There Are TWO Things I Do NOT Like to Do
1. I do not like to jump into a cold swimming pool. And,
2. I do not like to give blood.
However,
1. My kids like to swim with Dad. And,
2. I have type O-negative blood.
O-negative is the blood type sent out on the ambulance and helicopter because it can be given to anyone.
I am also qualified as a "baby donor". What's special about that?
As few as 1% of adults can donate blood to small children in emergency rooms, newborn and unborn babies. The hospital needs 4 "baby donors" each week. Since the red blood cells are separated from this blood, the hospital can only accept baby donations Monday through Wednesday.
To be accepted as a baby donor, an adult must be blood type O-negative and test negative for Cytomegalovirus. It's reported that only 7% of US adults are universal donors having O-negative blood, and according to Wikipedia, Cytomegalovirus infects between 50% and 80% of people over age 6 in the United States. The older the person, the higher the probability of testing positive.
It's nice to be wanted and needed.
You are unique and special in many ways!
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Steve, you are a hero. You rock!
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See, this is why I like my blog so much!
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Who knew? I'm O-negative, too. I'm up to 37 pints donated. And, yes, they almost alway flag my blood for pediatrics, too.
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I can't give blood at all after having had some sort of freaky flesh eating bacteria in college. It's a travesty. But I also have really bad veins. You win.
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Who knew?! Now I don't feel so put-upon by my blood people.
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