I've donated blood since my early 20s. I see it as a way to give back what I don’t necessarily need. Having less blood volume for a couple of days is a small price to pay for potentially saving someone's life.
In my 20s donating blood was easy. I even used to exercise afterward with little or no after effects. In my 30s I noticed a slight deterioration in my ability to exercise after donating. These days you're advised not to exercise for a day afterward, and I can understand why. It takes me a couple of days to even feel like gentle exercise. It all to do with your blood oxygen levels. If you've less blood, your muscles can't get the oxygen they need as efficiently.
Today was my donation day, my 100th. Such a milestone isn't something most donors reach. Many drop out because of health issues or lifestyle changes. I'm thankful that my health is still good to do so.
So imagine my disappointment when my iron levels were low, meaning I wasn't able to donate. That's only the third time out of a hundred I've been turned away. Oh well. At least I've reached another milestone.
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