I may have killed someone

I'm not having the best week. Last week I got a call from the blood center. Apparently TWO YEARS ago I gave blood that was subsequently was given to a guy who had a liver transplant. The guy died because blood he was given was tainted with Babiosis which is mainly passed on by ticks and is similar to Lyme disease. So I live in the Midwest, and who that lives in the Midwest has not at some time in their life been bitten by a tick? Anyway, most healthy people don't get sick from Babiosis, but if you are immuno-compromised it isn't a good thing. They told me this last week and asked me to go to Columbus Indiana to give a blood sample so they can test it to see if I'm the one that did the guy in. I said, "That's 40 miles away! Can't I just have my doctor's office take a sample and send it to you?" She said no, but that she would check with the hospital here and see if they can do it. She called me back Friday and said I could go to the hospital this am and they will take the sample and a courier will pick it up. So, I did that this morning.

**OK. I KNOW. I may have killed someone with my blood and I'm worried about driving 40 miles. How selfish and self-centered am I? Well, truthfully it was a knee-jerk reaction, and I wasn't thinking about it. The price of gas is that bad.**

Back to why it's still a bad week. When I was giving the blood, the gal needed FOUR tubes. She got the first one just fine. Her hand was shaking slightly. Hangover? Nervous about Babiosis? Inexperienced? I will never know. The second tube didn't go well. She pushed just a little too hard and went right through my vein. ouch. She tried to adjust the needle. Ouch again. She slid the needle back a little and blood spurted out of my arm, but not into the tube. Oh joy. So, we had to try the other arm. Do you think it's Karma for being a butt about not going to Columbus?

Here's the REAL kicker. I'm on call. Someone died in an accident in southern Indiana. Guess where I had to drive right through? That's right. Columbus. Two times today.

I'll update you when I find out if it was me or not. I don't think it was my blood, but you never know. I hope it wasn't.

How Old Do You Think I Am?

Yesterday, Sarah and I took a road trip to Goodwill. Normally when we go to Goodwill, it's to take stuff, and I just pull up to the drive-thru and drop stuff off. But yesterday, we went inside in search of pants for Sarah. She had three pairs of pants to her name, all of which are pants that aren't pants that should be worn in public. Two have holes big enough to make them obscene to wear, and the other is a weird orange-y color. One of her bosses made her promise not to wear one of the pairs of pants to work anymore. I decided action was in order.





So the good news is that Sarah found 3 pairs of pants and two pairs of socks for $14.95. What a deal! And no holes, stains, or weird colors!



The not-so-good news is that as we were checking out, the kid ringing us up (he looked like he was maybe 25 tops) gave me the total. He then looked at me and said, "People 55 years and older get a 50% discount today." I looked stunned, felt stunned, WAS stunned. Then I started laughing. I looked at Sarah, and she looked appalled. I said, "Well, maybe I SHOULD start dying my hair again." Poor kid, belatedly realizing what he had done tried and tried to make it right, but there was just no going back. Stuttering claims of "I ask everybody." are unbelieved.



Maybe I should sign up for that show "10 Years Younger", and go back to see that boy after the makeover. We'll see then if he "asks everybody". HA

Back In The Day

The night before last it was really cool outside, so we turned off the air and opened the windows. Yesterday it was still fairly comfortable so we left the air off and the windows open. Today, the same. But I'm lying on my couch taking a nice Siesta this afternoon, and if it wasn't for the ceiling fan, I'd be miserable.

Which made me think about those movies I'd seen as a kid where women would be lounging on their couches wearing flowing white floor length dresses, not a drop of sweat to be seen. Two or three boys or men wearing only some sort of white wrap around their waist, but not floor length, would be standing around the (Egyptian, I'm assuming) woman fanning her with some sort of large tropical leaf. If it was me and I was the "fanner", I'd find some way to get some air going for me, too.

Further reflection brings to mind my child hood and how there were no ceiling fans, box fans, stand fans or air conditioners in my home. My room was upstairs (heat rises, remember....) and I can remember nights that it so hot and the air so still, that falling to sleep was just about impossible. We had a HUGE industrial strength fan that Mom would put in the window at the top of the stairs. She would set it to blow air out the window, and hopefully to draw the cooler outside air into the house. I don't recall it making much difference, other than sounding like an airplane engine was in the hallway outside my room. Or, maybe it did make a difference, and goodness knows how horrid it would have been without it.

Anyhow, the dogs and I are still laying around, and all of us are grateful for the ceiling fan, waiting for the cool night air to come back. Where's that darn Egyptian boy? He could at least bring me a cool drink...