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Friday 28 August 2009

Wonderful Blood, Donations and Have a Heart!

I have just made my 90th Blood Donation - in total enough blood for almost 12 people.

I started donating when I was 17 and missed a few years in my 30s and then I donated regularly three times a year for 'umpteen' years until now. I intend to keep going to 100 and beyond, for as long as I can. The age limit of 70 has just been lifted.

I have wondered often who have been the recipients of my blood and under what circumstances - of course I shall never know, this side of the grave anyway - yet I continue to wonder.

To give blood is one of the most precious gifts anyone can make.

The Bible tells us, "Life is in the Blood" and in each person there are between 7-8 pints coursing through their veins and arteries. Blood carries vital oxygen to every cell in the body through the circulatory system and carbon dioxide is exchanged and expelled through the lungs. Rich nutrients are carried to all living cells and harmful toxins are carried away from every fibre of our bodies. Also disease fighting anti-bodies are carried in the blood supply throughout the body.

Our blood vessels are absolutely amazing.
How many miles do you think they would measure if they were laid end to end? One mile, perhaps?

You will be astonished to see that there are a staggering 100,000 miles when laid end to end (over half way to the moon) of arteries, veins and capillaries in our bodies - filled with 7-8 pints of vital life giving blood for every person you see every day of our lives.

Imagine, say at a football crowd, or a rock concert, or on a crowded bus, the total volume of blood 'sloshing' about all around you! Quite amazing!

How do evolutionists manage to cope with that, I wonder?

How could this situation possibly evolve all by itself - quite impossible!

And consider our hearts pumping that blood.
Our hearts beat effortlessly and reliably a staggering 37 million times a year . . . . functioning flawlessly!

By the age of 65 each heart will have beat 2,000 million times.

A 90 year old's heart will raise an astonishing half a million tons of blood.

For most of our life we do not even know our hearts are functioning - a miracle of creation for all the billions and billions of people walking on our planet Earth - and for all the animals, let us not forget.

I would encourage everyone who is able to donate blood to do so regularly. It is quite painless and you get tea/coffee and biscuits after. Plus, at the end of it you get a real 'buzz' knowling you have helped someone or even saved their life.

Blood is used for cancer patients, for babies, for road traffic accidents and for all manner of reasons, as detailed in my link to the National Blood Service for England and North Wales. No doubt there will be a similar webpage for other countries but the point is it is very easy to donate and there is usually a shortage of donors - so please help if you can.

Jesus knew that blood is precious and the most he could ever give - but he did not give just a lttle bit; one pint. He gave it all, hence his earthly life - to us, so that not just one or two people would be saved - but that all of us may be saved.

Finally, I always end with a touch of humour.
This is the crystal plate I received after I had donated my 75th pint.
I was looking 'high and low' for this the other day and thought my dearest had 'put it away' somewhere. I asked her if she had seen it.


"Oh yes dear! It's in the conservatory - I'm using it as a plant plate - see, my love? There it is!"
Grinning, I said, "Have a heart, love - oh I see! Do you realise I've sweated blood for that! I'm getting a crystal beer tankard for my 100th donation - where do you want to put the new 'flower vase' when we get it?"

And finally, just an excerpt from Tony Hancock's famous Blood Donor sketch - a classic in it's day. I saw part one on the web - I would think the other parts are there too for those wanting them.

24 comments:

  1. You must be badly anaemic by now after giving so much!
    Oh...... I see it wasn't all at once!
    Seriously though.... that is an excellent achievement.
    The plate in the conservatory had me in stitches!
    Hancock surely was one of the best comics going and the blood donor was always my favorite.

    Surely one of your best posts!

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  2. Amazing! I always wanted to give blood, I have made the arrangements and chickened out at the last minute. That is one of my regrets. Now I can't give blood because I am having treatment for breast cancer. I don't know if I would because after 12 rounds of chemo my veins are like wood in my arm and it hurts to have blood tests even. We shall see. In 5 years when I am through treatment, I may just follow your road x

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  3. You are so giving....in many ways, Eddie. The gift of blood IS the gift of life...in so many ways.
    I had to laugh out loud when I saw where your dear had put your crystal plate....and the crystal beer tankard was just too much for my weary sides this morning, Eddie. I'll have to look at the video after church. I'm off in a rush, as per usual for me.
    You are such a love...in many ways. Thank you for your gifts...the gift of giving blood so that others might live, the gift of sharing through your blog so that others might gain knowledge...and smile....the gift of having you as a friend.
    You are priceless....
    Smiles to you from Jackie

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  4. Such good advice. I will make a trip to the Bloodmobile when it comes to town again. Thanks!

