This blog is not about photography, but for those interested in me personally you may want to read on. You may sense how important it is for me to create something special before I go.
My doctor recommended I donate blood every month for 3 months to “help replace good new blood with older not as good blood…” On Saturday while it was pouring outside I decided to follow my doctors’ orders and donate blood. Got to love all those questions on the pre-screening. Good thing I have lived a clean life! I saw 2 people before me denied from giving blood, one because of her blood pressure and the other because of improper iron levels. I thought surely, I am going to fail, both my predecessors looked healthier than me.
The process went smoothly and quickly. They offered me a apple juice after the “
giant sucking” process and I drank it all gone. They then said, you can leave now. On the way out they offered me a MacDonald’s Hamburger. I thought, hum, that was nice, but no. Why would they offer me a hamburger?
I drove home, sent my wife off shopping and took a nap. When I woke up from the nap I made a groggy jaunt to the bathroom. I felt a little dizzy, but thought it was moderately normal because I often feel slightly dizzy when going vertical. On my way out of the bathroom my dizziness got worse. I soon realized I was in trouble. I passed out and fell to the floor. Not sure how long I was on the floor. When I woke up, I was profusely sweating and started to vomit. I was laying on the tile floor heaving like never before in my life. I then called loudly upstairs for my son Ryan... “Ryan, I am in trouble, please help!!!” I repeated this about 3 times with no response. I then thought I was alone in the house and surely, I was going to die right there on the floor. Finally, Ryan came downstairs and I tried to explain to him my problem. He didn’t understand. I told him, "please be ready to call 911, I may die right here on the floor." Again, I think he thought I was kidding. NOT.
Ryan got Tammy on the phone and she was a long way from home. I told Ryan to tell her to get home fast I was in trouble. Surely Tammy also didn’t believe I was in trouble. She thought I had a flu. About ½ hour later she arrived. I was still on the tile floor lying next to a terrible mess I had created. After drinking a bunch of fluids and eating a banana I started to feel slightly better.
To this moment, I still feel weak. Definitely strong enough to work, but impacted non the less by the donation of my vampire blood.
Crazy 2 things I thought when I was on the floor. One: “I hope my last photograph was my best ever” and two: “I never told Tammy I wanted Nanette Maxfield Garrett to sing at my funeral.”
Yes I have a crazy desire to create a legacy of beautiful photographs. Not sure why. I guess my hope is that some day someone will recognize I had a sprinkle of artistic talent and I actually gave something positive to the world.
Tom