/tiles/non-collection/p/part2_08_foraker_joseph_lc.xml Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Joseph Foraker of Ohio, chairman of the Senate Committee on Pacific Islands and Puerto Rico, was a Civil War veteran.
1 You cannot donate within 72 hours of your surgery. 2  Acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin and alcohol should be avoided for 48 hours before your donation. 3  Your hemoglobin/hematocrit will be checked and must be at a satisfactory level before donating.
Maintain a healthy iron level in your diet by eating iron rich foods, such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals and raisins. Get a good night's sleep. Drink an extra 16 oz. of water or nonalcoholic fluids before the donation. Eat a healthy meal before your donation. Avoid fatty foods, such as hamburgers, fries or ice cream before donating. (Fatty foods can affect the tests we do on your blood. If there is too much fat in your blood, your donation cannot be tested for infectious diseases and the blood will not be used for transfusion.)