This is a screenshot of my Google Analytics page. I visit this page at least eight times daily. "How many people have read the blog so far today?" (two, at my last check) Bastards. Not the readers -- the developers of Google Analytics. It's actually a great program. I can see, not only how many readers I've had, but also things like a map of the world to show me where they're all from. (I am pretty big in Canada. I'm not quite sure how that happened, but G.A. does not lie.)
Recently on one of my more obsessive visits to G.A., I was looking around and stumbled onto a page that tells me how my readers get to me -- direct traffic, search engines, or referring sites. One referring site I found was A One Cylinder Love Riot. Turns out this girl, Jenni lurves my blog. Her word, not mine. In fact, my blog is listed on her site under the heading, "Some of the Blogs I Lurve." (Here I come O! Not only do I receive hate mail, I have a fan. A real fan. Someone I don't know. Amazing!) I check out the blog and the homepage is, "overcoming fears." It's a story of how Jenni is afraid of needles but worked through it to become a blood donor. (She lurves my blog AND she's a do-gooder.)
Here's the thing. I have type O-negative blood -- the rare and extremely valuable type known for being the "universal" blood type. I can only receive type O-negative blood, but my blood can be used for anyone, no matter what type they are. I have known this for years. So, you'd think I'd be a fervent blood donor. However. I am terrified of needles. So terrified that when I went into Dr. Luckie's office for my booster vaccination when I was a sophomore in high school, I ended up in a foot race around the office with his nurse. (Dr. Luckie later blindsided me when I was screaming at the nurse that there was no way I was getting a shot.)
Then Jenni. I read her post and thought, "Jesus Christ, Susan. You are 37 years old. There has been devastation in Texas. People all over need blood and you have super blood. What is wrong with you?" So I posted on Jenni's blog and told her that I was going to donate. Then she wrote me back.
Hi SusanSo, now I have to follow through.
Needles freak me out, too! It was pretty scary, but I'm really glad I did it. I can understand being O-negative you'd want to try even harder. I'm A- so I'm not all that in-demand *lol*.
Good luck & let me know how it goes!
Pray for me. Better yet. Pray for the nurses at the New York Blood Center.
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3 comments:
Awww ... :)
I hope it went well! Also, Pete reminded me first thing this morning that it's ITLAP day (arrr!) so I'm glad we're not the only ones.
Giving Blood: I am eternally grateful that I am O+. You see, I learned over the years that I basically have one vein in one arm that will surface even after they put that huge rubber band on my bicep and make me flex my hand while they repeatedly attempt to get a rise from my other veins by flicking and smacking my arm. This situation is not a pretty sight, because my response to their frustration is, " You get one try. AND unless you can get that needle in this one vein that's crooked and ROLLS on the first try…and digging is not an option, I will scream bloody murder if that needle comes near me again. To really get my point across I then hyperventilate and cry for my doctor to come save me from the wretched phlebotomist and make him take the blood instead.
If you were in L.A., you could donate at the blood drive I'm hosting at my church on Sunday! The Bloodmobile is parked outside, you wouldn't have to cross the threshhold if you didn't want to. :)
Small world when it comes to blood donating, huh.
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