Current ID? Check. Social Security Card? Check. Large Breakfast? Check. It is currently 8:30 on Monday morning and knowing that this assignment is due at noon, I am writing my post before I have really DONE what I am supposed to. At in about half an hour, I have an appointment to donate plasma, a first for me. The checklist at the beginning is just a few of the things I am supposed to do/bring for my appointment this morning. I guess then that right now would be considered my ‘warn-up session’ before I jump out of my rut.
I have a lot of friends, my own dad even, that donate plasma on a regular basis and a few weeks ago I decided that I would try it out as a nice way to have a little extra cash throughout the semester. Today however, after finding out that I will be headed to New York in October with the Adlab, donating may have just moved from be a casual ‘experiment’ to a necessary part of my life for the next several months as I try to pay for these new expenses. So, while there isn’t much to tell yet about my pending “out of your rut” experience, I will give an update on how it went when the whole ordeal is over, but for now? I think I’ll have a little more left over lasagna and check my directions again.
UPDATE
Well, it's over... and it wasn't that bad. The whole process seemed well organized and went just as I had been told it would. They screen each new donor to make sure that they are completely eligible to donate-which means I got asked A LOT of the same questions over and over. I had to have a physical done as well, but remembering my pre-mission physical, this one went quite well. I got hooked up to a plasmapheresis machine (word of the day) and the actual process of donating my plasma took just over an hour. There definitely were all different types of people there, even one or two I recognized from school. They bandaged me up and sent me home with an extra 40 bucks to line my wallet. Next appointment? Wednesday.
UPDATE
Well, it's over... and it wasn't that bad. The whole process seemed well organized and went just as I had been told it would. They screen each new donor to make sure that they are completely eligible to donate-which means I got asked A LOT of the same questions over and over. I had to have a physical done as well, but remembering my pre-mission physical, this one went quite well. I got hooked up to a plasmapheresis machine (word of the day) and the actual process of donating my plasma took just over an hour. There definitely were all different types of people there, even one or two I recognized from school. They bandaged me up and sent me home with an extra 40 bucks to line my wallet. Next appointment? Wednesday.
I have experienced donating plasma several times...and it is an interesting experience every time you go in. They got all kinds of people and if you get to know the people who draw the blood then they will often times tell you of funny experiences with different patients/clients.
ReplyDeleteI've never even donated blood before man. That stuff makes me too nervous. But I understand they pay you for plasma, right? I guess that would entice me a little more to do it...
ReplyDeleteHow much did you get paid for your first time?
Plasma donating is a funny thing. I can't do it because I've had dengue fever and something is funky with my platelets but many of my friends do it. One friend in particular came home from his appointment and yelled, "I'm a prostitute!" We looked puzzled and he said, "I just sold my body for money!" You'll never think about plasma the same way again ;)
ReplyDeleteProvo has got to be the city with the most plasma donors or something. There is quite a hype about plasma donating but it has never appealed to me. I'm not a fan of when needles are taking stuff out of my body. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteHaha, this reminds me of a horror story my brother had...needless to say, I won't share since your next appointment is on Wednesday. I've always thought about doing that too. Provo is a hotspot for donors I bet.
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