Monday, July 10, 2006

Taking It To the Streets


We had a blood drive today in the parking lot of my office. It went off fairly well. I was hoping for a lot of people from the area to come besides my coworkers, but we only had one young man. Initially I also had several members of management signed up, one even coming from our Connecticut office, but at the last moment a big meeting was planned in Indianapolis. But overall it was a good turn out.

I organized and planned the whole thing.

We had three people get sick, which scared a few others from joining in the giving. We have a staff that doesn’t come in until noon. This consists mostly of college age kids and they tend to wake up moments before works starts and rushing in before they get hit with a tardy. Needless to say food doesn’t enter their system until their first break.

It was these folks who became rather ill what from the loss of blood, the no food, and of course the stifling heat. I’ve never been in a blood mobile that was so hot. The bus was on its last leg and one of the AC units had died.

It was quite a thing seeing the Red Cross folks in action. My friend Lindsay was first to get sick and she simply muttered “I feel nauseous” and the whole team was upon her with wet towels, barf buckets, sugary snacks and the lifting of her legs.

I stayed for the run dispensing snacks, beverages and t-shirts.

I must say it feels rather good to have organized an event that literally will save lives. I suppose the Christians real duty is towards the saving of souls, but it is a good thing to help the bodies as well. For people won’t care what you have to say about their souls if you neglect their physical needs now.

29 comments:

lilsip said...

Josh and I were just talking about that aspect of our Christian lives. I feel that we often get so wrapped up in the intellectual aspect of Christianity that we miss the forest for the trees.

Jesus reached people by first providing for their physical and emotional needs, then He taught them. That's what we need to be doing.

bigsip said...

Good blog, Brew and good thoughts.

JS said...

I gave blood thursday... they called me and asked me so I guess I felt guilty if i didnt.

They put the needle in my wrong, only got half a bag full, and I have a huge bruise on my right arm...

I absolutley HATE giving blood, but I do it sometimes because I feel I would want someone to give to me if I were in need. But i really really hate it...

Speaking of barfing, DO NOT waste your money on the new Pirates movie... I was bored cross-eyed and felt like walking out (Which I have only done in one movie, "Wagons East". But almost did in Evita and the 2nd Matrix movie... so I dont toss around the "almost walked out" phrase..)

bigsip said...

We might see that one as a rental. You know they're actually making another one, right?

I must say, I LOVED Superman Returns!

I'm actually surprised Charlie hasn't written a dissertation on SR on here yet.

I wish I could give blood. I'm a universal donor (O+), but I take antibiotics every day, so they won't take my blood.

Hopefully, I can stop the medicine in a couple of years and start giving the gift of life.

Mat Brewster said...

I’m not sure that anyone really “likes” giving blood. It’s not a particularly fun experience. But it is absolutely a good thing to do. Here they were telling me they have less than a day’s worth of blood for several types. That means they have been delaying important operations for a lack of blood.

For me they always have tons of trouble finding my veins, but once they do my blood zooms right out.

kermitgrn said...

I give blood, when I remember I have an appointment. I guess I'm like Jamison in the Guilt thing, but I've had very few bad experiences. But those that I have had are when the office is not staffed adequately. They either take forever or get rushed and bruise me.

Pirates that bad, huh? Jodi and I where going to go see it on Saturday night. I'll see if something else is going on that night.

kermitgrn said...

Sorry to use this blog this way but..

Jamison, I'm going to have to go see it anyway. You are probably right, but it's getting B+ reviews on Yahoo movies with 26243 users rating it.

However, maybe Yahoo users aren't the best people to trust. They did give Brokeback Mountain a B.

Argh...OK i'll wait until video.

JS said...

i went with 5 other people, 3 of which i didnt know... all hated it. @ were there JUST to see Johnny Depp, and they hated it.

The B+ may be from teenage girls who just wanted to see Depp and Bloom and got what they wanted.

though, id like to see what others thought in this groups. But dont say I didnt warn you.

kellieja said...

If you see Superman, see it in IMAX 3-D. I saw it last night and it was worth the 12 bucks.

bigsip said...

Yes! Superman rocked!

I'm not a big Superman fan and I loved it.

Of course, Spidey will always be my fave. Can't wait till next summer!

JS said...

is it normal for me to have a 6 inch long bruise on my arm slidly under where they put the needle in? It seems to be getting bigger every day...

Mat Brewster said...

Normal? No. Unusual? Probably not. Remember they stuck a big stinking needle in your arms and sucked out a bunch of blood. Not a normal thing for you body to do.

But I'm not a doctor nor can I see the bruise. If you have concerns the Red Cross provides a phone number or you can see a doctor. Hope its ok.

Mat Brewster said...

I've heard good things about Pirates from several people. I probably won't see it until it hits DVD either though.

bigsip said...

Nasty bruise!

It'll be ok, though, I'm pretty sure.

