Platelet Donation

Today, I donated my 12th gallon of platelets to the American Red Cross!  

I'm sure that if I didn't have Ethan, I would have still been an advocate for blood donation and would have donated on occasion, but because of Ethan I make it a point to donate whenever possible.  I have written about it before (http://faulknerfam.blogspot.com/2010/05/giving-life.html).

I'm sure that most of my readers know that Ethan had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) when he was a little guy and his life was SAVED countless times because a stranger took a little bit of time out of their day to donate life-saving blood products.  That stranger may have had a fear of needles, but they did it.  They may have had a fear of blood, but they did it.  They may have had an appointment-packed schedule that week, but they did it.  And, maybe they were like me and wanted to give back in thanks and to be that person that took time out of their day to make sure that a stranger could live.

Because of my Ethan, I give.  Sometimes I sit back and think of all the points of my life that, likely, wouldn't have happened without Ethan in our lives or how life would be different if Ethan had never had ALL (him not having Ds is a whole other post, LOL), or why Ethan had leukemia.  I like to think of the positives- so many lives have been saved because of Ethan battling leukemia.  It amazes me, really. 

 My boy rocks.