Donating Blood

Today I went to donate blood with a friend of mine. S0 we are filling out our papers and i noticed and interesting question asking if i had been in Europe for more then 5 years from 1980 till now. I was born in Europe and lived there till 1999. So thats about 8 years of my life that i spend there. When the nurse calls me up and checks over my answers he tells me “Im sorry for making you go through  this process but you cannot donate blood.  You lived and were born in Europe for more then five years and from 198o is when the mad cow disease started.” So I am like ok…. I dont have mad cow disease never did and no one in my family has had a history or currently has mad cow disease. I explained this to the nurse and the fact that Ive been living in America longer then i lived in Europe. He said I know but its a rule just precautions. then he also tells me you wont be able to donate blood until “They” (which he didnt explain who “they” were) give an approval that its ok for People who have been in Europe for more then 5 years in the past to doonate blood. (which could be never!) :/ and then he tried to cheer me up saying something like “That’s funny mad cow disease hahah i mean think about it a cow thats mad with a disease you would never think it has anything to do with humans.” Not exactly the right words but it went something like that. It didnt cheer me up i just got up from my seat and was very dissapointed :/ But on the bright side i still got my planner signed 🙂 and the lady gave me cookies and juice to make me feel better haha.