Dehydration from Blood Loss

The American Red called me four times in the past week telling me of local blood drives and the need for blood. The blood banks are low again. It has been awhile since I gave blood and I have been wanting to. The problem is that most blood drives take place during my daytime working hours. Yesterday, there was a blood drive at my former church, Fellowship Reformed Church, RCA,

By the way, my blood type is O Positive and I am positive about my blood type.

Fellowship Church is air conditioned but central air unit is on a timer. It seems to me that someone could have overridden the timer program and provided relief for all the Red Cross workers and volunteers, especially the one who was processing me. She had put an ice pack on her back, and I fanned her with information packet on her desk. After she took my temperature, I told her that is a good way to silence someone who is annoying her. I said, "Just take their temperature and they have to shut up for a minute, and if that doesn't work say 'oops something is wrong with that one' and take it again."

She was laughing and almost lost count while taking my pulse.

I drank four glasses of water before donating which sped up blood flow so donating went well. I sat at the refreshment table and had a small cup of lemonade, a chocolate chocolate chip cookie, and as I left I had a cheese and cracker combo. While, sitting at the refreshment table I had a conversation with a former member of PLC. I remembered her name. She told me about her divorce and how she still thinks she could have done more.

I looked into her and listened to everything she was sharing with me. I could feel the pain of grief through her loss. She told me how her brother committed suicide and she was able to deal with that loss much better than she has with her divorce. I told her, your brother's death was sudden and unexpected; it was sad, but he is gone and there is nothing you can do about it. Your ex, I said, is still alive and there is that lingering hope that you two could get back together. She is carrying a heavy burden from a great loss. She lost her identity of wife. Her husband went into Her husband had taken up with another woman who also was married. The "other woman" went back to her husband and family. Now he is with a younger woman, the volunteer told me.

All I could tell her is that she has to let go. She did nothing wrong and her husband didn't trust you enough to tell you what was going on with him.

Later, I ignored all the Red Cross guide lines and went swimming in a chlorinated pool no less. Did not drink much water, but wine instead. I should have listened to Incubus and chose water over wine, but hey, it is summer dinner was delicious and the wine tasted good.

I fell asleep on the love seat and woke up at 1 am with headache from dehydration. I took ibuprofen and went to bed. I knew better, but the wine tasted good.