YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Released a monarch this morning that had emerged yesterday (they need a day of rest).
But boy, this morning, she was ready to go!

It's always surprising how quickly they fly up and away into the trees.
So animated and purposeful.

It always fills me with awe, makes me smile, and even makes me laugh.
A small pleasure in such an otherwise dreary world.

Oh that made my day. I love nature more and more as i age. As a child we are amazed by so many things, but the new generation don't look up long enough to see anymore.
Saw a honey bee yesterday carrying a large load on his legs, hummmmm hummmm buzz buzz, there was so may of them. Without them we would not survive long!

Well I did something positive yesterday - Gave two units of platelets and a plasma.

At least some good'll come out of me.

Oh thank you so much SD, it means a lot to the patients whom receive this.

Gave another unit just now.

I'm a bit of a slacker it appears- they were only able to take one unit due to time constraints. (Lower total count and repetitive under-pressure alarms on the draw lengthens the time).

They've pulled as many as three recently. Not sure if there's anything to do. Oh well...

But anyway, it felt like a positive thing to do after a stressful yesterday at work.

Plus, there's free cookies afterwards

Awesome, SD!

Better be quality cookies!!!

Thank you for donating, SD.

I used to donate blood regularly before I started having to get blood drawn more frequently due to medication I take for autoimmune illness. I used to say that it was the laziest form of service I could give: lying down listening to nice music until I almost dozed off and then getting free juice & snacks.

I know there's more involved to donating plasma and platelets though, and I really do appreciate your contribution.

I've heard it more than once when there, and I say it myself -
"I'm just here for the free donuts..."

It always gets a laugh

Donated platelets again last week. They keep calling me since there seems to be a shortage.

Helps me feel like not-so-much-a-piece-of-shit.

And posting this here to let any readers know, that there are people who do give a shit, and will step up....