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[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I tried to give blood during one of those emergency low blood situations about five years ago, and I was told that since I lived in the UK for more than 6 months prior to 1996, I was ineligible, so I haven't given blood in years. They're having a blood drive here next week, and I was looking at the list of people who couldn't give on the e-mail, and I was shocked at how many restrictions there were.

These are the restrictions:

You cannot donate blood or platelets if you:

• Do not have a valid picture ID
• Do not have a Social Security Number or valid foreign passport
• Are under the age of 17, or weigh under 110 pounds
• Have had tattoo, skin piercing or non-sterile ear piercing or acupuncture in the past 12 months
• Have traveled in the past year, or resided in the past three years, in an area considered to be of high risk for malaria
• Have visited or lived in the United Kingdom for a total of three months from 1980 through 1996
• Have visited or lived in Europe for a combined total of five years from 1980 to present
• Resided in U.S. military bases in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom for a total of six months from 1980 to 1990
• Resided in U.S. military bases in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, or Turkey for a total of six months from 1980 to 1996
• Were born in, lived in or traveled to certain African countries since 1977
• Have ever had cancer, other than basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix
• Are a hemophiliac
• Have ever used intravenous (IV) illegal drugs, even once
• Are a man who has had sex with another man since 1977, even once
• Have ever had a positive test for the AIDS virus
• Have had sex in the last 12 months (even once) with a person with the diagnosis of AIDS
• Have been incarcerated (in jail, prison or a correctional institution) for more than 72 consecutive hours during the past 12 months
• Had sex in the last 12 months (even once) with a male or female prostitute
• Have any of the following symptoms, which are associated with AIDS:
  1. Unexplained recent weight loss of more than 10 pounds in less than two months
  2. Unexplained sweating, especially at night
  3. Fever higher than 99° for more than a week
  4. Swollen glands; enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin, with or without pain
  5. Pink, blue or purple flat or raised spots or lumps on or under the skin and mucous membranes. They may look like bruises, but they don’t go away
  6. White patches in the mouth (thrush)
  7. Persistent cough or shortness of breath
  8. Persistent diarrhea

Confidential to PLF:
I don't live in Minnesota, so I'm not worried personally, this is just pure good citizenship on my part: You should call them up and tell them to throw your blood away.