Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Bloody fantastic
I’ve never given blood. Not because I don’t believe in it, believe me I’m a believer of helping people whenever possible. But mostly because I’m a big clucking chicken. I’m squeamish around needles and excessive blood. (Some blood is fine, but I can’t deal with gory movies or blood raining down like that dance club scene in Blade. Not that I expect the blood bank to have blood raining down from the sprinklers, but… nevermind.) Not only that, I’ve passed out on a couple of occasions. Once due to low blood sugar and another because of I don’t know what. Likely blood-related as well because I had a raging sunburn all along the backs of my legs that morning and I’m sure there was a lot of blood busy with that instead of feeding my brain.
So anyway, for those reasons I’ve never even considered giving blood. Well during my last visit to my mom, she mentioned that I should get tested for Hepatitis since she had Hepatitis B. She said the easiest way to get tested is to give blood. They do an exstensive battery of tests to make sure your blood is safe. They would be able to detect anything I have that might be abnormal. Well, in my blood anyway. There’s no accounting for what’s abnormal in my head!
As luck would have it, the following week a blood drive was announced in my office building. They’ll be here next week. I signed up. I’m apprehensive. I get dizzy just standing up too fast, how on earth am I going to give blood and still be able to walk back to my desk? Or drive home?? Then after about two minutes of apprehension, logic creeps in and reminds me that they’re not about to let someone give blood who shouldn’t. If my blood pressure is too low, they’ll say no. It’s as simple as that, right? Right??
I could always just go to the doctor’s office and have them draw blood and do the tests, but I’d have to pay the $20 copay AND whatever portion of the lab fees that my insurance doesn’t cover. Screw that. I’ll put up with my cowardice and apprehension if I can save $50. Or more. Who knows how much they’d charge me. I hate PPOs and their “we’ll cover 80% of this cost and 50% of that cost”. What the hell? I’m paying more for this plan than the other, shouldn’t I be paying less? Shouldn’t they cover all my costs? I hate insurance companies. Fucking bloodsuckers.
Ha! Maybe I should have them draw the blood for me!
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