Young Blood

Happy February Chick.  Can you believe that we are through January already?  Mixed week for me, and I feel slightly battered by the experience.  Nothing major, just work, high blood pressure, even on the meds, blood donation, dentist/hygenist, physio, opticians and hormones.  Each one alone, nothing much but string them all together over five days and... I'm slightly tatty around the edges.

After a year of not being able to donate blood because of the meds I was on, I can now, finally do my bit.  I made an appointment at the donor centre early January and yes, it was four weeks before I could get an appointment to fit in with work.  I rolled up ahead of time, was late being called in and then... something happened, the needle really hurt going in, (never pleasant but more uncomfortable than usual,) nurse stays with me for 2, 3 minutes, highly unusual, gives me a squishy ball to squeeze, which I do, with all of my might.  After a while, nurse tells me that my, "flow is at zero".  Am I dead?  What does that mean exactly?  Lack of blood flow, cannot be good in anyone's book.  Nurse continues; "I think it may have clotted in the tube".

I know that I have poor circulation but I think maybe the needle wasn't in properly?  I don't blame the nurse, it's happened once before, I have slightly odd veins, in that crook area, I have a fork shape of veins, a "V".  Apparently, the branch of the fork that looks OK is a decoy, however, to my untrained eye, both roads look fine to me.

Anyway, nurse was very appologetic and I reassured her not to worry.  "When can I come back?"  I expected her to say, "four weeks from now."  "It'll be three months because we got some in the bag."  What?  Some?  It was a thimble full at best, I could come back tomorrow.

Quite frustrating but what can you do.  I have dodgy veins and apparently blood that moves at the speed of...well, apparently it doesn't move.  Are my veins, is my blood too old to donate?

I'm at my silver medal for blood donation and I really would have liked to get gold but I'm being selfish aren't I?  It's not about me, it's about giving blood.

Ironically, my favourite tune of the moment is "Young Blood" by Sophie Ellis Bextor.  Loved Sophie since her "Murder on the Dance Floor" days and she was a wonder on "Strictly" last year, (you really should Youtube her Charlston, actually, I'll try to find you the link.) 

Sophie has returned to her roots and is the proud purveyor of, "Young Blood."  Her voice is like crystal, I love the feel of it, the wistfull lilt, the arrangement, percussion, (it's like you are in a room and you can hear the musicians first hand.)  It's just beautiful, what else can I say?

 

 

OK, I would hate for you to miss seeing this.  This amazing routine was created at some ridiculous point, like week 2?  Very early on anyway.  Sophie quite rightly got to the final, a very, very, worthy finalist.  She was a joy to watch and she was indeed, made for the Charlston, amongst other things.  Don't forget, lines are now closed, and your vote will not be counted ;)  Could I get a job do you think?