We all have roughly nine pints of blood in our bodies, which is why vampires get so annoyed with us for being stingy about giving a little bit up to them. According to books I have read, when vampires suck our blood it is pleasurable for us. Like eating really really good chocolate. But I am digressing.
We humans have four main blood types (A, B, AB, O) plus the rhesus factor (- or + and it has nothing to do with monkeys.) If an A+ gave her blood to B-, it could kill him. The blood types need to match so no one dies. Which leads me back to vampires. If the vampire was an A+ blood type, would he have a negative reaction sucking on my O+ blood? Probably not, since I am almost a universal donor (a person who can donate blood to any blood group is O-). But if he drank from a B+? Who knows?
Even though we aren’t vampires, at times we also need another’s blood to live. In fact, every 2 seconds someone in the United States needs blood, for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. And blood only lasts 42 days! It can’t be frozen.
One donation can help three people. The blood can be used “whole” or it can be separated into three parts: red blood cells, plasma and platelets. Pretty incredible! I have been donating blood for years (almost up to the 5-gallon mark). Only 10% of the population donates, and that population is getting older. Donating is very easy to do but there are some restrictions; weigh at least 110 lbs and be age 17 or older. Be healthy. No tattoos within a year. Plus a few more.
So do your community a BIG, BIG, BIG favor and start donating. Yay, You! But please don’t wait till a natural disaster to donate! They get too much blood at once and a lot ends up unused and needs to be thrown away. Regular donations work the best.