Full Up

Our little town has three blood drives a year. Two are hosted by the Jaycees, and the third is hosted by the grade school. The average number of donors is 20 - maybe 25 on a good day.

Last August the Ladies Sodality from church hosted a fourth blood drive, and just the other day, the chairperson was telling me they only had ten donors and she didn't think they'd do it again this year. I told her it was probably because it was the first time there had been one in town at that time of year and that once donors get used to having that drive available the numbers would go up to the average of the other drives.

Twenty donors hardly seems like it would be worth the Red Cross's time, right? But if people are willing to donate, they will come.

Last night was the blood drive at the school; the goal they set (the Red Cross sets one for every drive) was 27 donors. Of course, they bring supplies for more donors - in fact, last night they had supplies for an additional 17 donors.

They still ran out of supplies (the donor bags) and had to turn donors away. The Superintendent of our school was making them promise to go to a drive that's in a neighboring town today.

I've never been to a blood drive that went over goal, and I have no idea what was different about yesterday's drive (I heard that some of the upper grade teachers offered extra credit for every donor the students recruited), but it was pretty awesome.

Go donate some blood, if you are physically, medically, able. I don't want to hear about your needle aversions - if, heaven forbid, you had a terminal illness you would be getting many more needle sticks than a blood donation. Just suck it up and go - bring your I-pod, bring your phone, bring a book, and it will be over before you know it. Then come here and tell me you did it.

I am not responsible for injuries inflicted while kicking yourself afterwards when you realize you've been avoiding something so easy all these years.

I Could NOT Have Stated It Better

How volunteering in Kindergarten taught me I am not teacher material, that is. Tootsie nailed it.

Next fall begins my last turn through the gauntlet.

Spewing Forth

• I've been sucked in by FaceBook. For a few years now my FB friends have been people 20 years younger than me; I got pulled-in by my Godchild, and then a few of Rob's cousins found and 'friended' me. Suddenly, there's a deluge of people my age signing up and I'm finding former co-workers and high school classmates. I'm sure the younger set sees this as an 'old people invasion'.
• I can't see the octuplet Mom Nadya Suleman without thinking she looks remarkably like Angelina Jolie.
• E1 did end up taking a sick day from school today after waking at 5am sporting a fever, to tell me her throat really hurt.
• She did well in her first volleyball game last night, getting at least one serve and one volley over the net. Sadly, she will miss any chance of an encore at tonight's game because she won't be attending.
• E3 has attacked every door knob in the house with antibacterial wipes - her own version of a (much needed) germ-killing spree.
• Rob and I need to shop for floor tile, but volleyball games, volleyball practices, and sick kids are preventing this. As a result, a portion of our basement is naked.
• E2 has gotten the okay to move up another level in gymnastics - it's been less than a year since her last move, which is awesome. The next level is on a different night, the same night as Brownies, and we don't know yet if our car-pooling pal (also a Brownie scout) will be moving up as well. So for the time being, she's staying put and they will do their best to keep her challenged. Feel free to send money to fund her Olympic aspirations.
• E1 turned 11 last week and is ready to shop with some birthday money. Volleyball games, volleyball practice, and sickness are preventing this as well.
• Dancing With The Stars begins a new season in less than a month - SQUEE!

Allrightythen

I know.

Over a month.

I KNOW!

There was some crummy sinus stuff, followed by increasingly more crummy sinus stuff WITH a sore throat, chills, and a fever. It tried to suck the life out of me before I got myself to the doctor. She, actually a nurse practitioner, diagnosed a sinus infection and gave me some antibiotics. While I'm feeling much, much better, I'm still phlemgy and tired.

Last week at E3's gymnastics class I compared symptoms with another mom. Although our symptoms were identical - down to which side of our throat hurt more - her doctor diagnosed her with strep throat. We both had antibiotics, but she had to get a throat swab - I think I won at being sick.

Both E2 and E3 had some form of stuffiness before or while I was sick; this morning E1 complained that it hurt even to swallow water. So, it looks like she may be the next victim.

E1 is playing volleyball this year and tonight is to be her first game, if she's feeling up to it. I gave her some ibuprofen and she decided to give it a go at school.

It's much easier to take care of someone who's sick while managing my day than it is to BE sick and manage my day.

[Edited] HA! It hasn't been over a month! Not that 21 days is anything to brag about, mind you.

This unofficially post brought to you by generic antibiotics, yogurt, vitamin C, generic antihistamines, generic decongestant, a heating pad, Puffs Ultra tissues, and the SinuCleanse netipot. DUDE, the netipot! I bow before the netipot.