I hadn't heard they changed their Europe visit guidelines. Now I can resent the ARC a little less, although I don't know if NY has changed its rules.

I hadn't heard they changed their Europe visit guidelines.

Me either. Great. Now I have no excuse but the bizarro reaction I get well after the fact. I'm not that squeamish when it comes to nice, controlled blood cirsumstance. In fact, I used to end up fascinated by the color and flow and whatnot. I just didn't like the feeling like death that would happen 30 minutes after even the smallest draw.

It's strange--I was a typical kid screaming at the very sight of a needle, but I remember going to the doctor's for something or another (maybe the time I swallowed a coin and my mom freaked and had me X-rayed), and watching with complete calm and fascination as the blood went from my arm and up the syringe. Today, I'm not quite as engrossed in watching the needle go in, but once it's there, it's not too bad. I actually like to see how fast I can fill up the plastic bag with my pint--I usually beat out the other donors around me. (I take pride in the little things...)

y grandma had it worse, what with 24 grandchildren who seemed to have been born in batches. There were five boys born within a few years of each other, including my brother, so when Gramma would see him, she'd run through the list before finally getting it right. ("Pat? Jim? Tim? Joe? Kip--finally!")

My grandma had the same thing -- "Har- I mean Ty-, I mean Den-. BOY! come here!"

Chatty!co-worker made me snort with laughter earlier -- we were talking about how it seems weird that the IRA *wasn't* behind this London bombing, when he said "Has anyone considered that it might be more Daleks have gotten loose?"

I actually like to see how fast I can fill up the plastic bag with my pint--I usually beat out the other donors around me.

I try to do that, but I have problem veins and unless the needle strike is just right, my pint fills up slowly. I got stopped one time because I exceeded the time limit for donation.

I have B+, which isn't particularly rare. I may try to give again, but it's hit and miss for me. Sometimes I can give a bag full, other times it gets about half full and the blood just stops flowing into it. Kinda frustrating, since the needle's already there, so I might as well get some good out of having holes punched in my arm.

For sale: Luke's light saber, Yoda's walking stick

My local Red Cross just confirmed that the rules have changed and that I can donate again. You now have up to five years in Europe, unless you spent more than three months in the U.K. between 1980 and 1996. This is a much more reasonable policy. The old one was crazy.

Yep.

Paul still can't donate. Spent just enough time in the UK to exclude him.

I think I could, but the nausea and bruising from the blood draw means I don't. If I were AB-, like my sister, I'd suck up and deal, but I'm B+, so I don't.