Really, I tried!

In two days it will be exactly one year from when I got my tattoo. Although, I was told that Germany had different standards about giving blood, that it was either 4 or six months. Over the weekend, one of the Frisbee players lost my pen, but then gave me a pen from his bag (after I hasseled him jokingly about it). And on the pen was the number and hours for the blood bank in Greifswald. Perfect! And while we were waiting for the U-bahn (kinda like the metro), another player, Ali, said he was going to go in this week to give blood (you get 20euros in Germany for giving blood).

After working it out, we met up today at 4pm and headed to the hospital. We filled out our forms, and I even got to write that I was born in America and grew up there, and in case you were wondering, it is 4 months from when you get a tattoo until you can give blood again. I had enough iron in my blood, am healthy, everything seemed fine. You have to go into three separate rooms. The first is the iron and verifying you are who you are. The second is where they ask you questions about how you are feeling and about medication you are taking (why they don't combine rooms one and two is beyond me, hey, it's Germany). Then you finally give blood. Well, I only made it to room 2.

The doctor asked when was the last time I had been the states. August. All right, and I grew up in the states. Yes. So am I now living in Germany for good, or what? No, I will be returning home in about 5 weeks. Oh well, then, because you aren't staying in Germany, we won't be taking your blood today. Something about the blood being successful or something, maybe then they can follow up if they needed to. So, sorry, you won't be giving blood today.

Hey! My blood is just fine! I thought there was a blood shortage! Maybe it is because they turn down perfectly good applicants!