because el-jay just isn't el-jay without the angst

[ltgmars]

I got permanently deferred from donating blood. Not that I mind not having to get poked with needles and the like. It just sort of sucks that I got deferred because of lupus. One of the few ways I can make a difference in the here and now was taken away from me... makes me feel kind of useless in a way. :(

Beh, this probably means that I can't be an organ donor, either. ~_~

My mom and brother were nice about it, though (my dad didn't give blood 'cause he's coming down with a cold) - they both gave me their GIVEBLOOD wristbands and their blood droplet beanie plushies (to be honest, though, having two little droplets of blood staring at me from the top of my monitor completely freaks me out). Heh, you should have seen me in the waiting room, though. I was like one of those token "sad girls in snow" (without the snow part), hunched over a table far too small for me, using big crayola crayons (with my hands wrapped in pink monkey mittens) to color in a conversational rhinoceros with its chin perched on its hoof saying, "Giving makes us all feel beautiful."

But then we went to some other stores that made me feel better. I used my $60 at Barnes & Noble (I had to surrender $40 to my parents in exchange for their ordering photosets for me >_>) to get some happy lit'rature: Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead; Agatha Christie's The Clocks, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, After the Funeral, and Hercule Poirot's Christmas (the first Agatha Christie novel I ever read, aww!); and FMP! 7 and 8. I also had to pick up Brave New World, but they didn't have it. (Borders did. I didn't have to pay for it. XD)

I've got some business to take care of starting tomorrow (all that stuff on my to-do list, basically). College apps especially, ew.

And yes, do you like my new icon? It was screaming to be made (I love the random little kid in the last frame). XD Too bad I had to delete Tony, Miles, and Joey for it. But they'll understand.

Comments

[coldwrapped.livejournal.com]

I can't see the animation. ;_; It just says "when life hands you" in pink. *pout*

I thought I couldn't give blood either, as a diabetic, because I called the blood bank one day to find out. But the guy at the blood drive outside walmart yesterday said diabetics *can* give blood if they've eaten in the last four hours and have their sugar under control. x.x Of course, my sugar isn't under control and they're planning on putting me on an insulin pump next month, but that's beside the point I suppose. Bleh.

Congrats on all your purchases. :)

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

It's so sad that we can't be nice when we want to be. XD

And you can't see the animation? ~_~;; Does this work?


I doubt dithering makes a difference, but I just thought I'd try. Strange that you can't see it, though. What type of computer/OS are you using?

(BTW, if you still can't see it, here it is, frame by frame. Because I need to spread the crack love.)

[coldwrapped.livejournal.com]

Nope. Still no animation, but cute idea (via the frames). ^_^

I'm using Windows XP Pro SP2/Mozilla 1.7.11. It's a Dell POS but I can usually see animated gifs. Pooh. I want a new computer badly but won't be able to afford one for quite some time.

And since I have no tact and am curious, what is Lupus and what does it do? I know I could google it but sometimes it's easier to just ask. (and so you know I'm not a complete idiot, yes I have heard of lupus but just don't know anything about it)

^^;;

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

[Can you see this animation? It has something to do with butterflies.]

Tact? Tact is overrated.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that does something with the antibodies in your blood and makes your immune system attack healthy, normal tissues in your own body (hence "autoimmune"). It sort of gets you arthritic, I guess, and at times you're so sore that you can't move. There are varying degrees of lupus, of course, and two types: discoid and systemic (I have (and have been describing, as far as I know) system lupus). I actually don't know much about discoid other than that it has something to do with the skin.

Really, I think you'd be better off googling it. XD

[pikun.livejournal.com]

Lupus, you said? :O I have to check my blood regularly every year because of that! (is Lupus patient since 3 years ago, thank god it haven't developed into SLE)

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have SLE (I was diagnosed almost six years ago). It's a really minor case, though, so it's nothing life-threatening or anything. It just gets uncomfortable sometimes... ~_~

And you're Indonesian, too, aren't you? Indonesians with lupus... is this a growing trend? ;_; But I think Asians are more susceptible to lupus, anyway...

But I'm glad I have a comrade now, as terrible as that sounds. I've been the only one (besides my guidance counselor freshman and sophomore years) for a while now...

[twirlingkitsune.livejournal.com]

*cough* I hate to sound stupid...
But what exactly does lupus do to ya? (and how do you get it? Genetic or whatnot?)
My mom's friend has it, but I've never asked.


Anyway, I'm really sorry that you can't give blood. You could always find another way to make a difference...
:D It's not hard, because you're cool like that.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Aw, I love you, Sam. <3

And since I'm lazy... from the Lupus Foundation of America (http://www.lupus.org/education/whatis.html). Of the symptoms listed, I personally have experienced... achy joints, fever more than 100 degrees F, arthritis, prolonged or extreme fatigue, sun or light sensitivity, hair loss (when I was first diagnosed). None of the scary-sounding ones, heh. XD

[coldwrapped.livejournal.com]

Nope. Still no animation. I think I saw a bit of the animation when I first opened the ?nc=8 (comments) page, so it may just be that it's not looping for some reason. My computer's a moron though so no worries really.

And I read through the information you gave twirlingkitsune down there. I've had several of those symptoms, but rather than lupus, it was because of my diabetes and going into DKA (Diabetic Keto-Acidosis), which basically means my system/blood went too acidic because there was too much sugar/not enough insulin present. Type-1 Diabetes (http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes.jsp) and Diabetic Ketoacidosis (http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/ketoacidosis.jsp) haha I'm lazy, too. I've had DKA a lot over the last (nearly) two years, and it's the reason I lost my job and am now on Social Security Disability and SSI. I hate it but I can't work with my condition as bad as it is. I wish I could. ;_;

Anyhoo. I'll stop rambling in your comments. =X

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Aww... *hugs* I can't work either, but it's only because my parents think I'll get too stress-sick if I work and go to school. One of them would have to go. XD

And ramble all you want. I love Holli-style ramblings. ^^

[fiore777.livejournal.com]

What a cute icon ^^; Good luck with your applications ^^;;;