Yesterday I went in to donate blood.

I was answering the donor questionnaire when it hit me: by virtue of being a blood donor, it says a lot about you.

Previously, I wrote about being a gun owner and concealed handgun license holder, and what that says about you. For instance, I’m not a felon, or even a class A or B misdemeanor. I’m not delinquent on taxes. I’m not chemically dependent. I’m mentally fit. I’m not subject to a restraining order. I’m a citizen of the US. And so on. So by simple virtue of saying “I’m a CHL holder” you can tell a lot about the person I am.

Well, the same can be said for being a blood donor. I asked the people at the center about the questionnaire. They said that yes there is an FDA list, so you can be pretty sure that all donor centers across the USA ask these same questions. But then each center may have different questions of their own. For instance, I think she said that some of the blood materials here go to Europe and thus some questions specific to those companies there need to be asked. Makes sense.

I found a copy of the FDA questionnaire here. Some things it tells you about me:

• I’m eligible and still eligible to donate blood
• I’ve not recently came in contact with someone who had a smallpox vaccination
• I haven’t had organ, tissue, or bone marrow transplants, or skin grafts.
• I’ve not had sexual contact with an HIV/AIDS positive person.
• I’ve not been with a prostitute.
• I’ve not stuck myself with needles for drugs or steroids, other than what a doctor may have done.
• Haven’t been treated for syphilis or gonorrhea
• Haven’t been in jail for more than 72 hours
• Haven’t been outside the US or Canada in the past 3 years.
• Didn’t spend a lengthy amount of time (months, years) overseas
• Haven’t received money, drugs, or other payment for sex
• Never had sexual contact with a male, even once.
• Don’t have HIV/AIDS, never had hepatitis, never had malaria, never had Chagas disase, never had babesiosis, never had a dura mater graft, never had cancer, no heart nor lung problems, never been in or has sexual contact with someone who was born or lived in Africa, never had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

This isn’t something to judge as good or bad. It’s just factual information to take for whatever it’s worth. You cannot and should not read into responses.

I just couldn’t help but think about that while filling out the questionnaire. You tell someone you’re a blood donor, and this is what they can know about you.