Yeah, my in-laws went to see Pirates. My mil likes Depp.

We're waiting for the DVD rental.

mullinz8 said...

Honestly what’s the big deal in giving blood? There are at most a couple of little sticks that don’t really hurt and you’re helping to save someone’s life.

The last time I gave blood it was one stick. The time before that, four. A few years ago I couldn’t because I had high blood pressure, had I not gone I wouldn’t have known until I turned into Chucks old neighbor. Yeah, the dead one.

They let you know if you’ve got high cholesterol and will always have snacks to help pep you up afterwards, if you need them. Plus you can get a free t-shirt.

Brew I’m sorry you got the bum bus, every time the blood bus shows up here the place is an icebox.

Jamison, If you’ve still got a bruise in a couple of days or it continues to look worse have it looked at or call the Red Cross. Otherwise, suck it up.

Sipper, have you asked if they will accept the blood because of the specific meds you’re on? With my heart meds they are still happy to bleed me for the public.

Kelly, it’s wonderful to hear from you. I was asking my wife who you were last night and she reminded me that you were the Kool-Aid hair girl, my words not hers.

I hate to tell you this but even after checking out your myspace page I still didn’t know because you don’t look like you did a decade ago.

What’s a movie?

bigsip said...

Yeah, I've been through the meds thing several times.

I love to give any kind of blood, even for tests. I have very high hematocrit, which means my blood is thick. When they take my blood, it helps thin it a bit and it makes me feel better.

But, after sitting through the paperwork several times and being turned away, I got tired of it and quit going.

Oh well, hopefully I can quit the medicine one day...

JS said...

I dont mind the giving of blood. The idea. I am all for it. But I must say, I hate it. I have given more times than I can count and I still hate it to this day and the thought of it gives me chills and makes my ass pucker up way too tight. The mere thought again.

However, I do it. Because I know it is right.

If they made me hold a doll while I gave i'd probably never give.

kellieja said...

I hate to interupt the flow of the blog but I am shocked that Matt the clown doesn't know who I am.

Well no offense taken with the KoolAid. It was in fact KoolAid. Plus as you can see, I still refer to you as Matt the clown.
Yeah I have aged a bit. Let me see if I can refresh your memory.
KoolAid Kellie
I have always loved your wife and I respect her for remembering me that way!

bigsip said...

Who was facing you on that ottoman?

LOVE the pic. Classic Kellie J...

JS said...

clearly a high school pic (lockers)... nice Docs KJ

kellieja said...

That was actually after my first semester at FU shortly after I KoolAided my hurr. I had to go back to crown the new homecoming queen. Yep, you do the math...I was a homecoming queen. Funny!

I still have those Docs. You cant get rid of Docs!

tnmommieof2 said...

Oh Kellie, you have nooo idea how horrible of a memory my dear hubby has. When we were dating, he would never introduce me when we ran into someone he knew b/c he couldn't remember their name!!

I have tried to give blood several times, but since I have diabetes, I am always turned away. I don't know if it is the disease or the meds..and I would love to give..I have AB neg. which isn't the rarest of blood types, but i believe only about 1 in 170 people have it.

bigsip said...

Wow, that's cool!

You're the universal recipient and I'm the universal donor.

I guess together, we're Catholic...

bigsip said...

There's an interesting distribution chart on Wikipedia that hsows the percentage of people who have different blood types.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type

Mine (O+) is the most prevalent. The negative blood types appear to be the rarest.

JS said...

FYI, stopped by the blood bank today to show them my bruise. They said it will get worse, then get better. As long as there is no pain, there isn't much I can do about it. She said some blood leaked out and got under the skin.... YUMMY!

tnmommieof2 said...

Yeah Sip, I went to that site as well. That's where I got the 1 in 170 stat. I had to take shots when I was preggers with both boys
b/c of my Rh negitivity. It was to keep my body from rejecting the baby, due to it more than likely having a diff. blood type than me.

bigsip said...

Rachel's blood type is A+...

Funny, she always loved school.

mullinz8 said...

I’m sorry Kellie.

Like my wife said I have a horrible memory. When I started introducing her to folks at church, people I had known for almost a decade I wouldn’t introduce her, like she day because I would look at them and cycle through a bunch of memories together and draw a complete blank n their name.

Oddly enough I can meet a stranger for thirty seconds and remember them five years later at an instant.

When she was telling me who you were I kept telling her I know who this Kellie is I just can’t see her in my head. Once she mentioned the Kook-Aid I remembered you sat a few rows be hind me in chapel and eventually moved somewhere else. It’s funny what and how you remember things.

I'm glad that you've here.

By the way I’m still clowning and loving it.

mullinz8 said...

Also by the way I give all the time and always read the report about my blood and still can’t remember what type I am. I think it’s an A of persuasion. I’m sure Jules knows.

She’s a good lady to help out such a dunce.