Blood. It’s kind of gross, and a necessity. Yesterday I decided to complete one of my Day Zero goals of donating blood. While I was in the American Red Cross bus I was immediately surprised by the amount of things that make you ineligible to donate. Traveling to other countries, tattoos and piercings (all within certain time frames) are a few things that may make you ineligible. While I have done all of those things, luckily the time frames didn’t restrict me.
As I was being hooked up I over heard a nurse talk about blood. She was talking to an older male that was about half way completed with his pint. She said that blood is something that makes people uncomfortable but as women we get used to dealing with it at a young age.
I remember surfing the crimson wave for the first time. Luckily for me the waves were nowhere near mavericks – at least the first time around. As I have mentioned before my mother and I have butted heads my entire life. She didn’t tell me about the birds and the bees I, like others I’m sure, learned the ins and outs on the playground. I’ve come to realize most of the rumors are not far from the truth. I knew the basics and for some reason there was a small group of classmates, myself included, that missed the sex Ed class. My friends shared the information that learned which became invaluable that day.
The thing is I didn’t pay enough attention. I only put on the TINEST liner because I didn’t want anyone to tell the moon flow had struck me. My mom being a stay at home mom hardly ever woke with my brother and I on school days. We had alarm clocks, got up and ready by ourselves. That morning, though, she was up. I wasn’t going to tell her. We hadn’t ever talked about anything personal before but I had a few minutes before the bus came and I wanted to make sure I did everything right.
I think she was surprised it happened. Despite her extreme normal behaviors she handled the information pretty calmly. (Until I mentioned using tampons…shit really hit the fan then.) She asked if I put anything on and I told her I did, the little ones, she’s the one who told me I’d need the larger one. I wasn’t going to listen to her, but in the end I did. Isn’t it every chicks fear to be somewhere and sit up with bloodstains on your ass?
Everything was fine that day and the months after. I got used to it just like every other female that deals with it. Birth control made the surprise factor diminish which made my life easier.
But I digress…
Obviously the emotions run wild during the cotton pony weeklong ride. Many times those emotions start a day or two earlier than leak week, but if an argument arises does that mean the points made are invalid? Disagreements due happen to appear once and awhile. I feel I’ve brought up valid arguments when the leak week was about to commence. While I would like to believe that I have straight out “won” those arguments because of my wittiness the justified decision gets thrown out if my husband realizes I’m about to mount the cotton pony. I would like to know why. I’ll admit that I’m definitely more passionate about my points when the emotions are high but even with less passion the points are still valid.
I guess I’ll just have to start recording my arguments, watch them when I’m not surfing and then decide for myself.
Much love,
Jes xo
PS. the image was found on shutterstock.com – pretty fitting right?