As usual, I was running a wee bit late, so by the time I got to the Red Cross building, I was flustered and out of sorts (thanks to the doofus drivers out driving today). My pulse was elevated, but apparently not elevated enough to kick me out of my new experience. I answered all the questions (which don't change, nor do my answers - at least until the future day I decide to get a tattoo or go out of the country for a few weeks). Anyhow, once all the paperwork was finished, I was led back to the "good chairs." For those of you who don't know, as a regular whole blood donor, you get the gurney. For platelet donation, you get the big comfy seats with the heating pad.
I was the only one donating platelets at the time, so it was pretty quiet. The blood lady got everything set up, handed me the remote to the TV (another platelet perk - you get your own TV to watch), and then proceeded to plug in a port in each arm. Soon my blood was going out of one arm to the magic machine that would deconstruct the blood, take out the platelets, and reconstruct the blood, and then return the blood to my body through the other arm. At one point my toes started acting all crazy and cramping, but the Boss Blood Lady noticed and told Blood Lady who gave me some more saline. Or something. Apparently it's a common reaction to the something that does something with your blood when it's in the machine. I really didn't pay that much attention, since the toe spasms stopped as soon as Blood Lady adjusted something. The whole thing took about two hours, or about four or five episodes of "The Office." Blood Lady took the needles out, patched me up, and I was out and headed home. All in all, it wasn't such a big deal, and I'm glad to know that the platelets will help somebody who needs it.
Now if I could just find somebody who harvests fat - I just don't want it back!!
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Today was a great day because: getting caught up on bills and such; Red Cross ladies and platelet donation process; Donna race shirt in the mail; watching Meb and Jeptoo win the Boston Marathon
1 comment:
Eddie used to do that in Baltimore for a research study and he got paid $120 each time. You can only do that every 56 days (don't let Bob-bo talk you into doing it sooner!)
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