I tried to give blood once at a college blood drive after 9-11, and got told I was on the borderline of too physically small and it might not be safe. I said I'd do it anyway, but then they tested my heart rate and it was too high. They had me go sit down for ten minutes to relax and tested me again and it was still too high, so they said I couldn't give blood.
I was also fighting anxiety, so parts, if you were on the edge of being too freaked out to approach the wagon, they might not have let you give it anyway. Sucks to be an easily overstimmed spectrumite.
I was so overstimmed after that day that I went to two different places and gave a pint of blood at each place.
One of my old doctors once told me that my blood was too rich in red blood cells and he could thin it with drugs or even salt tablets (I have always eaten a hell of a lot of salt), but I would be better off if I would simply share the wealth by donating blood on a regular basis. I have the most common blood type and at first I donated every three months (did not miss it very many times), for about ten years. He was right - it made me feel better. It was easy too, at first!
Then as I became well known as a constant donor, they would fucking call me on the telephone (I hate telephones. No, I FUCKING HATE telephones!!) to ask if I would come in and donate "right now" and I did most of the time. They always had some kind of emergency and if I didn't drop what I was doing and give them some blood when they asked, they would try to make me feel like a neglectful and uncaring person.
One day I got pissed! I never went back, until the day after 9-11, when I went in twice. My nurse "friend" who worked with me told me that was very bad, but I photographed a full schedule that afternoon with no problems.
Hey Parts, it sucks the way they treated you, but like Ozy says ... they get what they pay for and they also must keep their asses legally covered as Pyraxis mentioned.
