Speaking of Blood and Technology

I was vastly disappointed and saddened when I tried to give blood yesterday and it turned out I couldn't because I have malaria.

I jest. In fact, I was afraid  my iron might be too low, as it sometimes is, but this time it was fine. Then I got onto the table, and they got the needle into my reclusive vein, and it turned out that my arm was just not happy about being asked to part with blood that day.

So I waited patiently for more than an hour, and did all the health history, and got the needle marks, and then after all that, I couldn't donate. Frustrating. I'm a failure.

But I got some cookies out of it, anyway.

Also, the part that has to do with technology that I wanted to mention was that the series of questions about whether or not you've lived in Europe for 5 continuous years or ever--even once!--had sex with anyone who's ever exchanged money or drugs for sex, and so forth, is now on the computer.

Well, it was on the computer before, and the blood drive person would read the questions off in a rapid monotone while you tried to pay enough attention to understand whether you needed to say 'yes' or 'no.' But now they just set it up and you read the questions yourself and click Yes or No with the mouse.

Saves a lot of time (at least for anyone who can read faster than a blood drive technician can talk), and no doubt some wear and tear on the Red Cross folks' voices. I'm all for it.