Give Life... Give Blood

I've never had anything to post about before... and this isn't that exciting, but I thought I'd write about it. I'm procrastinating finishing my Julius Caesar test for my Shakespeare class.
So yesterday I went to give blood for the first time. I always thought I couldn't give blood because I'd had mono and that stays in your blood for forever. But you can, as long as it's not active. Anyway, they had the blood drive here on campus and Katie signed us up. So I was kinda nervous, but not too bad. So I finally get in the chair and I'm really hungry at that point, but I'm thinking, oh well. So she puts the needle in and almost as soon as she does it I just get really tired. So the more I sit there the weaker I'm feeling and even starting to see spots. So she finishes up and is wrapping my arm and asks how I feel. I told her I wasn't feeling very well and she says "yep, you're white!" so she tips my chair back and makes me move my legs back and forth, puts a cold cloth on my forehead and makes me cough (why cough? I have no idea). Katie's over at the food table eating and turns around to see me lying like this. So she comes over and brings me food and I'm thinking okay, yeah, I'm feeling better. So Katie leaves to go get her stuff and I am about to stand up and some nurse (excuse me, phlebotomist) walks by and says "do you feel okay?" I said yes and almost immediately felt worse then I had yet. My vision was totally going black and I started hearing ringing in my ears so I'm like, actually I'm feeling not so good. "yeah, there goes your color again!" so they tip me back again and we start it all over and Katie turns around to find me again like that! It was funny. Anyway, so they finally moved me to a cot to free up their chair and then I was trying to call someone for a ride home cause I didn't think I could walk all the way home. No one was answering but I finally got a hold of my roommate who was just getting off work in the building right next to where we were. I thought I had made it clear I needed a ride home, but apparently I didn't. Cause she showed up about five minutes after we called her and said I'm here! (not enough time to get from campus to home and then get her car and bring it back to us) And then proceeded to hold onto my arm while we walked home :) so I was grateful for her help, but all the same, I wanted to cry when I realized she hadn't brought her car. Anyway, so thats a long and not very entertaining story, but I thought I'd share all the same. And I have a fear of passing out, so I was really grateful I didn't actually pass out!

A Christmas-time poem for yous

'Twas the night before Conference, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The scriptures were laid by the pillows with care,

In hopes that President Monson soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of bingo danced in their heads;

And I in my skivvies, and ma in her flannel,

Had been lying down, watching the REM channel.

When up from the desk, there arose such a clatter,

We sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away from the bed, we clumsily stumbled,

“Who the $%#! could that be,” I hastily mumbled.

The moon through the glass in the dark of midnight
Scattered deep shadows to keep the phone hid from sight.

When, what to our wondering ears came the sound,

Of “Who let the Dogs Out!”, blaring up from the ground
We jumped at the uproar and got a bit nervous.
Friends or family needing an ambulance service?!
We grabbed the phone to stop the sleep-breaking noise.
It is 1 am, I shouted into the void!
We stared down the display, trying to think through our stupor.
And what did we find? (You’re gonna think this is super)
Not a death, not a sickness, not disaster nor pain,

Not a neighbor, or baby, not Armageddon or rain.
To the side of the bed, to the top of the wall
Now silence them, silence them, silence them all!
On that bright screen, on that there LCD,
Was no plea for help, no one in great need.
They were dressed all in fur, from the head to the waist,

And their clothes were immaculate, not put on in great haste;

A picturesque view, they had at their back,

And they looked like some hikers just missing their pack.

Their eyes -- how they twinkled! Their dimples how merry!

Their cheeks were like roses, their noses like cherries!

Her droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the hair at his temples was as white as the snow;

She had a nice face; he, not much of a belly,

And they looked fairly clean, I would guess not too smelly.

They were familiar and happy, a right jolly old couple,

And I tried not to curse, in spite of the trouble;
We spoke not a word, but went straight back to sleep,
When the second text came, I started to weep.
Then pulling my hair in a frustrated pose,
And giving a shake, off the bed I arose
I looked at the pic, and turned to my wife,
Mom sure can use text, she wields it like a knife.
Then I heard her exclaim, as I shut off the light,
“If only we could get her not to use it ALL NIGHT”