This wonderful experience of mine began Freshman year. I had Mrs. Parrish as my Biology teacher. The spectacular older women taught us many important ways of animals and how some have similar actions as humans. In class we talked about DNA and how the strands came together. At this time while being taught about DNA, Comanche High School was putting on a blood drive. I volunteered to help with it. I remember I made sure everybody had something to drink and snack on after they gave blood. Most of the people who volunteered to help backed out once they smelled the blood or saw it coming out of a person’s arm. I never was one to have a weak stomach so none of this bothered me. Plus, I was looking into going into the medical field of some kind.
The next year I had Mrs. Parrish again, only this time for Anatomy. We began to dig deeper into learning about the body. For a grade we had a school blood drive. I, along with the other people in the class, were given a task by which we must sign ten people up. Every person we had after our required amount was bonus points. I tried to get as many people as I could. The thought of having tons of people give blood gave me an inspiration to do it myself.
This was the first time and I was a little nervous. I walked in through the doors of the band room where we were hosting our blood drive. This was the place where I signed in and waited in line for about twenty minutes before being called back to one of the booths that was set up. There I answered all the questions they asked me and they took my blood pressure, along with sticking my finger to check for my iron. After telling my weight and height, the woman I had said, “You are all good to go. Have a seat and they will be right with you.” My heart started racing a little faster than normal but I must have been okay if I made it this far.
The moment was here; I was next to be called. A young lady with short brown hair came up to me and asked, “Are you ready?” I looked at her, smiled and walked to the area I would be seated. I finally could relax in the comfier chairs that the Oklahoma Blood Institute brought with them. She told me to breathe normally and assured me that none of it really hurts. As she began to prep me, all I could think about is how I will be saving a life. I guess I was not paying attention and in my own little world because she then nudged my arm to get me to look at her. All of a sudden she took out a needle and placed it against my inner arm. I took a deep breath and watched it go under the skin into my vein.
There was a slight pinch I felt and then my blood started flowing out of me. I watched it fill the little bag first and then the bigger bag. It did not take long for my bag to be completely filled up. My nurse came over to me, started clamping off the blood flow to the bag and she grabbed a piece of gauze from the table set up beside me. She then placed it on my arm where the needle was. She told me I was finished and she would now take the needle out. I said okay and she slid it out so gently I barely felt it. After she finished doing this, I had to put pressure on the spot with the gauze. My nurse then wrapped the pit of my arm in a bandage like manner to stop the bleeding.
I was told to sit in my chair for a few minutes to relax and make sure I had plenty to eat and drink before getting up to move anywhere. I felt good so my nurse helped me off my chair and walked me over to the recovery area where people volunteering watched over you in case something were to happen. I had so much to drink that I really needed to use the restroom. I thought it would be a great idea to go ahead and walk myself there without any assistance. That was a bad idea. I became very light headed all of a sudden so I started to slowly lean against the wall in the hallway. I guess a nurse had been watching me because she came running to me. She laid me down on the floor and asked me if I was feeling nauseous. I said no but I was very light headed and hot.
Once I began to feel like myself, the nurse helped me to my feet and walked me to the restroom. I am thankful she waited on me because this being my first time I had no idea if it was possible to feel that way again. I walked out and she watched me sit with the other people who had given blood. I sat there for about five minutes and decided I was feeling well enough to leave.
After my first time giving blood I had no problem doing it another time. I never got nervous but more of an excited feeling. One thing that bothered me a lot though was my teacher; Mrs. Parrish became very ill towards the end of my Spring semester. She was gone most of the time and I rarely got to see her. My class went the last two months of school with a substitute and information from other teachers about how Mrs. Parrish was doing.
Mrs. Parrish’s condition continued to progressively get worse and was in need of a blood transfusion so, on the day of June 6, 2014, Comanche High School put on a blood drive to help her out. The community of Comanche, OK came together to support this inspiring woman. She had not given up her fight so neither did we. The people of this small town got the word out to everybody about what we were doing and why. We had more people show up for this blood drive than any other one we had put on before. So much positivity filled the room and it was even better when everybody put on a paper they were donating to Mary Parrish.
She had made an enormous impact on her students, the faculty at Comanche Public School, her family and even people she did not know. The one thing I absolutely loved the most about her is she literally never let anything bring her down. Through the many doctor visits she went to, Mrs. Parrish was always smiling. She definitely had a heart bigger than anyone I know to this day.
October 29, 2014 came and sadly Marry Parrish passed away. She fought her fight and won it like a champion. There was not a dry eye in sight when the people of Comanche was told this heart wrenching news. I miss her so very much and forever will she be my inspiration to change a small part of the world like she did.
My teacher had such an impact on my life that I continue to give blood till this day. About a month ago I went and gave blood again. I know how important the Oklahoma Blood Institute is and I am very happy I get the opportunities to help out this organization.
