Giving blood.

Donating blood in Chile is another one of the things that is different than how it is in the U.S. When a family member or friend is in a car accident, rather then getting blood from a large bank, like in the U.S. the onus is on the family members to get blood for the relative in need.

When I first heard this I thought that people wanted you do donate in honor of their relative who needed a transfusion, to replenish the supply or something. In fact it's for a specific person. It seems like just another source of stress for family members when they are already worried about the health of their family.

However, so often I've heard people say that they want to "do something," really get active in their loved one's recovery, and feel like they're doing something other then sitting by their bedside, and this definitely gives families a chance to get involved .. I guess.

On another note: I finally found out why nail polish is so strictly prohibited in surgery. Apparently because the natural color of the nail is red (because of the red blood cells) if one's nails turn white during surgery, it means something's gone wrong. Good to know.

Lauren