"And we'll both be safe 'til St. Patrick's Day"

Anyone who has known me longer than a couple seconds knows that I hate blood, it freaks me out more than most things in this world. Blood, needles, doctors offices, anything connected to the things I have just listed. I just do not like it. So the idea of giving blood has kind of terrified me for a while, however it's still something I've wanted to do.
Since the age of around 15 my body has hated iron. hated in the fact that it never had any, even with supplements it just wasn't happening. However in the past year something magical has happened (probably due to the fact that for the first time since the age of 12 I am no longer a vegetarian) and for the first time in years I have been told that my "iron levels look really good" and with the loss of anemia also came the loss of the only excuse I've ever had not to donate blood
So today the Mississippi Blood services had their annual St. Patrick's day blood drive and I decided to face my fears and go.

I managed to find the building without getting lost (which is always an accomplishment for me when going somewhere for the first time) and after an iron test and a whole list of questions ranging from whether I was pregnant to whether I was a prostitute I was deemed an "acceptable donor" and sent to a room to wait for an available person to take my blood. I'm pretty sure I provided everyone working that day with great amusement. When I get nervous about something I tend to babble a lot and watching other people have their blood drawn was not really helping me feel any calmer.
But it was actually not that bad. After they put the needle in and after the person collecting my blood assured me that yes, my blood was supposed to be that colour/consistency and no it didn't look weird and yes it was perfectly safe for them to take that much blood out at once I was actually okay. I even watched the bag fill up for a second, but just a second. Best friend David was on the other side of my text messages to distract me and when they weren't secretly laughing at me the people working were really sweet and the whole thing took a lot quicker than I thought. at the end they had cookies and juice for me and a free green tee-shirt saying "Kiss me, I'm a life saver." and It's something that makes you feel really good to do. Like REALLY good. It was a really nice experience and I definitely think I'll do it again at some point, esspecially now that I know I can do it and not pass out at the site of my own blood.