Dear Reader:

I told the story of how I first started to give blood in Jasper Jottings back in 2005.

http://www.jasperjottings.com/2005/jasperjottings20051023.htm

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Like the good Brother who encouraged me to give blood for the first time with the exhortation, “you’re probably not too stupid to bleed right … …

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I started giving and it seemed easy enough. I never kept track of how much I gave over the years. But it was a lot. Never thought too much about it. Just a function of habit. Have an opportunity present and I’d go bleed.

(Always thought about that forgotten Brother, and wonder if he thought we all got smarter with age?)

That ALL changed in the last five weeks.

Frau was in the ER, CCU, and various parts the hospital. She had a (still) unexplained blood loss. She required 26 pints over the 5 weeks in and out of the hospital as the various doctors tried to figure it out. The magic liquid just came every time it was called for.

Wasn’t until today, when I received an email from the Red Cross about donating blood, that it really clicked.

It was this past week end, when they gave her steroids, and the blood loss slowed to a manageable pace. (She’s on a pace that says she’ll need a pint in a month.) Not a cure by any means, BUTT (there’s always a big but), if those 26 people hadn’t made time to donate, we’d be having a completely different blog post.

Now, evidently, we have good health insurance, since no one has asked me to replace or pay for the blood she’s needed.

But, believing in the Law of Karma, I’d like to replace those 26 pints. Since I don’t have 26 to spare, it would take me a few years to satisfy that “cosmic debt”. (Even though, I’ve probably “pre paid” it.) So I’m going to ask for your help.

We don’t need a formal “directed donation” of O+. But, I would appreciate if you would donate a pint. In her name, for her: “Frau Reinke”.

p.s., don’t tell her, she’d be embarrassed at the attention and mad at me for make her the center of attention.

By way of “reward”, or “punishment” depending upon your view point, I will enter everyone who donates a pint into a raffle for an autographed copy of “CHURCH 10●19●62”. Value somewhere between zero and about $60. Contest runs between now and the last day of September. Please email or mail me some evidence of the donation. I’ll figure out some way to get a random number.

Thanks for considering this request.

fjohn

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It is often difficult to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients during the summer months. With schools out and families on vacation, it’s important for eligible donors to come forward and give the gift of life.

All blood types are needed, especially types O negative, A negative, and B negative.

Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or CLICK HERE http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation to find a convenient donation opportunity and to schedule an appointment.

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