# 231 GIVE BLOOD.

have finnaly took the plunge, and i have to say it's not bad!!!
now i'm not scared of needles or the sight of blood but for what ever reason i kept putting this off, but now i have done it and it was really really easy to do too.

do you know only 5% of all people able to give blood do! so what are the other 95% of you doing? plus it's really simple to do....

first i went on line and checked through the FAQ,next i sent off for an introduction pack (even at this point you do not have to commit to anyhting) they sent me a very insightful DVD, a FAQ book, and an invitation to a blood donation session.
so i turned up to the session, here you are given a form to fill out with some questions relating to your health next you are given a large glass of water, and a booklet to read through, when my name was called out i had to see a nurse who kindly explained what happens, how it works, any queeries i had,etc. she also took an iron test ~this is done by a very small prick in the index finger and is done to ensure your healthy enough to do it so that you won't pass out.

next i was directed to a bed where you give blood, the nurse there explains proceedures so your sure you know what is happening and that you are still happy to go through with it. then a needle is inserted into your arm and hooke upto a machine which draws the blood. well that's what normally happens mine however decided it would do things differently. first i apparently have deep veins meaning it was difficult to find a vein to use, then the machine decided it wasn't going to draw my blood properly then after filling 3/4's of the recommended amount it broke completly. after the nurse removed my bag another nurse placed another bag onto the machine luckly she was stopped otherwise i would have donated twice in one night!
even though there were a few mishaps, it wasn't scarey, painful or bad!
infact after your done you even get a cuppa tea and a biscuit, what can be better than that? plus you do the job lying down!!!

so what are you waiting for do something amazing give blood!

Disclaimer; in the uk it is forbidden to recieve gifts, rewards, or money inc sponsorship to give blood. so i would like to point out that as i have not yet raised any money i have not broke this rule plus i did this as a personal achievement, but as it is on my list i felt that i should write about it, plus i signed up to do this before i even created this blog!!!

Raffle

would anybody like to buy a raffle 'postcard'! courtesy of adventure 21
tickets cost £1.50 (uk mainland only unless you wish to purchase a e-ticket which will arrive in the form of a message with a number on it, but please note all prizes are uk based and travel to and from the events are not included!)

thanks to adventure 21 you could enjoy:
a full day adventure for two people at one of adventure 21's uk locations. (1st place)
2nd place is a full days adventure for one person at one of adventure 21's uk based locations.
3rd place is a 1/2 day adventure for one person at one of adventure 21's ik based locations.

adventure activities must be picked from the 'featured' part of their website, and include rock climbing, gorge walking, kayaking, abseiling and more.

so if you fancy finding the adventure in you and getting covered in mud then please email me at my new email wishesarefree@hotmail.co.uk


please donate via the just giving link located on the left of this page too, first 10 donations get 50p off their raffle postcard! (don't forget to send me an email to recieve your postcard and be entered into the draw)

raffle will be drawn end of march so get in their quick, don't miss out! (this may be extended if there is a huge demand for tickets)


visit: www.adventure21.co.uk
*please note the prizes are subject to change if numbers are not met.*

an inspiration to me

i want to tell you a story about someone who i think is an inspiration and i don't think he even believe's he is.

About two weeks ago i was walking home in the rain, it was about 5.30pm and i saw a guy crossing the road. Nothing unusaul there, only this guy was blind when i caught up to him he was about to walk into a wall, so i asked him if he was ok? he replied "im lost i went into the shop and i think i've gone the wrong way" so i asked him where he wanted to get to, he told me the name of the road, knowing it was only about a 10 minute walk and i was already soaked it seemed like the right thing to do, to walk him where he needed to be. so i did.
As we walked to be polite he started a convisation asking me what i did, i told him i am studying music and he then told me that he plays harmonica, i told him that i had a harmonica and learnt part of a song but wasn't much good he then told me that it was harmonica and music that kept him going when he lost his sight aged just 11. He continued his story and as he spoke it was quite clear that he had been through some depressing times but he had come out of them using music as his savior, and since then he has played live and now runs his own shop and is even learning guitar now!

to me this man is a true inspiration he first thought the hand he was dealt but has come to except it not only that but make the most of the things he has he even suggested giving me harmonica lessons! so i guess the moral to this story is from the mans perspective is don't take anything for granted and to make the most of the resources you have. and from my perspective that if you take just a small bit of time to help someone out you never know your kindness may pay you back in ways you never excpected (though i didnt excpect to be paid back at all.)