Coffee, one of several fluids that I’ve already ingested this morning to prepare for today’s blood donation. If all goes well, this will be the 95th unit of blood I’ve donated. Because I’m negative for human cytomegalovirus, I qualify as a “hero for babies” and my blood can be used for newborns and infants. Giving blood was a lot easier when I was younger. Now it’s a project preparing ahead of time and recovering afterwards. Please donate blood if you can: we literally need fresh blood!
I was "banned" at the Red Cross because I spent more than two weeks in England during their "mad cow" disease situation.
That was 29y ago... I'm now 67; the last time I tried, in 2015, they still declined... and I thought that the associated disease had a 15-20y period.
(sigh)
@zenmudprod that seems excessively cautious… yet at the same time, the Red Cross is howling about the need for blood.