New Thing 23, New Thing Every Day: TRY to Donate Blood

Yes, I said "TRY to Donate Blood". Here are my 10+ things about the experience.

1. At 46 years old, I have never donated blood. 
2. Yes, this is embarrassing.
3. Leigh warned me that I might not be able to give blood with Multiple Sclerosis.
4. On Leigh's advice, I went on the Internet and learned that MS is not a disqualification.
5. The Internet also said that even though I should not be disqualified, that I might be, because individual blood centers sometimes have their own policies.
6. It was also possible that I would be disqualified by the individual staff member, checking me in to donate.
7. Always optimistic, I took off lunch to donate blood at the Red Cross center on South Providence.
8. It turns out that there have been recent changes to Red Cross policy and my MS does, in fact, disqualify me. Literally, they would rather have no blood at all than my disease-riddled donation.
9. The staff was incredibly nice and I do not fault them or the Red Cross or anyone, of course. I am glad that they are taking care to ensure that their blood supply is of the quality people need. They do such important work and I am just bummed that I can't donate now, and mad at myself for not donating when I could have (like for the decade or so that I was an adult and MS-free).
10. If this inspires you to donate blood, please do. It is awfully important.
11. Now, I am back to work, ironically sadly, with exactly the same amount of blood with which I started the day.