I’m O negative . . . and I am a wimp!
I’ve had a child and a botched epidural;
I had an episiotomy when the meds had worn out;
I had gestational diabetes and stuck myself 6 times per day,
I’ve done the blood gas thing, had the bicellum shot and nearly lost my foot from an odd spider bite in the 80s and YET-—
I vomit and/or nearly pass out when blood is draw.

My mother, saint that she is . . . has received the ‘world’s greatest donor’ award. Okay, there’s really no such thing but they put her picture in the paper every few years, they give her praise each time they take another gallon or two from her and me . . . with the precious Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh negative, I pass by the blood mobile and avert my eyes. When the sign-up sheet passes my cubey at work, I quickly dump that off on someone else.

I nearly gave in, vomit be-damned, on 9/11 but then . . . my cowardly instincts kicked IN and I backed OUT again. It is just so damned disconcerting to feel the very life-blood being sucked from you . . .

(i do prattle on don’t i?)

Maybe not THIS year but SOME year, I’m gonna do it. Just you wait and see! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh won’t Mother be proud!