Monday, September 26, 2005
Giving the gift of lifeblood
Today I donted blood. Normally this is an unpleasant process, however today was something different. When they took the blood sample of hematocrite they cut me on the side of my finger (less nerve endings) so I didn't even feel it. The nurse and I chatted the whole 20 minutes it took me to donate blood (fastest pint I have ever lost). I was shocked at how kind and skilled they were. I also learned something interesting.
I have sold my plasma at donation sites, much to my surprise paid plasma can NOT be used for human transfusion. Meaning that if you get paid to donate plasma it gets used for some weird things - like cosmetics! Yes that skin moisturizer or lipstick might be made from human plasma content! I feel like I have donated that fluid in vain (not to mention how painful it is, who would have thought that whole blood loss would be more pleasant?).
Today was also the first quiz (followed by blood donation) and then test at school. Both were (thankfully) easy. I hope the ease of the test was because of my studying and not the professors being easy on us. Lab also involved the clearing of the femoral triangle (the area where your hip connects to your leg or the groove between your crotch and hip next to your leg contains your femoral artery, vein, and nerve. Pressing there might yeild your femoral pulse if you are in the right spot).
On a less banal note I awoke at 5 am this morning to run. The world is a different place at that time. The sun is not up and there are few people around. A mist seems to cling to everything and your vision is limited to pale street lamps and the blue glow cast by the moon. Your footsteps echo and your breath and heartbeat keep a rhythmic beat that sound unnaturally loud. For some reason I felt stronger out there in the cold and dark. I made sure to call out to people I was running up behind, an attempt to not frighten them or maybe to make sure the figure in the distance is friendly (if they don't say something back I get worried). I'm going to try and keep this early morning run up.
Also, last weekend was the Regis 5k Fun Run. I did alright, I couldn't keep up with the winner (he came in at 15:xx) and I came in at 17:33 or so. He was much faster than me though, so I have something to run after in the future. The entire race itself didn't seem as cool as it was last year, so hopefully I can be part of the committee to change that for the next year's run.
Also Zebra Girl, no really it is cool.
Todays run: 55 min
7 miles
I have sold my plasma at donation sites, much to my surprise paid plasma can NOT be used for human transfusion. Meaning that if you get paid to donate plasma it gets used for some weird things - like cosmetics! Yes that skin moisturizer or lipstick might be made from human plasma content! I feel like I have donated that fluid in vain (not to mention how painful it is, who would have thought that whole blood loss would be more pleasant?).
Today was also the first quiz (followed by blood donation) and then test at school. Both were (thankfully) easy. I hope the ease of the test was because of my studying and not the professors being easy on us. Lab also involved the clearing of the femoral triangle (the area where your hip connects to your leg or the groove between your crotch and hip next to your leg contains your femoral artery, vein, and nerve. Pressing there might yeild your femoral pulse if you are in the right spot).
On a less banal note I awoke at 5 am this morning to run. The world is a different place at that time. The sun is not up and there are few people around. A mist seems to cling to everything and your vision is limited to pale street lamps and the blue glow cast by the moon. Your footsteps echo and your breath and heartbeat keep a rhythmic beat that sound unnaturally loud. For some reason I felt stronger out there in the cold and dark. I made sure to call out to people I was running up behind, an attempt to not frighten them or maybe to make sure the figure in the distance is friendly (if they don't say something back I get worried). I'm going to try and keep this early morning run up.
Also, last weekend was the Regis 5k Fun Run. I did alright, I couldn't keep up with the winner (he came in at 15:xx) and I came in at 17:33 or so. He was much faster than me though, so I have something to run after in the future. The entire race itself didn't seem as cool as it was last year, so hopefully I can be part of the committee to change that for the next year's run.
Also Zebra Girl, no really it is cool.
Todays run: 55 min
7 miles
# posted by J @ 9:28 PM 
