Oh my Blood!

I am one of the many people who are not fond of injections, blood sampling and all the medical activities that are done with needles. But when I turned 23 this year, I promised myself to be more outgoing and proactive in participating to events that promote social awareness and development.

Last August 16, 2013, I joined a bloodletting activity at Barangay Bangkal, the community where I am currently working. The first step during this activity was filling out the donor form which includes question on the basic information and medical history. It is also during this part where they check the donor's vital signs, the weight and the height to ensure that they are capable of donating. The second step was identifying the type of blood of the donor. Mine was O+. Having this blood type makes me a universal donor or those who can freely donate. While those having an AB are known as universal receiver or who can freely receive blood from any of the other types. The third and last step is the actual blood collection. One pack is equivalent to 500cc but you only get to donate 450cc since the remaining 50cc is the anti-coagulant. The presence of this substance prevents the collected blood from clotting.

My nervous face and left arm as the source point.

So despite the sting of the needle, will I do it again? Of course! Why? Because doctors say it is healthy since you get to make your body generate new set of blood cells. But I guess more importantly, you spare a little of what you have to people who are constantly seeking ways on how to lengthen their lives. Besides, I have always believed that blessings return a thousand folds to those who give rather than those who are always the eager ones to receive.