Well, sometimes it hurts before you give, sometimes it hurts while your giving. I have been donating whole blood for many years. Actually around 12 gallons now. Not only am I doing something positive, but it makes me feel better physically after I'm done. Today was one of those days that she had to struggle to make the minimum in the allotted time. They only have 15 minutes to get 500 or more ml outta your arm. Well, it was the 10 minute mark, (I usually draw a full bag in 4 minutes) and there was barely 300 ml. So one tech called another, and they started twisting and turning the needle, it would flow, then it would stop. Finally at the 15 minute mark, we had 538 ml, a full bag is around 580 ml.
As I lay there my mind slipped into the near failure of a completed donation, and how this year as Grand Master, this was the one project I wanted to do, and failed. I wanted to start a Blood Donor program in Michigan Masons. Circumstances and not being able to make the proper connections, plus dealing with multiple agencies statewide made it near impossible, and ultimately I fell short. It's always good to try, we did, it just wasn't meant to happen at this time. Potentially, I calculated that the Blood banks would have benefited an additional 5000 gallons of blood from Michigan Masons annually. I know several Lodges participate on their own, and I am grateful for their commitment to the program. Its always divine to give of ones self........
