Bucket List

My bucket list currently has about 100 things on it. Those things range from relatively simple (paint war) to huge life events (get married in the Portland LDS Temple). I was looking through it the other day and realized I get to cross off my first accomplishment for 2014!

Donate Plasma.

I did it!! I FINALLY was able to donate plasma!

Or, to put it in McKay's words, "You're selling your body for money!"

But, whatever.

This obsession to donate plasma or blood began years back in high school. I was, and still am, a healthy person. I've never had any major illness or even broken a bone (despite my long gymnastics career).  My career choice of a Personal Trainer and gymnastic coach stems from the fact that I have never been happier than when I have watched people gain confidence, fall in love with a sport, and improve their physical health. I am an Organ Donor, the proof of that one's on my licence. I have this strange gene that makes me want to help people (so weird, right?) and I've never had a problem with needles. What does that sound like? Oh my gosh, it sounds like I'd be the PERFECT candidate to regularly donate blood or plasma!

Oh, but wait. (and I'm not complaining here) I'm also petite.

There goes my chances.



So, back to high school.

Since I was under 18 at the time, the required weight limit to be able to donate was different. There was this weird chart that had a required weight to correspond with your height. For my petite 5' 2'' frame, I had to weight at least 135 pounds to donate. WHAT? Now, here's where I got a bit desperate. Despite me being 20 lbs below the required weight, I still signed up to donate blood during school. I was going to at least try! I was pulled out of class and taken to the red cross trailer to fill out some basic paperwork. And you know what? I lied. I exaggerated my weight by 10 pounds but it was no use, the lady didn't even glimpse at my paperwork or put me on a scale, she simply looked me up and down and said, "Nope, you can't donate. You're too small."  Attempt #1 was a fail.



Fast forward another year or so: my best friend and I signed up for a community blood drive. We were pretty darn excited! It was just before our senior year and we felt "sooo adult" as we were filling out the forms and getting ready to donate. All on our own! Long story short, we were both turned away. Why? Too small. Attempt #2 was also a fail.

But try, try again!

My third try donating I decided to do plasma. It took a little while before I actually got around to it. All those horror stories about huge needles and feeling light headed afterwards kept getting to me. But when my awesome sister in law called me up to see if I wanted to go with her, I decided it was now or never! Donating came with a whole handful of great news:

1. Free yearly physical.

2. Thanks to the free physical, I know I'm as healthy as can be. (that may be a slight exaggeration)

3. I'm am optimal donor for the above reasons, as well as the fact that my veins are ridiculously visible. I've never liked that trait until now.

4. For me, it goes by fast! I donate in about 28 minutes, which always surprises the employee supervising me.

5. Knowledge. I'm a curious girl, so I asked, and still ask, lots of questions. The human body is amazing!

6. They play movies all day, so I'm never bored.

7. Last, but not least, it is NOT a giant needle. At least no where near what I had imagined.

8. Some extra cash to put into savings. $55 doesn't sound like much, but it adds up to over $1,000 in just 5 months. That sounds awesome to me.

I've donate 3 times so far in a week and a half, and it's all gone smoothly! This is something I definitely plan to keep doing. If you live in Provo area and have wanted to donate plasma but you're just to chicken to do it all on your own (because that was my position just 2 weeks ago), call me up! I'll gladly go with you!

[caption id="attachment_217" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My 1st time donating![/caption]