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  5. Hi Eddie, my late husband and I donated blood for many years, due to medication after his heart surgery he was unable to continue and being refused to be able to do so really bothered him, I continued until I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I then understood how my Woody felt...we did the best that we could.
    Congratulations on your many donations, such a wonderful thing to do, I love how you are always willing to help others.
    I love where your wife placed your crystal plate, it really does look lovely there....LOL
    Never changed my friend, you are wonderful just the way you are......:-) Bernie

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  6. One of my favorite blog reads ever! Poignant, funny, educational, thought-provoking, heart-rending, and stunning.

    I donate, but not as often as I should. Thanks for that kick in the pants.

    I also encourage people to consider organ donation and bone marrow registration.

    Congratulations on your milestone. You're a pretty cool dude.

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  7. Maggie - Thanks for your encouraging comment

    Sarah - Great to see you again Sarah - I'm visiting you tonight - considering health issues you are not expected to donate - I am sorry I should have said something like that in the post. I hope you are now fully well ~ Eddie

    Jackie - You are over-generous with your praise. I do not want my head to swell too much. You are a very kind person - Love Eddie

    Comedy Godess - Good to see you and great to see you are donating

    Bernie - Great to see you and to learn you and your late hubby donated. You have done your bit - well done. Sorry to hear of your health problem ~ Eddie

    Alix - Thank you very much for your super comment and I love being called a 'cool dude' thanks a lot for that. I shall add it to the equally title bestowed recently upon me, 'cute hoot'. I am collecting these as trophies. Mice to see you again ~ Eddie

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  8. Loved your post, Eddie and didn't reali8ze that you were such a great blood donor. Do you have an unusual blood type? Do people start acting goofy after receiving your blood? (You really SHOULD follow up on this, you know!)

    My late hubby was a wonderful blood donor and had AB positive so he was in 'demand'. I've never been able to be a donor due to low blood pressure..once came close to passing out after a blood test, but guess what? I have been a recipient when I was at death's door in Germany many years ago...whoa...what if I got YOUR blood???

    Must I also thank you for the graphic picture I will now have in my head when around any crowd of people...of their blood all swishing around??!!?? Now that's lovely...I'll have to tell Michael I am feeling seasick!

    blessings and hugs,

    marcy

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  9. SEVENTY-FIVE pints? Are you still with us? Eddie? Wake up! Hello? Defib him, he's all outta blood, the poor soul.

    75 pints sounds like me at the pub in London when I found out I was pregnant. "Bring on the Guinness, I have to lactate!" I hollered.

    Your prayers (and posts) are working. Thanks pal.
    ~Lola xx

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  10. Lola - Art thou blind, Lola, not 75 but 90? Come to think of it I do feel a bit 'drained'
    Where did you learn about Defib - I am most impressed.
    I remember a few times in my earlier donating experiences wondering whether someone muight have said, "There's a terrific head on your blood" after some of the binges I used to go on. The recipient might have aquired a headache.
    Glad you are feeling a tad better - we'll have you laughing again soon. Thanks for the visit - the door is always open to you ~ Eddie x

    Marcy - I am AB positive as well which means I am quite rare but not nearing extinction (I hope!), although somewhat in demand. I think we should start a new method of chatting up the opposite sex. "Hi, baby, are you AB postive or negative , or perhaps A or B positive or negative, or just O". "Mind your own bleeding business!" she might say! It is unlikely that you have received any of my blood when you were in Germany, although you are almost as 'nutty' as me so you might have - that explains a few things!
    Great to have you here - and come and take afternoon tea with me any day you like ~ Eddie

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  11. Well you were very noble in donating Eddie! I'm sorry about your plate even though it wasn't me who used it under a planter. But it's something that I probably would have done so I'm sorry anyway! Love Di

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  12. Eddie, your heart is truly large. I mean that, no sarcasm or evil humor (humour) intended. Good for you, my friend. You are actually saving lives. God bless you.

