Today I donated blood, which was a big hassle because I had to wait for my cardiologist to say that I’m allowed to donate again. (I had check-up tests with a cardiologist last year). I’ve also got myself down on the registrar as a bone marrow donor. The likelihood of having to actually donate bone marrow is very slim, as there are lots and lots of types of bone marrow supposably. If anyone ever needs the type I have, they’ve got it! Some people have been telling me that it’s extremely painful to donate bone marrow but it’s not true, there are various ways of removing it including a relatively pain free method to the best of my knowledge. Even if it does hurt, does it really matter – considering another persons life is at stake?
I would encourage everyone to donate blood regularly at every 12 weeks as there is always a shortage of blood, and also to put themselves on the bone marrow donor registrar. You do have to sign something though to say that you are happy to give up work for a couple weeks and this doesn’t count towards sick pay, or something like that. Again – small price to pay to save a persons life. The people that typically use bone marrow are those that have just been blasted with radiation to kill cancers, and need a bone marrow boost, or something like that.
It’d succ to know you’re donating bone marrow to someone with cancer because of smoking though, or because of cancer they got from sun-bathing with tanning oil, etc. This is probably a good argument to use when trying to convince people to stop smoking or to stop subjecting their bodies unnecessarily to the sun – i.e. it’s not what you do to yourself that matters, it’s the effects of your choice of lifestyle that affect others.
Good on you for going to donate!
But you didn’t tell me – now I have to make my own appointment
Anyway it probably would have been a nightmare trying to find a time we were both free!