The Blood Store

I have donated blood for years. I was in grade twelve the first time I donated, and I've donated blood quite a few times since then. This year I have donated blood as many times as I could. Gloria came with me the first time I was able to donate this year. It happened to be a clinic in Warman. I was okay with Gloria coming with me because my dad helps out at the clinic and she could go stand with him and help hand out cookies when the actual bleeding happened. But she didn't want to go with grandpa, she stayed beside me.  She noticed everything and commented on all aspects of the blood donating process. 

Well, the next time I donated blood was at the actual blood clinic in the city.  The plan was that Tony would drop me off and would take the kids shopping for the hour I was gone.  Gloria heard "donating blood" and had to come with me, she would not stay in the car with her dad.  So she came with me, asking as we went in if we were going to the blood store.  She watched every step of the process and was on her very best behaviour and listened with her best listening ears to the nurses.  And then we got cookies and pop. 

I donated blood again Thursday and Gloria came with me to the blood store.  When the nurse poked my finger to check my iron the nurse told Gloria, "I'm going to poke Mom's finger now, I'm going to hurt her." Gloria says, "that's okay, you can hurt my Mommy."  Thanks kid, so sympathetic.  But my favourite comment of the night was when we were waiting for a bed.  I have to use my right arm to donate blood so we had to wait a few minutes.  Gloria asked why I didn't use the other arm.  I told her that my left arm just won't bleed so I have to use the right arm.  Gloria tells me then, "when I'm 7, I will donate blood with this arm (holding her left arm)."  Okay.  So I have a blood donor in training.  Although she has to wait a bit longer than 7, they just won't let seven year olds donate blood.  Weird. 



We had donuts and juice at the clinic