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  13. It takes special people to be regular blood donors...the biggest disappointment in my sons' lives (both of them) was when in High School they were told their blood was no longer acceptable since we had lived in England for several years...like Mad Cow disease would have the gall to attack my family!!! Hope you have continued good luck with the donations!
    Sandi

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  14. I gave regularly until around 65 donations... but now I have been taking some beta blocker medication, so haven't given for a while. But I hope to be off the meds by October so it'll be back to having "an empty arm". Love that Tony Hancock!

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  15. Eddie...aka...heir to Coca Cola.
    This is Jackie. Would you believe Mensa was my maiden name? Just wondered.
    Always,
    Jackie

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  16. Jackie - Hello Jackie (nee Miss Mensa). 'I queue' to see stupendous things like this - get it?? Fancy that! Mensa!! What IQ are you? . . . and is it because your IQ is either very high or just high that you scream when you ride on roller coasters (or big dippers as we call them)? If it was low you would not scream when the big dipper was low. If you had an inverse IQ you would scream only when you were upside down experiencing a severe negative G force. Are you a genius like Mozart or Einstein? With a name like that you could get a good job in teaching. Headmasters like clever names, especially for the ladies, particularly if you wear glasses, look studious and ride a donkey, and go kyaking with a strange man down an enormous waterfall rapidly. Thanks for the visit - Jackie - you always make me laugh.

    Diana - thank you for your generous comment and I somehow knew you were a secret crystal plate to planter plate enthusiast.

    Suldog - Jim, thank you for recognising I have a heart - without it I could not blog.

    Sandie - thank you for calling me a special person and on behalf of the British Empire I apologise for the nonsense about mad cow disease preventing your sons form donating blood. I shall write to Gordon Brown about this with immediate effect.

    Shammickite - Brilliant, brilliant! At long last I have found someone worthy of a blood brother/sister relationship. Slit your wrist ever so slightly and send some blood by email. I will do the same and we shall cut the covenant by walking between two carcasses. As you might guess I have had a couple of glasses of beer - I find it makes my posts/comments more interesting.
    An empty arm is no excuse for stopping - you have to be completely legless to do that!!

    Jane at Gaston - Hello darling! Where are you?

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  17. Eddie...My IQ is 2 S.D. from the Mean...(cough)but I won't say in which direction.... :))
    I love your sense of humor...and the fact that you 'get' mine is either amazing....or we're both in the same boat....(not kayak)...
    Thank you for the kind comment on my blog. I feel the same way regarding your daughter...and I know she must be a Daddy's girl. Give your Maria a hug for me, too....please. I am so happy that she shares you with us....what a blessing she is.
    Smiles from Jackie

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  18. Jackie - Two Standard Deviations eh! You devious thing. So you are a maths teacher then! (you say math because there is no 's' on your typewriters and no 'u' keys either for colour etc). I would have thought you had an extra cerebellum to operate your chuckle muscle - must be away now - it is very late here and I will be a dombie again tomorrow with a distinctly low IQ - Love Eddie

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  19. Absolute favourite classic of Hancock's, as far as I am concerned.
    I was told I couldn't donate blood as I had had Jaundice in my 30's.
    I think you are amazing the amount you have given. I look forward to seeing your next prize!
    Love Granny

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  20. Way to go Eddie! And speaking of blood - you have a huge heart! Blessings!

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  21. Fabulous Eddie, on all fronts!
    Great achievement to have given 90 pints- bits of you pumping around in so many unknown bodies. I can't give blood, had jaundice as a child.
    The Tony Hancock clip was hilarious!
    Great post!

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  22. I haven't been very good in this regard..Even if I loose a little bit, I get dizzy. So until I am better, I'd rather keep it to myself!

    I read about all that you mentioned in Biology classes in school, but the trivia about miles was interesting!

    Wonderful post as always..I am just beginning to catch up!

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  23. Hello. And Bye.

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