blood donation: FAIL

I got an email today about a baby in town that needed folks to donate blood (actually, platelets).   I was not positive that I was the right blood type, but I was pretty sure there was a good chance I was qualified.  My parents are O and A, so I have to be either O or A, right?  High school biology - anybody remember that?

It's been a while since I was eligible to donate blood - seems like just about the time I become eligible again, I travel to one of the countries that is not approved.  But Israel and Jordan received the all clear from MS Blood Services, so I headed out there.

I made it through the first part of the questioning.   I passed my iron test, which was awesome since I don't eat red meat.  My blood pressure was a little high, but that was probably because someone had explained the process of donating platelets to me (yikes!).

And then the nice nurse took my temperature.  It was 100.5.  She asked if I had been chewing gum or something - nope.  She took it again, on the other side of my mouth.  100.3.  And with that reading, I failed the mini-physical.

Not only could I not give blood today, apparently I am sick. 

This is not ideal.

Side note:  How do people know their blood type?  I called my doctor, and they had never tested it.