Yesterday, on my last day of being fifty, Steve and I donated blood at a blood drive the Red Cross held at our church.
Don’t I look like I’m having such a fun time?
Steve was just a few feet away and he kept on hollering stuff at me and calling me, “Sweetie.” (I imagine all the workers thought the local pastor was getting just a little too friendly with the female blood donors.) We eventually told them that we were married and so he was allowed to call me sweetie all day long.
With a fellow blood donor calling me by endearing terms and the friendliness of the efficient Red Cross staff, I was having a very nice time–until they removed the needle from my arm, that is. Then I got nauseated, dizzy, and cold and my hands and arms started tingling.
In a matter of moments, someone reclined my chair waaaay back, someone else put ice packs on my chest and behind my neck, another person held orange juice to my mouth with a straw, another person fanned me and told me to breathe, and yet another person ran for a barf bag. (Which thankfully I didn’t end up needing.)
It seems as though “Sweetie” is a little delicate when it comes to giving blood.
Thankfully after about 15 minutes (and after being plied with pretzels and orange juice), I started feeling a whole lot better.
As I left with this sticker on my jacket . . .
. . . I wondered who my blood might end up making a difference for. I sort of hoped it might be a child with cancer since Sarah had numerous transfusions during her treatment. Our family was so grateful for every single donor during those years and we’re honored to get to pass the blessing along to whoever will need it down the line.
In other news, I thought you might like a glimpse of “the little mother.” Doesn’t she look all glow-y and pregnant-y?
And lastly, a picture of the little mother’s mother-in-law who is going to spend my birthday hitting all the thrift stores I can find. I might also take a little photo tour hither and yon and see what I can discover to point my Nikon at.
Woo-hoo for fifty-one!
I’m glad you were able to donate!
Yes, your sweet Megan has a baby bump already! But hard to say how much of that is baby and how much of that is how she is standing and posing, and how much is just general weight gain. I gained over 50 lbs with my second pregnancy and DH was thinking we were going to be getting a future NFL linebacker, only to find that we got the sweetest 5 lber, wo was the tiniest baby in the regular nursery!
I know this baby will be ever so loved, and am looking forward to the start of another Smith generation.
Congratulations again, Grandmom to be!
Cath, thanks so much for your sweet words. Yes, this baby will definitely be very much LOVED! 🙂
Becky,
I did not have internet access on your birthday, but may I wish you a belated “happy birthday”? I hope yours was lovely in every way!
Angela,
Belated birthday wishes are wonderful; they just keeps the party going longer. Thank you!
I did not think one could donate blood if one was a cancer survivor, either
I’ve not given for years because I am just a slight bit anemic and don’t make the hemoglobin count. There are a whole list of reasons to exclude a person, from what I understand. But different blood banks may have different critiera. Cancer is not “catching” via blood transfusions so the ban really makes no sense.
Cath,
From what I understand, if you have been cancer free for a year you can donate; however, I think that people who have had leukemia as an adult cannot donate. They also had some stipulations that if you’d been out of the country to certain places, you were prohibited from donating. I was just happy for the chance to do it and pay just a tiny little bit all the blood that was sent Sarah’s way!
I was just catching up and noticed this comment and wanted to offer insight. You are correct with cancer free for a year or if you are receiving any treatment at all. Having Leukemia and Lymphoma in adulthood also keeps you from donating and a diagnosis of melanoma (like I had) gets you bumped from donation until 5 years cancer/treatment free. I’ve got 3 more years til I can donate again! It’s one of the things I’ve hated most about my diagnosis!!
Rachel,
So sorry to hear about your melanoma diagnosis; so happy to know that you are a blood donor who looks forward to giving blood again when your five years are up! Thank you for your contributions!
Hey, Becky!
I’ve been offline for a few days, preparing for and then attending my brother’s wedding (which was fabulous 🙂 ). I thought of “ya’ll” as I drove through Smithfield, NC! Happy birthday, and I hope you’re recovered from the recent draining of your blood supply!
Kristina, how exciting that you were so close by! I know you must have had such a great time at your brother’s wedding, especially since you don’t get to see him all that often. Happy day!
Beautiful, Becky! Fifty is lookin’ good on us!! 🙂
Sheri, you said it, girlfriend!
Happy birthday Becky. Hope you had a fun day today.
Margie–thanks. It was a wonderful day!
Happy Birthday, Becky!!!! You look spectacular…no qualifiers! Megan looks so cute! Makes me (almost) want to do that again..lol!
Guerrina,
“Almost” is a very important word! 🙂
You do NOT look old enough to be a grandmother. And Meagan looks positively adorable.
Lisa,
You are so sweet. And yes, Meagan is one adorable daughter-in-law! Love her!
Happy Birthday to you!!
Thank you, Michele. I am now happily ensconced in my 51st year!
Happy Birthday Becky! I know this is going to be a wonderful year for you all! Congratulations on your grandbaby! That is so exciting!
Joleen, can’t wait to see meet the little fella (or gal) in person!
Happy Birthday! 🙂 I hope that you had a wonderful day! 🙂 (I will be 50 next year!)
Kristi,
You’ll love 50. Young enough to still do stuff; old enough to have plenty of wisdom. Best of both world!
Looking good at 51 Becky – and to be a grandma to boot. How wonderful is that!
