Thursday, January 26, 2012

awkward plasma visit

If you read this other blog, then this post is exactly the same. Don't be hatin'...

As a typical college student, I try to spend the least amount of money possible and bring in as much as I can. Enter, plasma donation. While some people may consider selling plasma as being less than favorable because of the circumstances of selling something from one's body, I am willing. I would probably sell a kidney if it wasn't illegal... yeah anyways, I went and donated plasma on Tuesday and there was a whole round of tests and questions that I had to answer and complete before I could even start pumping the plasma.
Here are my thoughts from my donation:
-the finger prick hurts almost worse than the donation itself
-one gets asked the same questions over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over.
-the whole questionnaire part probably would have gone faster if I could have just said, "No, I've never done drugs, I've never had sex, and I've never been to Africa or exposed to AIDS/HIV." All the while, I was wearing my Institute tee-shirt.
-my two favorite questions were probably 1) "Are you ears pierced and currently open?" I was wearing earrings that day. Muahaha. 2) "Have you ever been pregnant or are currently so?" No sir. 3) "Are you breastfeeding?" Again, negatory.
-I was at the plasma center from 3:30pm-6:50pm.
-the needle that the physicians use is FREAKING HUGE.
-it's probably not a good thing when you're donating plasma and then guy sticking you with a needle says, "Oh, that's not supposed to be happening..." and then you look and see that your vein is turning into a lump the size of a quarter. Just saying.
-getting a giant ice pack taped to said arm from above and then having two immobilized arms.
-seeing an old boyfriend from high school whom you haven't seen for about five years. That's all I'm saying about that.
-THE CROWNING AWKWARD MOMENT OF THE ENTIRE VISIT: getting a male physician for the physical. Who happens to be cute and around the same age as you. And then that whole awkward moment when he has to listen to your breathing and heartbeat under your shirt. With his cold hands. No worries, there was a female physician in there at the same time. Oh and then when they're pumping blood out of you and BOTH your arms hurt and you're breathing in and out of your mouth so you don't cry/throw up, he happens to come from the front room and check on you. Awwwwwkward.

Also, gnaaarly bruise my friends.


Oh, and I'm going again today.
All for the money, my friends.

3 comments:

Ashley Langston said...

O gotta love donating plasma. Always a joy! And don't you worry...they ask you those questions every single time. :)

Cristine Garrison said...

i didn't read the post. the mention of "plasma" was enough for me. blech blech blech. i have the heebie jeebies now. thanks.:)

karly from [kar[+]wade] said...

bahhh. that happened to me once too! love the questions like, have you had sex before? if so, do you have HIV? do you have sex with multiple partners? yikes. thats a no, and thats a little personal haha.