Not Giving Blood

I've always been rather proud of my blood. It's a lovely red colour and, touch wood, is in tip top health coursing through my veins. I would share it if I could, I would really, but I can't. Whenever I see the posters exhorting me to give blood I have to look the other way and give a weary sigh. Why can't I do my public duty? Because here in France, my blood is a potential hotbed, the lifeblood indeed, of mad cow disease.

I admit it. I lived in the UK in the 1980s. I am doomed.

Donating Blood in France

For precautions, you cannot donate blood if you:

Have received a blood transfusion,

Are using or have used drugs intravenously

Lived in Great Britain for more than 12 months between 1980 and 1996.

Conditions where you have to wait before donating blood:

One week after dental care (cleaning, extraction), one day after a filling,

One week after the end of antibiotic therapy,

Minimum of two weeks after an infection or fever over 38 degrees C. (100.4 F),

Four months after visiting a country where malaria exists,

Four months after surgery,

Four months after getting a piercing or a tattoo,

Four months after sexual relations with a new partner without the use of a condom,

Six months after giving birth.

 Respect a minimal time period between each donation:

Eight weeks after a blood donation,

Four weeks after a donation of platelets,

Two weeks after a donation of plasma.

Not to worry, at least I can stop feeling guilty if I'm not giving blood, and as compensation, they can take all my bits and bobs, entrails and squashy bits to transplant into some hapless sod when I die. When I die, please. Not before...Unless of course they are toxic too, potentially.

As I have quite enough things to worry about at the moment, indeed my worry-cup runneth over..., I think I'll keep worrying about what they do with my bits when I'm gone for a rainy day.