An O-type woman who wished she could say that donating blood is her hobby

【We are short on O-type blood. Your cooperation is requested!】

There was a sign like this in front of the blood donation center.
I am O-type. If I could, I would like to help.
I have admired blood donation for over 20 years.
I have no history of donating blood. I have failed every time because my veins are too thin.
After all, when I have blood drawn, they have to bring out a needle for children, and it takes at least 30 minutes just to find a vein.
Because of this, the needle for blood donation won't go in.

The first time I tried was in my first year of high school. A blood donation bus came to the school festival, so I gathered my courage and gave it a shot. The nurse looked at my arm and lowered her voice apologetically.

"I'm sorry. Your veins are so thin that they can barely handle a blood draw needle. If I insert a blood donation needle, they might collapse..."

I was crestfallen, thinking, 'Is that really a thing?' I was handed a juice box and walked away.
I went home and told my parents about it.
"You should exercise," my father said. Is that so? My high school schedule happened to have PE classes four times a week.

Since then, despite my lack of physical strength, I tried doing aerobic exercise by walking wherever I could.

Then, as an adult, I made my debut at the blood donation center.
I managed to get through the blood draw. Then, the words the doctor told me in the consultation room were the same as what the nurse had said during my high school festival.

『How to make veins thicker』

I don't know how many times I have searched for that.

And for years and years, I practiced the exercises, muscle training, and methods to thicken veins that appeared in the results.
My veins showed no signs of growing at all.
I wished I could say that donating blood was my hobby.

Now, I envy my husband as he goes to donate blood just for the juice and snacks.
"Would you like to try as well, ma'am?"
I am asked, and I try, but my veins, which refuse to get thicker, still haven't been of any use.

I was born O-type. I want to put this blood to good use at least once.
Today, I am doing Fit Boxing as an effort to thicken my veins.
Even if my veins don't grow, it should be good for my health.

In the evening, I happened to turn my eyes to the evening news. A young woman who says she is involved in activities to promote blood donation is on.
She says, "Blood donation is more refreshing than a sauna." I want to experience that feeling, don't I?
She is a saint, smiling with a drink in one hand while donating blood. She is shining.
I want to donate blood with a coffee in my hand, too. I want to graduate from just waiting in the waiting room with my son while accompanying my husband.
I want to donate blood in the blood collection room just once. I intend to keep struggling until the age when I can no longer donate blood.

So that I don't end my life wishing I could say that donating blood was my hobby.
For the day of my blood donation debut, which I want to believe will come someday, I am throwing punches at the screen again today.