YES LIE DOWN AND BE COUNTED!

Yesterday (Sunday) morning I heard a bark coming from my buddy Big Dog. I prefer his bark to his bite, thus this blog and the side-bar.

Yes, lie down and be counted. You would be counted as somebody out to save lives. There is a dire need for blood, usually during this Ramadan period. This crisis visits us every year during Ramadan. It is a know fact that the majority of donors are our Muslim brothers and sisters. You never lose out donating blood. It is not because I have donated 67 pints over the years. They refused to take mine because the blood bank has decided that us senior citizens should be out grazing. I am willing but they wont. Some nasty friends said that it is because mine is not actually pure B type blood.....adulterated with Beer more like it they say....the B type and B as in beer is merely co-incidental. So you guys out there...go to Masjid Jame', Kampung Baru. It is claimed that one pint can save three lives. Here's something extra:

The eminent Islamic scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi says: "Blood donation is the best assistance a man can offer a patient who needs a blood transfusion due to blood loss or surgery.

Donating blood is a highly esteemed deed, as it saves the life of a human being whether he is a Muslim or not.

"Its virtue is explicitly clarified in the Quranic verse in which Allah says: 'Whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and who so saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind' (Al-Ma'idah: 32)."

The National Blood Bank is calling on Muslims to continue donating blood during the fasting month because it needs to stockpile blood for daily needs and emergencies, and also for the long holidays next month.

"Donating blood is a noble deed and one can donate blood while fasting if one is strong. We recommend that Muslims donate after breaking fast in the evening," blood bank director Datuk Dr Yasmin Ayob told the New Straits Times.

This might help too:

Tips for a Good Donation Experience

Before Donating

Get a good night’s sleep
Have a good breakfast or lunch
Drink extra water and fluids to replace the volume you will donate (avoid tea, coffee, or other beverages with caffeine)
Eat iron-rich foods — red meat, fish, poultry or liver, beans, iron-fortified cereals, raisins and prunes
Avoid fatty foods, such as hamburgers, fries, or ice cream before donating.
Tests for infections done on all donated blood can be affected by fatty materials — lipids — that appear in your blood for several hours after eating fatty foods. When this occurs and required testing cannot be performed, the blood may need to be discarded.

During the Donation
Wear clothing with sleeves that can be raised above the elbow
Show the staff any "good veins" that have been used successfully in the past to draw blood
Relax
Take the time to enjoy a snack and a drink in the refreshments area immediately after donating

After Donation
Rehydrate by drinking plenty of fluids over the next 24-48 hours
Avoid strenuous physical activity or heavy lifting for about five hours after donation
If you feel light headed, lie down, preferably with feet elevated, until the feeling passes
In rare cases when bleeding occurs after removing the bandage, apply pressure to the site and raise your arm for 3-5 minutes; if bleeding or bruising occurs under the skin, apply a cold pack to the area periodically during the first 24 hours
If for any reason, something doesn’t feel right, call the American Red Cross toll free number provided to you after your donation

Enjoy the good feeling that comes with knowing that you may have saved as many as three lives.

A Parting Shot:

I couldn't help people by making a financial donation. So I figured, 'Hey, I have plenty of blood… I'll donate that.' - Ethan