Last evening we hosted our 11th blood drive in honor of Nora - and this time in celebration her 10th birthday! After we got home from the event we were having fun looking back at pictures from previous blood drives and also were doing a little historical digging to find out when we started giving blood after Nora died. Looks like I started October 15, 2008 at an EMU blood drive around what would have been Nora's 1st birthday! I wrote this in February 2009, a few times into giving blood regularly: "If someone had told me two years ago that one day donating blood would be a healing ritual for me I would have wondered what turns life would take to bring me to that place. And that is where I find myself. Sweaty palms, shaking cold hands and all, I find myself dreading and eager to partake in this simple yet profound ritual of facing this relatively small fear in honor of a little person who so greatly impacted my life." This picture is one of the first times Jason and I gave blood together. For a while we looked around for blood drives happening through the Red Cross until we learned about Virginia Blood Services, then located at RMH (which was so much easier and nicer to do together and with Kali in tow, as she could come in with us and they even had toys and a little table and chairs for her to enjoy).
Then in November 2012 I wrote, "This year as her birthday approached, we thought about how we wanted to mark it together and who we might wish to invite to join us. Ever since we started giving blood regularly in Nora's memory after her death, I thought it would be 'fun' to have others join us. It still seems odd for me to connect the word 'fun' with being stuck by a needle...Well the evening of her birthday we had about 20 persons join us at Virginia Blood Services, plus some great kid cheerleaders! And it was fun, but much more than that. It meant a lot to both Jason and me to have others join us in this ritual that has become very meaningful for us. Some that gathered knew Nora well and some didn't know her at all. Some had given blood regularly for years, for some this was the very first time. Just as I overcame my intense fear/minor phobia of needles, we saw others do the same (or at least get started!). There are many pictures of the evening, of both strained and relaxed faces. We'll treasure them all... As we gathered the leftover snacks, Nora's memory box, and headed home with Kali and Alida we felt energized and grateful for a very memorable marking of Nora's birthday. It really was a party! Thanks to all that joined us. We plan to do it again - and may not wait a full year to do so..."And do it again we have! Every birthday and every anniversary of her death since. Now when I'm there for a blood drive the staff ask, "Do you want to get your next one on the calendar?" So June 4, 2018 is it - mark your calendars and plan to join us! I could say many of the same things about it as I did that first time - it continues to be meaningful to have others join us. The main things that have changed is that kids have gotten a lot older and bigger and my fear has diminished to being nothing more than a few butterflies, which are now mostly associated with worrying about my veins not cooperating.
As I looked back over photos last evening it was fun to see both the "regulars" that have joined us for most blood drives (complete with their expanding and growing pack of cheerleaders), as well as remembering the many who have joined for a first time or who have made a choice to face the fear of giving in Nora's memory. It's not for everyone! I get that and am totally ok with that!! But I do enjoy seeing someone else experience what I have over time - the empowerment of doing something you thought you couldn't do and the transformation over time of it becoming something you don't dread but eagerly anticipate. I will say that there was a stint of a few years in there where I really struggled to give and it became something that included more dread than excitement. There is nothing worse for me, in the blood donation realm, than trying to give and not being successful. Glad to be in a good groove again, working back up my confidence that I have good veins!
Last night felt like a record. It didn't quite top our highest number of donors every (I saw 18 noted on one of our drives). Due to 3 cancellations, we didn't quite crest 20, but all 17 donors that made it to VBS with the intent to give did it successfully! That is a new record - no one turned down for low iron, or illness, or needing to be stuck twice. And we had a couple that had never joined us for a blood drive before, including a few that have struggled to give blood in the past. We tried to layer on some additional support and extra cheerleading. The spirit in the place was wonderful and it was lovely to see people leaving with smiles on their faces! Hope we are nurturing some new regulars! I realized this evening that Kali could be eligible in 2 years to join us - just 4 blood drives from now. Wow! She'll be the first in the pack of cheerleaders to be eligible, but if we keep going at this soon enough our cheerleaders could slowly join the ranks of donors. Now that will be fun to watch if it happens! For now they seem perfectly content to hover around my mom at the snack table!
Last evening when we got there and were setting up the staff noted to me that they needed to get me through early on. That was fine with me, and the way I like it - so I can be done and just focus on visiting, bringing snacks to people, watching kiddos as parents check in and give blood, etc... What's cute is that the woman who always sticks me had to leave early and so they wanted to be sure I got through before she had to leave. I'm not sure why I got a reputation for being a hard stick (well, I know it was during those couple years when I had trouble), but C thinks I have good veins and she has never missed or had a bit of trouble. So we are matched and it's a good match! I do not look forward to the day she leaves! As we were talking during my check in last night she reminded me that she won't easily forget Nora's birthday because it is also hers. I think it is special that the person who has become my "blood drawing buddy" has the same birthday as Nora. Yes, I find meaning in these little things!
And I'll end with just two photos from my recent hike with friends to Hensley's pond. It was my birthday quarter to decide what we did together and what a lovely walk/talk we enjoyed. The four miles felt super short as we filled the space talking about all the things that make our lives what they are. These friends are some of those mentioned earlier that are regulars at our blood drives (and show up in my life at many key times). I am eager for many more quarterly gatherings where we share life's joy and challenges and surprises and questions. I treasure these friendships so much!
No comments:
Post a Comment