Lifesaving First Aid!

Ok, so perhaps this is a little bit different from what I regularly post, but today I went to the St. John Ambulance location in Port Moody and got myself certified in Emergency First Aid (Level One) and Level A CPR. It was a one day course, from 8:30am to just before 5pm, and cost me just under $100 dollars. Usually people who take the course are taking it because it is required by their workplace, or because they are volunteering for an organization that requires they take it. I just decided that I wanted to be able to act if I am ever in a situation where someone is hurt and needs my help.

The course came with a book, about a centimeter thick, that I was supposed to read before taking the course. I only registered Thursday, so I must confess, I basically "skimmed" the book before the class early this morning over coffee (with 2 shots of espresso!) and a banana blueberry soy muffin. However, the class was INCREDIBLy thorough, full of practicals (you really get down on the ground), and I ended up passing the test with flying colors.

I strongly encourage everyone to sign up for one of these courses. I learned a lot that I didn't know, and I'd really like to think that anything ever happened to me, someone would be around who took this course.

Another issue came up during the course, actually. Perhaps one that is more relevent to this blog. One section of the course covered severe bleeding, and the instructor encouraged all of us to donate blood. British Columbia is currently experiencing a blood shortage, and as a result, blood often has to be shipped over from Alberta.

This request struck a nerve with me. I donated blood once after 9-11 (I attended University in Maine in 2003) and the requirements for blood donors were, how should I say it... "lowered" somewhat significantly because of the state of emergency. I remember the sheet I had to fill out had VERY few limitations on it. However, upon checking with the Canadian Blood Services website several months ago, I found that both the temporary and indefinite deferral lists were quite extensive. What I found most shocking was the following indefinite deferral:

"All men who have had sex with another man, even once, since 1977 are indefinitely deferred. This is based on current scientific knowledge and statistical information that shows that men who have had sex with other men are at greater risk for HIV/AIDS infection than other people."

This seemed incredibly ridiculous to me... statistic or not, the blood certainly gets tested before being given to a recipient, and I can't imagine that two men in a monogamous relationship are any more at risk of giving a patient a bloodborne disease than a heterosexual individual with several hundred partners.

At any rate, the queer community has certainly been fighting this battle. I am sad to see that there are probably thousands of queer donors with perfectly acceptable blood, willing and wanting to give to those in need of it during a time of crisis, that are unable to because of this rule.

Additionally, I have heard from my peers that people have been questioned as to whether or not they have ever had an abortion or miscarried; two questions which I find have the potential to be quite traumatizing or triggering. I also am having trouble finding any documentation leading to why these questions are even relevent. If anyone can find some sort of medical backing to why these questions should be asked, PLEASE e-mail them to me or post them in the comments!

I honestly asked myself this question: Do I want to support Canadian Blood Services, even though I generally find their politics to be questionable?

The answer?

A reluctant yes. Donating blood does not support Canadian Blood Services. It supports life. Donating blood saves at least 3 lives. By NOT donating blood, I am not hurting Canadian Blood Services; I am only hurting 3 people who need me. I am not willing to let them down. There are other ways to fight this battle.

So tomorrow I will be donating blood. I will come back with a full report!