A Matter of Life and Death

"Is not one aspect of our relationship is expanding each other horizon ?"
Is it, B? Thanks for expressing it like that, I always think it works just one way (I believe you know which one). I haven't bored you too much all this time, have I?

Speaking of relationship, [v] added me on her Friendster list. Is it my computer or is it the Friendster server that's really slow? I might not have time for this stuff, yet. Anyway, if you want to add me, feel free: xinda_huhu@msn.com.

I used too many question marks already. Let's get going.

I donated some blood this afternoon, a whole pint of it. It's not the free Caprisone, the cracker or the free t-shirt that attracted me (why of course not, I'm not that cheap). It's just the thought of the lack of good deeds I have done lately keep pondering on the back of my small mind.

After a sweep glance on some preliminary blood donating information (I'm in a good health, over 17, and haven't donated for 56 days), they put me on waiting for about 5 minutes. The nurse finally asked me to come to her booth, inquired some basic information, took my blood pressure (118/84), checked my pulse (way too high, I need to actually do some sport) and my temperature (a normal 97). The last thing she did was preparing a small needle-like apparatus accompanying by medical cottons full of alcohol.

"It's not for checking the blood type, is it?" I asked her confidently.
"No, you need to go the lab for that, this is just to check if you have enough blood to be donated." She explained, although it doesn't make sense at all.
"I hate that blood checking thing, it hurts."
"This will hurt also, anything that's taken from the end of your nerve system always hurts." She said coldly.

Oh well, too late for backing out. By that time, I already answered 39 Yes/No type questions like "Have you got money in exchange for sex after 1970? If you are a male, have you had a sexual relationship with other male after the 1970?"

I waited for the next open spot for the actual blood taking and finally...
"Are you allergic to iodine?" The other nurse asked.
"No, I'm not. What happen if somebody's allergic to it?"
"Well, we have to let the person go. We're out of that special substitutional chemical. Would you put your hand on the stand, please?"

She then proceeded to mark my artery and acurately placed the big needle right into it. When the bag was full, she sealed it with a striper and shoveled the extra blood on the tubes to the other five test tubes.
"Are you going to use those blood for extra tests?" I asked.
"Uh huh."

"I feel like throwing up," the guy who was donating blood on the spot just to my right said suddenly. They gave him a big pink plastic bag, and put some damp cloth on his head. He looked pale and miserable.

"Are you okay?" My nurse asked me nicely.
"I'm alright." Really, I feel fine, like there's no gift of life flowing out of my body in the last 10 minutes.
"Thank you for donating. Read this post-donating instruction and call us if something happen."
"Thanks."

Some useful links:
American Red Cross
The National Blood Service (UK)
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society
International Committee of the Red Cross
Palang Merah Indonesia