Week 3 – Day 3
Posted by Tammi | Filed under photos, week 3
Breakfast
Veggie Omelet with plain yogurt and tea
Lunch
Basil infused basmati with veggies and chicken breast with a bit of poppyseed dressing
Dinner
Basil infused basmati with veggies and chicken breast with salsa and olives
Can you tell I’m hormonal? Holy carb overload today! Better than salty chips and chocolate though I suppose!
Been battling a bit of a headache all day which sucked but the weather has been mostly cloudy and raining off and on so no wonder. The boy appears to be possibly teething as well because he’s fighting naps and chomping down heavily on things including human digits whenever the opportunity presents itself. He already has the bottom two so time will tell where the new ones pop up.
Yesterday I stepped out of the comfort zone and signed myself up for Paula’s Holiday Challenge! For the 30 days between November 25th and December 24th I have pledged to commit to accomplishing one goal I set for myself each of those 30 days. It might be to drink 3 litres of water one day…or to exercise for 40 minutes another day. I get to choose what goal I’m setting for myself for the day and then get to feel the sense of accomplishment when I achieve it that day. The goals will be realistic and attainable but not unchallenging!
Today’s Goal was to give blood at the local blood donor clinic. Giving blood is something that has been very dear to me for years. I’ve been giving since 2000 or 2001 I think and whenever I have the opportunity I donate. Unfortunately, being a woman, my hemoglobin (iron) level is sometimes too low and therefore I am deferred in donating. I remember the first few times this happened I was devastated. I actually cried whenever I’d get the deferral. In order to donate with Canadian Blood Services a woman must meet the minimum hemoglobin level of 12.5 and mine is usually barely in the 11’s. In fact, in the winter of 2008 I became severely anemic and was very ill. Then I got pregnant and then there’s a minimum 6 month wait after giving birth before you can donate again. So, I haven’t donated for almost 2 years and that kills me. I had no idea if I’d meet the minimum requirements this time or not but I had to go and find out because that was my goal for the day – to at least attempt to donate.
My hemoglobin level was 14.5!!!
I nearly bounced off the ceiling I was so happy. At first the nurse dropped my blood into the liquid to see how fast it dropped and it didn’t move. Uh oh I thought…not a good sign! So, she had to take another sample and put it on a slide and insert it into the digital machine. I think she was even more excited than I was at the reading! She actually gasped in shock and then said “fourteen point five!!!!!!!!! FOURTEEEEEEEN POINT FIIIIIIIIIVEEEEEE??????!!!!??????”. Hehe…considering a typical woman is usually between 12 and 16 this was pretty damn awesome given my track record. For every one donation I make I am deferred at least two others. I was super happy. I also got my 10 donations pin tonight. FINALLY…after all these years! I even donated my blood in 6 minutes flat. I pretty much rock.
I have a rarer blood type (B RH+) so they are always calling me to donate. Only about 9% of the population has this type. So, knowing that makes it even more important for me to give.
I encourage you to give the gift of blood this holiday season. Your donation could save up to THREE lives! That is what I call the gift that keeps on giving! :-)
Drop by the Canadian Blood Services site to find out when a clinic will be near you. Tell them the chick with the awesome high hemoglobin level sent ya ;-)
November 26th, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Thanks for donating! It is SO important. I remember Xue going in and being so weak and pale she could not function. Her blood count was rock bottom. She got two transfusions and you could see her colour change and energy rise as instantly as the blood entered her system. A miracle. My other friend has to get transfusions every month as a result of a rare blood cancer.
Without people like you………….
Tom has AB- blood and has reached his 600th donation! Really. He gives plasma which can be done once a week.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:05 AM
You are completely right. I am going to get my arse there to donate pronto!
Thanks for the inspiration ;-) I am so happy that your blood didn’t plop :-P
I thought I was the only with with a fistfull of vitamins to take all at once! I’m considering getting one of those huge MTWTFSS pill organizers for my vitamins!