Giving blood, to some people, is just a reason to get out of class, or to get complimentary drinks and food. But donating blood is more than that. You are saving someone’s life. Maybe you are saving someone who is very close to you that just happens to need your type of blood, or maybe you are saving babies who need blood right then and there, all because you’re sitting on a bench with a needle in your arm. Through the infliction that you could experience in the blood giving process, you should always remain optimistic, because you are undergoing a little bit of pain, to essentially save someone in need for that blood. To me, giving blood is something that I have become very passionate about in the last few years. My grandfather, someone who was well-known in our town as a very humble and companionate man, and a very experienced welder who had built his own house and a few of the schools in the district, was diagnosed with a type of lung cancer around 2007. He underwent a crazy amount of blood transfusions, lung transplants, and was left with a port on his left pec. My grandfather was very sick, and I hated seeing him like that. He was my best friend, someone who I could always talk to, laugh with, and overall just have a good time with. At the time, while he was in and out of the hospital, there wasn’t one thing that I could do to help him dim the pain he was enduring. I sat next to him for years; endless hours spent in the hospital right next to him, holding his cold hand, letting him know that he was strong for continuing his fight. He had to receive an unthinkable amount of blood, more than once. I know that he and I, both, were grateful for people who donated, just for this reason exactly. After his death in 2011, I knew that I wanted to be someone who gave blood, just in case someone needed it. Being O-, I am a universal donor, meaning that anyone can utilize my blood. That gives me a sensation of happiness, knowing that not only will I be able to save someone with the equivalent blood type as me, but anyone who needs blood, for whatever reason. I think that if I ever needed blood in a time of emergency, and I received said blood, I would be very grateful for those people who donated. Every time that I give blood, squeezing that little sphere, (the one that looks like the earth is my favorite), I think of not only my grandfather, but also others who need blood, and think that I’m doing something that can help save lives. So the next time that you want to be a change in the world, find your local blood drive, get in there, and save some lives. Blood is more than just blood, it is a lifeline that people need to be able to live. Blood is more than just blood, essentially, it is a lifesaving mechanism that can help the world.
http://www.welchfh.net/memsol.cgi?user_id=1686864 – In Memory of Billy Wayne Whisenhunt