Give blood, play tuba

[MichaelDenney]

Apologies to the rugby crowd for appropriating their slogan. Bill Cooksey, principal tubist with the New Philharmonic of Irving (TX) and at least one other ensemble that I know of, is undergoing heart surgery this week.

You may also know Bill from his work as the long time shipping manager for Pender's Music in Denton. He is the quintessential musician and nice guy, and not coincidentally a tubist. And a good one.

This type of surgery requires vast amounts of blood. If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, please go to the Carter BloodCare nearest you to give some. Donating to a specific person is EASY. Here are the steps you take:

1. Call the Carter BloodCare center nearest you (the one in Denton is at 2215 South Loop 288, phone 940-383-2055)
2. Tell them you are doing a "Replacement Credit" donation for Bill Cooksey. The scheduler at Carter BloodCare Denton will be expecting donations for Bill Cooksey and it is simple at other locations as well.
3. They will schedule a whole blood donation for you. When you go in, there is a place on the form for "Designated Donations". Fill out that section with this information:
- patient's name: William L. Cooksey

Bill helps out a lot of folks and would not ask help for himself, but he and his wife Susan could use a little here. Please give some blood and remember them in your prayers as well.

Thanks.

[jbeish]

What blood type?

[Randy Beschorner]

What blood type?

Please don't let that stop you from going. If you don't match Bill, someone else can definitely use the blood. I'm not sure but it seems to me that at least some of the blood banks give credit to a designated recipient for the blood donated for them.

Four years ago, I needed 4 units when things didn't go as planned during surgery. I don't know who gave the blood I needed, but would thank them in a hearbeat if given the chance.

Randy

[quinterbourne]

I'm from Canada and I've never heard of this sort of thing... being able to donate blood for a specific person. Fellow Canadians, is this type of thing done in Canada?

[finnbogi]

I'm from Canada and I've never heard of this sort of thing... being able to donate blood for a specific person. Fellow Canadians, is this type of thing done in Canada?

It is the same in Iceland. I give blood every three months and have no idea who gets the units (erythrocyti, thrombocyti and plasma are separated by centrifuge after the donation).

[iiipopes]

Giving blood is a frustration for me. I used to be really proud that I gave regularly, got a gallon pin, (for the times I actually remembered to log it in) was informed my blood was used in baby quads (O-), etc. And then I found out I have a genetic clotting disorder that when my blood starts to clot, it may not stop. Well, that ended that. I still encourage all other able-bodied persons to give as regularly as they can, as you never know who may need your blood type and sub-type at any given time.

[Steve Inman]

{signature = ""Sin boldy and trust in God" -Martin Luther}

Intriguing signature ... I looked it up. Wikipedia has the complete quote sited:

"If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign."

Letter 99, Paragraph 13. Erika Bullmann Flores, Tr. from: Dr. Martin Luther's Saemmtliche Schriften Dr. Johann Georg Walch Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15,cols. 2585-2590. [4]

From this, **I** infer that Luther wasn't advocating sin, but rather the honest admission that we do sin, and often quite badly -- hence the need for God's grace and Christ's gift.

I suppose it's hard to put all of that into a signature line!

Cheers,

[iiipopes]

Indeed. And if a particular greek phrase talking about sin is more literally translated, "Missing the mark," in an archery context, then you hit the bullseye!

[MichaelDenney]

Good news! Bill Cooksey got through his heart surgery quicker than expected and stayed in IC for only one day. He is reportedly recovering on schedule. Thank you to all who gave blood so far. It will certainly help Bill and Susan through the very heavy financial part of this ordeal. If you haven't had a chance to stop at a Carter BloodCare, please seize the first opportunity to do so.

Bill now has a mechanical heart valve, not a rotary or a Perinet however. Having worked in the plant that supplies the graphite for certain heart valves, I have observed that their operation is audible in certain conditions. This may present Bill some interesting possiblities for creative effects in performance...