Donating blood

I just had the best blood donation experience, ever.

It's been sort of a pain to donate here, so this was only the second time since I made aliyah that I've donated.

It's a pain partly because I only know two places to go to donate. One is not close to anything I would normally be near. The other is right in downtown Jerusalem, but I don't know what hours they're actually there.

Plus, there always seems to be something that makes it not a good idea for me to donate at that time... even when Magen David comes to my workplace to accept blood donations.

I have to have eaten.

I have to be feeling well.

I have to not have an open house at work that day.

I have to not have gym day that day.

I have to not smell bad, which is usually my problem on Friday mornings when I go out practically in my pajamas to do my shopping.

I have to have time, which I often don't anyway on Friday mornings.

So I did most of my shopping last night, because I wasn't sure if I'd be going to breakfast with a friend today. We didn't, so I had some extra time on my hands.

I put on a clean shirt and deodorant and body spray, and walked slowly downtown.

(The other awesome reason for me to go there is that due to the number of tourists who want to donate blood, there's usually someone there who speaks English.)

Anyway, the people were super nice. The only reprimand I got was for going so long without donating (a bit more than two years). There was an American nurse, and her assistant also spoke awesome English.

For anyone who might not know, before a person is allowed to donate a whole pint or whatever it is of blood, his or her iron level is usually checked. In the States, I used to ask them to take the blood from my ear, because I HATE having blood taken from my fingertip. It always hurts, and for a long time, too.

Today, I was tag-teamed, so while I was looking at the nurse and answering questions. the assistant had my hand and poked my finger for blood. It didn't hurt! Not even a little bit! No giant torture device, no ache, and no bruisy feeling, even now.

The Israeli nurse who actually took my blood was amazing. Seriously. I barely felt the needle go into my arm. I didn't feel it come out almost at all.

The people were super friendly, and nothing hurt at all!

I don't mind a little hurt when I donate, really. Whomever's gonna get my blood is going to be in a lot worse shape than having an achey finger and a bruisy arm.

But it was really awesome to do it and NOT have an ache or a bruise.

Anyway, wherever you live, if you're eligible to donate -- don't forget how much you could help other people by taking a half hour, or whatever it is, to donate blood.

Just do it.