Yesterday, I decided it would be a great idea to donate some blood.  I think it was a commercial that prompted me to do it.  I’ve never given blood before because people can’t find my veins. They are so very small that you can’t see them through my skin.  In the past, when I have had to have blood drawn, they’ve had to stick me multiple times. I’m not afraid of needles or anything, but it hurts! And the bruises I get afterward are horrible.  The bruises I get look like someone beat me.  But despite all that,  I still thought it would be a good idea.

I slightly remembered someone telling me that I couldn’t sell plasma for a while because I had been out of the country, so I decided to check out the information on the Red Cross site.  I thought it might be a year or something, that seemed fair.  Would you believe I have to wait a full 3 years before I can give blood?  It’s because China hasn’t gotten rid of Malaria yet. I totally get it, I do, but three years?

I remember Malaria was one of my top concerns when I went over. Phil and I even considered taking some pills to stay immune, but in the end we decided against it.  When we got there, we asked several people about Malaria, and no one knew what we were talking about.  I thought that was strange.

Well, I guess i have to wait another 2 years before I can give back to the world.  And if I do some more traveling before then(which I probably will), I’ll possibly have to wait even longer to give blood.  It really depends on where I go. Hopefully, my blood doesn’t hold some secret cure or something.  🙂