Well, I did it....I donated blood.
And I have to be honest and say that I didn't do it just to save lives. I did it to overcome a fear.
I must quote Dr. Brown and say that "I'm not into pain!" Not to say that people love pain, but I am very intolerant of it. And when you mix 'overdramatic' with 'zero tolerance for pain' well, I'm sure you get the picture.
I got all situated in the seat and started to psych myself up for the "poke." You know, pinching and poking myself where the needle was going to be inserted. (I do think I made the nurse laugh at my patheticness.)
I was sitting there, feeling pretty good about my adventerous self, when I saw it. Just across the way the nurse pulled out this 2" needle covered with blood from a donor's arm. I lost it. I thought, "they're sticking 2 inches of needle in my arm!"
Luckily for me, Sarah Williams was near and I asked her if I could squeeze her hand while the needle was inserted. I think my dramatization concerned the nurse because after the needle was in she reclined my chair just in case I passed out. Oh I did not like that. Immediately I asked for my seat to be propped back up. She just said, "Oh just relax. You'll be fine."
I was not fine. I could no longer relax my arm on the table. I had to hold my arm up on the table. After ten minutes of holding my already-asleep-arm my whole body was shaking from trying to keep my arm from moving. I couldn't even put my head back all the way because a hair pin was jabbing me in the head. Besides this, I had a fan blowing right on me which made me very cold. After it was all said and done my whole body was shivering and shaking furiously.
Let's just say that my first time giving blood was certainly not one of the best experiences of my life.
On a more serious note, an interesting thought just popped into my mind. I shed blood, a whole pint, to save three lives. And all I had to do was sit in a chair, feel a "little" prick and squeeze a ball.
Christ shed His blood to save mankind. But look what He had to endure to give us that blood; an agonizing death on a cross with wounds much larger than my "little poke."
Someday three individuals will be thankful for the blood I freely gave. But my blood will only be able to save their physical bodies. If only they knew that there is One whose blood can save their souls.
As much as I hated this experience, I think I will donate my blood again next year. Helping three people live a little bit longer, to have the chance to accept Christ, might just be their saving grace to eternity.
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3 comments:
Hon - I'm so proud of you! Sounds like it was less than ideal, but your perspective and analogy are wonderful. I wasn't able to give blood b/c of my infection, but as I've been sick and kinda mopey I just think about all the Jesus went through and my situation isn't all that bad. :) Great post.
I completely understand. I was going to give blood last year, and I was so nervous; I hate needles!! I wasn't able to though because of some medication I was on. It does make one think though, about how Christ must have felt. Good post. Very thought provoking.
That's my girl ;-)
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