Why do I have a love / hate relationship with my own blood?
I just donated blood on Monday night. The whole process is uncomfortable for me, and yet I keep going back. Here's why.
Back in 2011, Joe Yevoli started the NYC Tech Blood Drive. He had such a compelling, inspiring and tragic story behind why he was organizing the blood drive that I instantly signed up.
(The story is still up on the web if want to read it and instantly feel peer-pressured into donating yourself).
Even though the NYC Tech Blood Drives are a thing of the past, I've been donating as regularly as I could ever since. And I'll tell you a little secret. After all these years, I still don't enjoy the process.
One time, a woman at the front desk asked me what I wanted to donate. Cluelessly I responded by asked them what they needed. She told me that I qualify for a special type of donation called a Double Red Blood Cell donation.
"Great, let's do it!" with no idea what this meant.
Basically, they draw your blood, separate the red blood cells and pump the plasma and platelets back into you so that they can collect even more red blood cells. It's so intense on the body that I'm only able to donate once every 16 weeks (as opposed to every 8 weeks for a regular donation). I don't recommend it, but also look at it as a personal physical challenge.
For those of you who didn't pay enough attention in biology like me, red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body to the organs and tissues. An after affect of donating that much red blood cells for me personally is that I have to take it easy for a few days afterwards, and I don't like not being at full strength.
But.
My single donation every 4 months is enough for 2 live saving blood transfusions. On top of that, every 2 seconds in the US someone needs blood to survive, and 1 in 3 people need a lifesaving transfusion during their lifetime. There's a lot of talk about impact and improving lives in the tech and entrepreneurship worlds, and this is the most tangible and simple way I've found to directly create that impact.
So whatever short term annoyances I have to deal with by being temporarily slowed down feels totally worth it. If you're in a position to spare some extra blood, please find some time to donate!