/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.
Your hemoglobin (iron) level will be checked prior to donating blood. As long as your level is normal (12.5 is the minimum for women, 13 is the minimum for men) on the day of donation, you may give. Your iron levels change daily based on your iron-rich food consumption.