Can't explain about albinism or MS or marrow donation...

I donate blood regularly in honor of my dad. He did when I was 5, of complications of surgery for a brain tumor. I remember being told that his friends had donated blood for him, and being amazed that people could take blood out of their bodies and put it into someone else's.

As I think about it now, brain surgery is not one in which you're likely to lose much blood, so it was mostly a symbolic act on his friends' part. I can imagine the anxiety, sorrow, and frustration of young healthy men, seeing one of their friends laid so low, and wanting to do something.

So in honor of my dad, and of his friends, I donate blood. I've been turned down twice in 25 years. Once when I had taken anti-malerial drugs before going to Peru as an exchange student. The other was last year when I was training for the marathon, and my iron count was too low. Funny--turns out all the heel strikes from all the running breaks down red blood cells. So, this summer, as I ramp up the training, I'm also eating more meat.

The platelet donation thing--I've done that, too. The anticoagulant does give me a wierd, yucky feeling as the blood is returned to my body. I've never passed out, but have felt like I was drifting off, with a yuk taste in my mouth. They give me TUMS (calcium) and a blanket, and slow the whole thing down.

I need to sign up for the bone marrow registry. Thanks, Nanci. I love TD.