On the way home from work today I passed by the Dollar General in East Limestone, and the mobile blood donor bus was parked there. The famous red wind sock man was dancing in the parking lot next to it. I really wanted to stop and donate blood, but I can't. Not until next April.
I've never donated blood before. That's not something that I'm proud of. I didn't know how my mitral valve prolapse would react to donating blood, and I never made any attempt to find out. I found out the hard way just how important blood donation is. I lay in the hospital bed after giving birth back in March, shaking uncontrollably because I'd lost so much blood. Walking from the bed to the bathroom in my hospital room and back took everything I had in me. I even had to hold on to someone, or something, the whole way there and back. Then I'd lay there for awhile shaking with my heart racing. After a day of my blood levels staying just above the point where transfusions are ordered, I ended up receiving two units of blood.
Exactly a week later, I'd be back in the hospital receiving two more units of blood. I learned just how important blood donors are to the medical world. As advanced as our medical system is, there is still no substitute for human blood. Sadly, it seems there is always a shortage in our area - probably because of people like me who don't donate. Those four units of blood in the spring changed that. As soon as my one year post transfusion waiting period is up next April, I plan on donating blood for the first time. It's the only way I know how to thank the anonymous donors who gave me the blood I needed.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
A New Road
It's been an interesting few weeks - heck, it's been an interesting few years! Life has thrown so many unexpected curves at us that sometimes all I can do is shake my head. I might not believe all of this happened if I hadn't lived it myself.
What started out as an innocent Wednesday morning on April 27, 2011 ended up completely changing my life. By the end of that day I was homeless and traumatized by what will go down in history as one of the worst days the state of Alabama has ever seen. I'm so thankful and blessed that God spared my life that day.
What started out as a way to let everyone know what happened that day turned into a private journal that helped me release some of the pain and heartache I carried with me. Originally I planned to keep the journal for a year so our future children would have a detailed record of our first year of tornado recovery. I think that journal was meant for a higher purpose though. It does something that no one has done before. It lets people into the heart and mind of one survivor during an entire year of their life. It's scary knowing that soon anyone will be able to know every thought I had for a year, good and bad, but I think it's something God wanted me to do. He gave me a miracle, and then He gave me a voice.
The last few weeks I've spent the nights after work getting the book ready to be published. It's available online now and in the next few days copies will be available from me. I have a local book signing in the works too. If you read my book and you like it please help spread the word about it. I don't know what this road in life holds for me, but I feel like God is holding my hand leading me where He wants me to go right now. All I have to do is follow.
Book Information:
Sheltered By God: A Year in the Life of An April 27, 2011 Tornado Survivor
Available on:
iUniverse: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000600842/Sheltered-By-God.aspx
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sheltered-by-god-jennifer-pitts-adair/1112714606?ean=9781475944198
What started out as an innocent Wednesday morning on April 27, 2011 ended up completely changing my life. By the end of that day I was homeless and traumatized by what will go down in history as one of the worst days the state of Alabama has ever seen. I'm so thankful and blessed that God spared my life that day.
What started out as a way to let everyone know what happened that day turned into a private journal that helped me release some of the pain and heartache I carried with me. Originally I planned to keep the journal for a year so our future children would have a detailed record of our first year of tornado recovery. I think that journal was meant for a higher purpose though. It does something that no one has done before. It lets people into the heart and mind of one survivor during an entire year of their life. It's scary knowing that soon anyone will be able to know every thought I had for a year, good and bad, but I think it's something God wanted me to do. He gave me a miracle, and then He gave me a voice.
The last few weeks I've spent the nights after work getting the book ready to be published. It's available online now and in the next few days copies will be available from me. I have a local book signing in the works too. If you read my book and you like it please help spread the word about it. I don't know what this road in life holds for me, but I feel like God is holding my hand leading me where He wants me to go right now. All I have to do is follow.
Book Information:
Sheltered By God: A Year in the Life of An April 27, 2011 Tornado Survivor
Available on:
iUniverse: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000600842/Sheltered-By-God.aspx
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sheltered-by-god-jennifer-pitts-adair/1112714606?ean=9781475944198
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