Blood

I'm not well at the moment, so I thought I'd put up a post about something other than mountain bikes. Problem is, all ever think about is ..... mountain bikes!! So, I'm scratching around for inspiration, I'm ill at the moment and not really well enough to do anything useful; random mouse clicking is about all I can manage! Then, this (above) comes through the door - inspiration!

I suffer from a very real dislike of hypodermic needles. I gave blood once about 15 or more years ago. Since then I became rather unfit and tended to feel, rather bizarrely and inexplicably, that the lack of fitness and the act of giving blood were somewhat incongruous. I know, it doesn't make sense! Perhaps it was all connected to fearing needles. Since being a bit fitter, I've shaken that bizarre idea, and started to think it's the right thing to do; I should do it; and you never know, one day I could need the favour returning. So, a couple of months before Christmas, when the donor service turned up at work, I plucked up the courage (aided by the fact that it was a spur of the moment thing) and I gave blood.

Then Christmas came and I got the most horrible cold/flu and chest infection, the worst I've had in years. Again, a little irrationally I started to think along the lines of I wonder if giving blood has lowered my immunity? I wonder if I wouldn't have had it so bad if I hadn't given blood? Well, now I've got another cold and I can't believe it! It doesn't seem 5 minutes since I shook the one I had at Christmas. I haven't given blood recently, so it's not that, perhaps being fit isn't good for you!!

Of course, the colds and infections going around at the moment are bad ones. Giving blood may have a small marginal affect on your immunity straight afterwards, but I'm sure it's not significant. I will give blood again. My dislike of needles is not one of those completely debilitating irrational phobias; it can be overcome. It's just like being a mountain biker whose a little nervous of precipitous drops, but is capable of hurling himself down them anyway (and enjoying it)!!

On a different note - check out Sage Cattabriga-Alosa's Blog for some superb POV video of his antics - what a lifestyle that guy has!