Down a pint....

I have not been running for the past week.

 With the boys being gone, 

I can't go in the dark at 5:20 with my 

vampire running buddies.

Today I finally had to break the cycle and make a 

run for it.  

I dropped M off at school and then suited up.

I was set to get out the door at 8:30

 in the 

BRIGHT - GLARING - SUNSHINE.

I kinda felt nervous to head out.

I am so used to enjoying the cover of the dark that I was 

feeling slightly insecure and kind of exposed.

Yeah,  sounds ridiculous,

but I know how hard I inspect other runners.

Not in a judgmental way

.... I remember not too long ago

when I was trying all kinds of "different" looking running

gaits to try and save my knees.

I know full well they were not pretty.....I didn't care, 

I just wanted to be able to run.

I am just saying I notice other runners.

I gave a quick call to V and T before I headed out.

Got a few pep talks under my belt and I was off.

My goal was to run from our house, over the causeway and back.

9ish miles.

From the get go I was pretty sluggish.

By the time I was heading up the causeway I was dying.

Light headed, I could not catch my breath.

I promised myself that if I would just push it to the top

I didn't care how much I walked on the way home.

Deal.

I dug deep and wheezed and sputtered to the top.

Are you joking me???

Can I really blame all of this wimpiness on the sun?

I was completely out of it.

I felt embarrassed for walking so much in broad daylight.

I was so frustrated at not being able to handle this run,

 and was asking myself who I was trying to kid

thinking I would be able to run 4 times this amount 

in two months time for the marathon.

It wasn't until I was coming back over the top of the 

causeway that I remembered that I had just

DONATED BLOOD....two days before!

Whoa!

Oh Yeah!

How could I have forgotten?

I know it takes me up to a week to get back on track.

I walk/slow jogged my way back home at a snails pace.

Light headed after every attempt at running, seeing black spots,
not a smart choice.

It took me two hours.

I was pretty relieved to be home.

Straight away

I remembered M's leftover chocolate milk from last night's 

Happy Meal....Yum!

This is my new water carrying slot.

It works perfectly.....no more using my hands to carry water.

V carries hers between her......well in the front.

Tina has a water belt.

We are getting pretty tricky around here.

This is not how I looked or felt today!....but wow!  Look at her go!....

nice muscles, she is really flyin....

All your Blood Donation Questions Answered -
we were talking about a few of these questions at our last sculpt class.
We are going to try and do a group donation the next time
double rewards come around.
I will keep you posted.

How long does it take to give blood?
The process for whole blood donation usually takes about one hour. The blood collection itself is usually about 10 minutes. The donation process includes registration, a brief medical screening, blood collection and refreshments. 

How much blood is taken?

Whole blood and apheresis (platelet) donations are about 1 pint. One pint is roughly equal to 1 pound.

How often can I give?

Donate whole blood every 56 days. Red blood cells are the oxygen carrying cells. They can take two weeks or longer to fully return to normal.

Donate platelets (apheresis donation) as much as twice in one week – or up to 24 times per year. Platelet and plasma components are replaced in the body more quickly than red cells. Platelets will return to normal levels within a few hours of donating. Plasma, the watery substance of your blood, takes a couple of days.

What are platelets?

Platelets are tiny cell fragments that circulate throughout the blood and aid in blood clotting. 

How much blood do I have in my body?

Women have about 10 pints, and men about 12 pints of blood in their bodies.

Are there age limits for blood donors?

Seventeen years old is the minimum blood donor age. There is no upper age limit.

Is it safe to give blood?

Yes. Donating blood is 100 percent safe. 

What is the universal blood type?

Type O negative is the universal donor and can give blood to any other blood type. Eight percent of the U.S. population has blood type O negative.

AB positive is the universal recipient and can receive blood from any other blood type. Two and a half percent of the U.S. population has blood type AB positive.

How long until my blood is used?

All blood donations are processed and available for use between 24 and 48 hours. Whole blood is processed into components (red cells, platelets, plasma). After processing, the red cells can be stored for 42 days. Plasma can be frozen and stored for up to 12 months. Platelets (from whole blood or by apheresis) expire after five days.

Are the health history questions necessary every time?

Yes. Screening questions must be asked of all donors at each donation. This is an FDA requirement that helps blood centers ensure the safest possible blood supply.

Do America's Blood Centers members pay donors for giving blood?

America's Blood Centers members are volunteer donor supported organizations. They do not pay for blood donations. FDA rules say that blood used for transfusions cannot be "bought." Studies show that volunteer donors provide a safer blood supply.

Why do blood shortages occur?

A three-day supply is the optimum blood inventory level. The inventory changes hourly due to unpredictable demands from trauma incidents. When the supply drops below a three-day level, blood centers begin alerting local donors to increase the inventory to a safe operating level.