Sharyn,
Wonderful is a good word for it–being a grandmother makes turning 51 a little less traumatic. 🙂
What a great way to celebrate the end of a decade, even though you got a little woozie. Steak ‘n Shake has a salted pretzel and caramel milkshake… quite yummy.
although I imagine oj and pretzels are a good combination, too.
Megan looks adorable.
Mrs. Pam,
Salted pretzel and caramel? Be still my heart.
We used to go to a place in PA that served pretzel ice cream cones. Oh my–they were so good
Happy 51st Birthday Becky!!!Hope it the best year yet GRANDMA!!!!Congrats to you and the family!!!WOW!!!
Catherine,
Still can’t quite get used to this whole idea of being called “grandma.” It will be quite the lovely adventure!
Happy Birthday, Becky! Hope you are having a great day! And, congratulations on the new little one!
Debbie,
Thanks for the wishes and yes, I had a great day on my birthday. As someone said, having a birthday on a Friday lets you celebrate all weekend long! 🙂
Happy birthday. They don’t want my blood either as I tend to have the same reaction as you. They did take 20 plus pints before they decided that.
Hope Sarah is fully recovered
Anonymous,
20 plus pints? Wow! THANK YOU for donating!
Happy birthday Becky! What a beautiful photo of you! I hope you have a really awesome day
Jenna,
Glad you loved the picture; it was a quickie “self shot” taken in the car but I figured I needed something newish to put on the blog. 🙂
If 51 looks like this, I want to be 51 as well!
Happy birthday from Rome. 🙂
Olivia,
You are so sweet.
And I don’t often get birthday wishes all the way from Rome!
Happy Birthday Becky! Hoping you are having a wonderful day!
Thank you, Shawn. Turning 51 wasn’t all that bad!
Happy, happy birthday, Becky! You look MARVELOUS! Meagan looks so lovely! Pregnancy agrees with her!
Suzanne,
I have to agree with YOU that pregnancy agrees with Meagan!
Happy Birthday Becky.
Thanks, Chase. A little older, a little wiser. (But mostly a little older.) 🙂
Wow! Megan is really showing! Sure she is due in “Late” fall? Congrats!
Denise,
They don’t know the exact date yet; should find out soon. I’ll be excited to know!
I used to give blood all the time, but was informed a couple of years ago that I’m banned indefinitely because I lived in Germany for a year back in 1985! Has something to do with mad cow disease, anyone who lived in Europe for more than six months between 1980 and 1995 or something like that is no longer allowed to donate. Kind of late, since I’ve donated numerous times since I’ve been back! Then again, mad cow disease would explain a lot of things about me…anyway, hope you had a great birthday despite being drained dry!
I have never been able to give as we lived in Germany 3 years starting in 1990. I don’t get it though as the beef I bought at the commissary was frozen and shipped USDA! And I don’t eat beef on the economy. If I ever did it was less than a tourist.
Happy late Birthday Becky and I think that Grandbaby may be due sooner than you think! Exciting!
Jill,
Yep, that was one of the things we were asked–if we’d visited any other countries during certain times. Even though you can’t donate, thanks for being WILLING to do so!
I am actually on the bone marrow donor list though. Not sure what they would say if they needed my marrow, I think it depends. I received notice recently it was a “unique” type and had to answer further questions. Interesting to me to be unique and rare!
Your birthday celebration looked like so much fun and I do hope you share that ice crem cake recipe!
Jill,
THANK YOU for being willing to donate bone marrow; I need to get on that list myself. Even though Sarah was her own donor for her transplant, I think it would be so fabulous to have the privilege of giving marrow to someone in her honor.
Even though I have a unique type I was notified a cople years ago I was a potential donor! I had to answer more questions but nothing came of it. I would do it in a heartbeat, and that is largely due to blogs like yours that I have followed for years.
Melissa,
Loved your line about Mad Cow Disease explaining a lot of things about you.
Pretty crazy that they let you donate all those times and then suddenly said you can’t do it anymore. Go figure . . .
Happy birthday, Becky! What a fun way to celebrate the end of 50. You and Steve are often so creative in your “dates!” You look wonderful, and I just realized that you and I will both have grandchildren “developed” in the same climate! (My baby grandson was brewed and born in Orlando.)
Jan,
“Brewed and born?” Love it!
I was thinking of a tea bag, sitting cozily in warm water…. 😉
A perfect picture.
I must say you sure don’t look 51! You look 25. Have a fun day thrifty and photoing (is that a word?). HAPPY BIRTHDAY. The new little mother-to-be looks so cute. Love the little “bump.”
Mary,
Photoing is a word if YOU say it is a word! 🙂
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday, sending Love and Best Wishes
XOXOXO
Nancy,
Thanks for thinking of me on 51st year!
Becky, I want to wish you a very happy birthday today! And I hope this new year of your life will be filled with lots of joy, happiness and great memories! Enjoy your day!
The mother-to-be is looking just radiant! Beautiful!
And I have a question regarding your blood donation: they let you donate? Here in Germany you are banned from donating for the rest of your life when you had cancer. They even turn me down because of my allergies (I’d love to donate, but they won’t let me). Same goes for stem cells.
best wishes Nadine from Germany
Nadine,
I wonder how much donating rules vary from country to country; it seems like quite a bit although I would think there would be international standards!
The main thing here is that a donor has been cancer free for at least a year. I’m really surprised that in Germany allergies are a reason to not be allowed to donate! Hmmmmm . . .
Happy Birthday, Becky! Hope you find lots of “treasures” on your special day!
Bridgette,
My WHOLE day was filled with treasures; thank you!