be a hero

so they were having a blood drive at my work

“BE A HERO”

the posters read.

ok, i’ll be a hero. i’ll donate.

i have no idea why i decided it would be a good idea for me to donate blood. i have paper thin veins and they hide from needles (prolly saved me from being a shooter) but i’m feeling a ton of gratitude lately and i want to give something back.

i schedule it for a tuesday and i tell the boy. he laughs because he knows how i am about giving blood. so tuesday comes and i reschedule for wednesday. he asks how it was donating blood and i tell him i was too rushed and that i rescheduled for wednesday.

he laughs cuz he knows i got scared.

“why don’t you come over for dinner on wednesday after i give blood?”

so wednesday comes and i’m praying all day. mostly i’m praying to be honest. see i have tattoos and i know there’s the hep thing, but i’ve been tested but not since the last tattoo. so i pray to be honest even if it means i can’t donate. i know it seems weird but i’m such a people pleaser that i’ll lie about the tattoos before i know it, just so that i can donate blood. i know. weirdo.

so i pray for honesty.

and after work i head down to the medical building and sign up. i get through the first round of quesitons and all clear. nothing about the tattoos. the girl calls me back.

she says she’s gonna need some blood to test for iron so she pricks my finger. she drops in in a test tube and watches it. it takes too long to fall. she says she’s going to have to do another test. “does that mean i’m slightly anemic?” i ask. “probably,” she says. she takes more blood and walks down the hall.

she comes back with a thumbs up. i’m okay to give blood… after a few simple questions.

“Are you HIV positive or do you think you may be HIV positive?”
“no”

“Have you ever had hepatitis B or hepatitis C or do you think you may have hepatitis now?”
“no”

“Have you ever injected or been injected with illegal or non-prescribed drugs, including bodybuilding drugs? (You must answer 'Yes' even if it was only once or a long time ago.)”
“no”

“Have you had sex in the last 12 months with:
a. anyone who is HIV positive
b. anyone who has hepatitis B or C”
“no, no”

“In the last 12 months have you had sex with an intravenous drug user, with or without a condom or other form of protection?”
“uh…”

…