Yes, it's 3/14. I hope you all have your pies ready!

I think I've exhausted the bruise topic, although I'll throw in one more of how pretty my left arm has become. The right is just kind of wider and duller, not nearly as exciting.

So, naturally, the brusing "matured" overnight. The 3-D effect is gone (well, that was gone by evening), but the spreading didn't happen until I slept. I look pinker 'cause I took the photos in different light.

As ugly as they are, they don't hurt at all, not even the minor ache from yesterday. And, well, I'm wearing long sleeves at work today.

Since this wasn't a full donation, I wonder how long it is before I qualify to try again... I suppose I should at least wait until the marks from this try are gone. (ETA: Apparently you're still supposed to wait the 56 days, so I can try again the second week of May or later.)

A Day Later - Right Arm
Originally uploaded by Kit Kendrick

A Day Later - Left Arm
Originally uploaded by Kit Kendrick

Just in case y'all wanted the proof. I look extra puffy because (a) I am really fat and (b) because I took the photos at kind of a funny angle with my cameraphone.

The right aches just a tiny bit, but otherwise it doesn't hurt. Ugly, though, aren't they? The yellow is not bruising, by the way. It's just that betadine stuff they use to sterilize the are before using the needle. I wonder if they'll get more spectacular tomorrow or if this is going to be the high point.

Sorry if this grosses anyone out. They're just bruises. If anyone complains, I'll drop them under a lj-cut.

Clearly It Was a Bad Day To Try To Give Blood - Right
Originally uploaded by Kit Kendrick

Clearly It Was a Bad Day To Try To Give Blood - Left
Originally uploaded by Kit Kendrick

I've been terribly delinquent about hitting the local blood drive, now that there isn't really a local blood drive for me. So I signed up for today's blood drive at work.

Now, I know I have trick veins. The ones in the crook of my arm (from which they usually take blood) run at kind of a funny angle. And sometimes they have trouble, but the vast majority of the time I've been able to donate without issue. Today, they tried both arms, weren't able to get decent blood flow and had to give up. So I'm bandaged on each arm.

Feh. I bet I'll have pretty bruises tomorrow.

Yesterday I found a large envelope waiting for me in the mail. It was a certificate from the New Jersey blood bank, thanking me for donating a gallon of blood (no, not all at once!).

It's nice, but what do you do with something like that - frame it and put it up on the wall?