Sunday, October 10, 2010

Suffering for Something

There's no chat like church chat (exceeded in complexity and cast of characters possibly only by church choir chat), so I almost enjoyed giving blood yesterday--my second time--at the Woman's Club because a dear church friend, CA, sat and discussed the latest installments of Archbishop and Co. with me.

I'd thought my near-fainting when I donated blood the first time was merely psychological, and therefore a fun chat would distract me, and I'd be fine.
Sure enough, I was fine for the hour I spent lying down, chatting and eating the Lorna Doones CA brought me.

So I got up and toured the cool old building, but by the time I'd gotten to their library on the second floor, a wave of yuckiness swept over me. I had to sit down.
CA left to get the car, and when she came back I was lying on the floor. (Nice rug!)

She drove me home and I slept for a couple hours, then read by the open window until bedtime.
 [Zadie Smith, On Beauty; The Summer Book, by Tove Jansson; Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times (2002), edited by Neil Astley]

I know people who donate blood on their lunch hour and then go back to their active jobs.
I guess that's not going to be me.
CA and I agreed, though, that with all the senseless suffering in life, it makes a nice change to suffer for something.

Wishing you all good health!

4 comments:

momo said...

I'm glad you were not alone, and had time to rest. I should find out if my medications preclude my donating blood, as I have always assumed. Maybe not!

Fresca said...

They have a long list, as you know... surely available online. Lots of unexpected things, like drugs for hair growth!

Lill said...

Thanks again from this onetime blood recipient. People who donate blood are indeed angels of mercy.

femminismo said...

What a great thought ... suffering for something rather than of something. Or through something, unable to help in any way. You are an angel, cara mia.