It has been eight years of writing this column and I’m still amazed how the Holy Spirit gives me something to write about each month. While the topics are constantly changing, the desire for this Holy and Healthy column has been the same — to share how God is working through ordinary life, through our daily endeavors, body, mind and soul, to bring us closer to Him.
Recently, I began to donate blood again. I haven’t done that since I was in my 20s. My husband, Al, has given for years, and recently a good friend, who was a regular blood donor, was diagnosed with cancer and had a lung removed, so she can’t donate blood currently. She is doing great and is almost four months cancer free, praise God. She inspired me to try to give blood again and to make this offering a prayer.
It was easy to donate, and in fact my husband and I had a friendly competition to see who could give a pint the fastest. He won, and he will probably always win as he is super-fast. It was a good experience, though, and I would encourage you to consider doing it if you are in good health and feel called to do so. The Red Cross states that one pint can save three babies. As it turns out, I am a rare blood type, AB+ (less than 4% of the populate has this type), and I am a universal donor, so I feel even more responsibility to give if I am able to do so.
The American Red Cross asked me to give platelets due to this rare blood type — which go to cancer, trauma and burn unit patients. I cleared my schedule to give it a try.
It took about an hour for the check-in process and for the physical — I passed and I was ready to go! I knew both arms were involved, but I thought I could hold a book. No go. You can’t move your arms at all. I popped in my earbuds to listen to praise and worship music as I was told it would be nearly two hours to donate the full amount -- too long for a podcast.
I was ready. The nurse positioned my arms in an outstretched and upward facing position. It was an amazing posture to settle into for hours of prayer! My heart and my arms were facing upward toward heaven with nothing but Jesus to think about for two hours. Blood was drawn out of my left arm and it entered a machine that separated and reserved the platelets. The other blood material returned into my body through the right arm.
Everything started out great. Then about 20 minutes in, the machine alarms started going off. My right arm vein could not expand enough to keep up with the return blood flow. My elbow began to ache and my arm was swelling. We had to stop. I was disappointed that I was not able to give the entire amount, but I was happy that I tried — knowing that I can easily go back to being a regular blood donor every couple of months.
A few lessons for me in this experience … I used to be afraid of hospitals, needles and all things medical — and I would pass out whenever blood was drawn. Thank you, Jesus, for helping me to move beyond that fear and to be open to trying new things even in this sixth decade of life.
In regard to hospitals — many years ago, I began taking communion to patients at Riverside Methodist Hospital at the urging of a friend, and I overcome my fear of that and I actually enjoy the hospital environment. When Dublin Methodist Hospital opened, I was able to take communion to patients there. Now I am blessed to take communion to a retirement center in my parish. The Lord has really shown me the beauty of bringing Jesus to the sick and elderly and in spending time with them. Thank you to all of you who serve in care and consolation ministry and in a medical environment.
Finally, I reflected on how everything we do is prayer, whether a helpful and holy action, going inward to spend time in conversation with Jesus, and uniting our illness or infirmity with the heart of Jesus. St. Francis de Sales said, “The prayer of the sick person is his patience and his acceptance of his sickness for the love of Jesus Christ. Make sickness itself a prayer, for there is none more powerful, save martyrdom!”
