The Gift of Life

Full moon at twilight January 2, 2007

I'm not all that special.

I've been a fairly regular blood donor for several years now, and it always makes me feel good to give something that money truly can't buy.

I'd stopped for a while, because of a course of antibotics to try to get my skin cleared up...again, and right before Christmas, I decided to give again, because they were giving away these really cool long sleeve tshirts.

Anyway, I was introduced to the idea of donating platelets while I was at this last blood drive, and today I got a call scheduling me for my first donation. I've got this not so rare blood, A Positive, with a rare trait. I have never had a virus called cytomegalovirus, and because of this, my blood is called "baby's blood." So, even though I'm normally not "child friendly", my blood is a lifesaver, for sick babies and even some adults with compromised immune systems.

According to KidsHealth Website:

"CMV (cytomegalovirus) is mainly a problem for certain high-risk groups, including: unborn babies whose mothers become infected with CMV during the pregnancy, and
children or adults whose immune systems have been weakened by disease or drug treatment, such as organ transplant recipients or people infected with HIV."

I know a lot of people gave blood right after 9/11. Folks at the Red Cross blood drives said that donors wanted to be assured that the blood would be going to New York to help with the injured. People wanted to help those who'd been hardest hit by this tragic event.

During the time I was a volunteer first responder, I saw first hand, tragic events happen every day to every walk of people. Car wrecks, fires, sick babies, accidents, all of these things can impact someone just as hard as the 9/11 attack impacted the individuals in those towers, the pentagon. and the planes, and the families that loved them.

Donate if you can. Make a difference.