chose the suspension. He doesn’t know what will happen at the end of the suspension, but is determined to donate his hair.

Aufderheide’s mother, Robin, tells ABC News that her son approached the school board in September to explain the importance of what he was doing and to ask them to support him in reaching his goal.

“I can understand where they’re coming from. They’ve had this dress code policy for so long, but I don’t understand why they can’t make one simple exception this one time,” Zach tells WKYC-TV.

Despite board members commending Aufderheide’s efforts, they still voted to uphold the school’s dress code.

“What he’s doing is against board policy. The decision on this one, tough as it was, was to follow the board policies written,” says school board president John Martin.

“I feel pretty disappointed with their decision because, honestly, I really put a lot of heart and soul into my demonstration, like, my presentation of the idea to them, and then when they just all unanimously voted against it…it was just kind of heartbreaking to me,” Aufderheide tells ABC News.

Aufderheide insists that he’ll maintain his hair at regulation length following the donation to Locks of Love.

Last winter, a Michigan teen was suspended for the same reason.

Seventeen-year-old J.T. Gaskins, 17, is a leukaemia survivor and wanted to give back by donating to Locks of Love.

“I’m fighting for them to make it an option for kids to grow out their hair for Locks of Love, to make it a part of the school and raise awareness for all cancer charities out there that can help patients,” Gaskins says of the petition he and his mother launched, asking the school to change its policy on hair.

“It wouldn’t be a change to where people find a loophole just to grow out their hair.”

“I’m fine with all of their rules,” Gaskins adds. “I just think that with this, they could try to make a compromise.”

The school responded to the petition with options for Gaskins, promising to support the teen as long as he styled his growing hair in a way that was compliant with school rules, kept out of his eyes and off his shirt collar.

In the end, Gaskins opted to look for a new school.

Should school’s hair rules make exceptions for Locks of Love donations? What about other dress code violations in the name of charity?

So, what say you, all my readers?  Personally, for a boy who has survived  leukaemia, I think this was a wonderful thing to do.  I also think this Locks of Love sounds like a very good charity.  As I just had my hair cut to shoulder length, it would be hard to have that long of hair for a while, but what a wonderful charity.  Something to think about for the future.  Check it out.

Signing off

~Kate

Running For Myself

Recently I have taken up running and last night I accomplished a mile.  For many, that might not be very far, but for me it was huge.  Now, granted, I didn’t run the whole mile straight, but in increments.

Why did I start running?  Well, honestly I have to thank George as the one to inspire me to start it up.  George is in really good physical shape and he runs.  Recently he told me about an 8 mile run he did.  8 miles!  I can’t even dream of that right now and I’m not sure I will ever get there, but that’s not the point.  George is the reason I wanted to try running.

I think one of the other reasons for deciding to tackle something that I’ve tried before and said, ‘No way am I ever going to do that again”, was because in the last month I lost 8 pounds due to a jello and ice water diet.  (no, that was not intentional, but due to some health issues) While loosing that much weight wasn’t quite what I had been going for, I had needed it.  It kind of became my reason to keep it off.  I’ve wanted to lose about 15 pounds for a while and now that half of it is gone…. What’s stopping me from those extra few?  Pretty much only myself is stopping me.

I’ve run three times since starting two, almost three, weeks ago.  I know, that means I’m running once a week.  Not much, but on the off days I’m biking uphill into town for the mail, or to go to the library, or well, just whenever I need to go into town.  That little bit extra keeps me going.

Is running fun?  Not really, at least not at first.  But there I was finishing up running half a mile thinking to myself, only two more laps and I have a mile. I can do this.  After the 3/4 mark I was grinning.  Beet red and glowing (I.E. sweating)  I thought I might not make it, but I pushed.  That last 1/4 mile was kind of killer.  But you know, I made it.  I finished out the running on one of my new favorite songs (One Direction’s “That’s What Makes You Beautiful”) Don’t go off on that, I like funky music.  I was so red and gasping for air.  I was tired and hot, but I felt great.  Talk about a high.  I was buzzing. It might have been from lack of oxygen, but I really think it was that adrenaline rush.  And talk about a rush.  I was glowing, not sweating but actually glowing, for about two hours afterwards.

So, after some really bad dance moves and jiggles on the football field (where I ran) and a nice bike ride home I was wired.  I can’t wait to tell George who recently told me that first run is horrible.  Man was he right, but he was also right that it gets better.  Damn straight it gets better.

I can’t wait for my next run.  It might not be till next week, but I seriously can’t wait.

On a side note, the running made me inspired to write more. Don’t ask  me why.  Maybe it was the high. (and pardon that rhyme)

Signing off

~Kate