To get extra money I've been selling my plasma. Besides occasionally being turned away for low iron, everything has been going well.
That is, until Friday.
I passed all the tests (barely) and I was laying back ready to watch "The Princess Bride" when "Jacqueline the Ripper" gouges my arm with the needle. No blood comes out. I'm usually a bleeder, so that was a little odd. I guess you can't just pull it out and start over, so she starts twisting the needle in there trying to get just the right spot. After five minutes of this, she calls "Susie the Slasher" over. Susie gives it a try for five minutes. As a last resort, they get "Bonnie the Butcher" to jab the needle around my poor disfigured arm.
They finally got the blood to flow (where the plasma is extracted out of it), but they couldn't get the red blood cells back into me. So Bonnie calls the head honcho, "Steve the Stabber," over to figure it out. By this time, my ears are ringing and I'm getting tunnel vision. I told him to just take the needle out and that I was NOT feeling well.
The next thing I know, I'm being woken up from the best sleep I've had in my life. No, no! Let me sleep! I had passed out.
They had taken out about twice as much blood as you normally give when donating blood, and had returned none of it to me. After much resting, drinking of fluids, ice packs on my neck, bag on my stomach in case I started to hurl, and a woman taking my blood pressure every two minutes, I was OK.
The good news, they still paid me. The bad news, I'm banned from the plasma center (at least for the next two months -- but seriously, would you go back?).
17 comments:
You've been banned?!?!?! That's what you need to put on your sheet the next time the Relief Society asks for an unusual fact about you.
I would not be going back. Is there another place you can go? No one should be treating you that way.
Stay away. Far away.
Sheesh!
I'm w/Tiffany... that is one amazing fact you have... you can definitely one up me... all I can say EVER on those "interesting facts" things is that I can do the splits (even at 9 months pregnant) GO LOIS!
I keep hearing horror stories my the kids in my department who are selling their plasma as well. I think you aptly named the people who work there.
That is really frightening.
They should have paid you beaucoup blood bucks for all they didn't give back. And for keeping quiet. AND for not suing.
Thank you for deciding the plasma question for me, once and for all.
I am SO glad you're okay, and that they didn't manage to syphon out ALL your blood. Frickin' frackin' vampires.
I would have given up at Jacqueline the Ripper. Actually, to be honest, I would have given up before going to sell my plasma, donate blood, get a tattoo, or anything else that involves needles. Which is exactly what I do.
TIFFANY -- yeah, that would be a good one! And don't tell them why -- let them think it's because I have tainted blood and used to live in Gabon!
AZUCAR -- I don't think I'll be back. It totally grosses me out, but I like to do things that make me uncomfortable, just to see if I can do it.
B -- yes, far away.
SHILLIG4FAM -- OK, being able to do the splits, especially when you're 9 months pregnant, tops anything and everything that I can do. You win, you totally win.
CW -- yeah, it's like a work reunion whenever I go there. What's up with that?
GEO -- yeah, those vampires! Oh, I had to check out my measuring cups at home, it looks like they actually took out about a pint (what they usually take out when you give blood). I think it was all the needle poking that did me in.
SHANA -- yeah, needles weird me out, too. Of course, I'm not too fond of LASERS, either!
I've been taking a break from donating myself- due to low protien. (So, I'm not a big meat-eater!) Anyway, I plan on going back tomorrow. Did they explain to you WHY you're banned? If not, I maybe I can fill in some of the gaps... I would LOVE to hear what they DID say- just to compare notes w/what's said at our center... I hope you're feeling better!!
Hmmm. . . to be stabbed or not to be. That is the question.
If you want to earn more bucks, it may be worth another try.
Your blood loss coupled with the trauma of those multiple meandering needle pokes and prods is a perfect formula for fainting. (You lucky girl)
But, as a nurse, I can tell you that a strange phenomenon happens: on occassion there is just plain bad mojo with certain patients. Sorry that was your bad mojo day.
I guess it's the ol' cost/benefit dilema. Good luck with that!
SC MOMMIE -- they just said that I couldn't come back for two months. I'm assuming that since they took the blood out and didn't put any back in, they have to treat it like a regular whole blood donation. That's just my guess.
MELODY -- yes, bad mojo. Having that cash in my pocket was oh so nice, but I have to listen to what the universe is telling me (veins too small, blood pressure too low, iron level too low) and that is to just suck it up and STAY WITHIN MY BUDGET!!!
I love the names for the blood drawing individuals you came up with. Too funny!
Ouch!
McMILLANS -- yeah, I didn't think they'd appreciate my using their real names.
This story reminds me of when I got my wisdom teeth removed last friday. They needed to stick an IV in my arm. No problem, right? Wrong. First, my veins weren't showing up because my arm was pinched on the uncomfortable chair. Then, after they fixed that, my vein moved when they tried to stick the needle in my arm. Evidently, dental surgeons are allowed to take out the needle after they stick it in. They then told me, to my relief that for some miraculous reason, I wasn't bleeding. They had no problems after that, so how's that for a story?
PS - Restricted diets stink.
vorquel is my oldest about to go to Parvo.
VORQUEL -- that sounds horrible! My dentist just yanked them out. You mean, you're supposed to be put under for that?
RENA -- I was wondering who that was! Thanks for visiting the blog!
I would not go back.
But I agree that Shilligfam wins.
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