I was feeling a little weak that evening, but I chalked it up to the blood donation. Still, I used that as an excuse to not do my evening exercises and didn't think much of it.
The next morning was the first time that my father and I played tennis since the fall. He kicked my butt. After just the first game, I felt like I had run a marathon. My intestines were in knots, but I figured that it was due to the ice cream that I ate the night before. I felt tremendously weak and I wondered if it was due to giving blood, but my father, who had also given blood, didn't seem nearly as affected, although he was complaining about feeling sore and tired too.
Back at home, I was quickly transitioning from tired to miserable. I slept for a few hours, feeling just bone-tired. When I got up, I just didn't feel right. Of all things, my thumb was going through spasms. When the entire house started shaking, I first thought that it was me. I asked everyone (as we were all sitting in the living room) if anyone else noticed it. Janelle thought it was a bird in the chimney or maybe the sub pump. But it was stronger than that, and vibrating through the entire house. It turns out that we had just witnessed the second strongest earthquake in Michigan's recorded history.
Despite the diversion, I was quickly feeling worse. I tried to divert myself further by playing StarCraft with my brother, but after just one game, I was too miserable to do anything but go back to bed. And that's where I stayed until the next day. I managed to not throw up the entire time, but Rowen was not as lucky. His illness seemed to pass through him both quicker and with more ferocity.
I'm still not at my best, but what frustrates me the most is that I need to call the Red Cross and tell them not to use my blood.