Season of Giving

Season of Giving
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

I think I've told the story of my Dad inspiring me to give blood regularly, but here it is again...I was in high school, and my Dad came home from work, where they'd had a blood drive that day. He had a little teardrop pin on with the number 3 and a red cross. My Mom asked him, "What's the 3 for?" and Dad said, "I've given 3 gallons of blood." Mom said, "Today?!"

We still laugh at that.

I have my 1 and 2 gallon pins, but I'm still working on #3. Ever since Tess was born, I've been rejected because of low iron. I think I've been able to give once since 2002.

I tried again on Saturday, but right on the cover of the info booklet it said, "If you have a cold or other infection, you cannot give today."

Bummer! Especially since it would have been so meaningful at this moment in time. My father in law is now getting blood transfusions every week for his cancer. Granted, he's an AB type, and I'm O, but it would have been nice to know I was helping someone somewhere in a similar situation.