Worst Donation Ever

So I've been donating plasma the last week or so to earn a little extra money on the side, right? It's 30 bucks the first time of the week, and 40 the second. 70 extra dollars a week is nice for anyone, but especially us right now where Rob is driving 60 miles a day to and from work, and hey--it's his birthday this month--I'm trying to earn some cash so I can buy him fun things. :)

For those that have never donated plasma I'll explain the process. Basically about a pint of your blood is drawn from a vein in either arm. Then a machine separates the red blood cells from your plasma. The plasma is put into a donation container and once all has been separated from the red blood cells, they are put back into your body via the same vein. Usually a painless process, it normally takes three draw and return rotations and about forty minutes for my full donation.

Well it's been a breeze thus far. I ride my bike into town, "work" for an hour, and go deposit my money. It's nice. This morning however was horrific.

I got to the center early today to avoid the afternoon crowd--8:21. I was called up and had my blood tested, temperature and blood pressure taken, reviewed all the legal mumbo jumbo and was on the donation floor by 8:30. When it was my turn to get hooked up to the machine the phlebotomist asked which arm I wanted to use, and I'd already decided to use my left since my right wrist had been giving me some trouble the last few days. That was my first mistake.

Since it's been about four years since I'd donated from my left arm the guy had a hard time first of all finding a vein to use--eventually he found two good ones. He decided to use one that I hadn't donated from before which made it VERY painful when he put the donation needle in me. BTW--HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE NEEDLES? They are HUGE! Anyway. He got me hooked up to the machine and about three minutes into the donation my vein went crazy. He tried moving the position of the needle around to get a better flow--poking and prodding my vein. Moving the needle in and out . . . it was painful. He tried for a few minutes and after digging around in my arm eventually we decided to change arms.

So, another phlebotomist gets called over to jab a new needle in my right arm. He gets the needle right in, and hooks me back up to the machine. Things are looking up. The first full pint of blood was drawn, plasma separated just fine, and then as the red blood cells were being returned to me the problems grew. Apparently there was a clot somewhere in my donation line and it ws causing the machine to stop returning blood to me. It took a few minutes for the phlebotomist to come assist me and eventually after more poking and prodding of my vein, massaging the donation line to loosen any clotting, and eventually manually cranking the blood back into my body my blood was returned.

The machine started my second draw and was working just fine. My blood flow was normal and things looked good again; that is until the second return. Again, right as the red blood cells were being returned to me the machine stopped again. CRAP! BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEPPP the machine went. Eventually someone came over to figure me out, and nothing worked. Not painfully moving the needle around in my arm, not trying to massage and clear the line . . . it was awful.

My original phlebotomist came back to assist because the other guy gave up. Ultimately he again hand cranked the machine so that my blood could be returned. Without doing this I would not be able to donate again within the next 8 weeks. It was painful and lengthy. My arm burned, especially below the donation site where my wrist has been hurting. It took forever, but I got my blood back. We decided then that I wouldn't try for that third blood draw and return rotation. The needle was eventually taken out of my arm. By this point it was 10:50, I felt a little woosy, and had to ride my bike home. Needless to say I rode slow and now I'm taking it easy at home.

Oh, and I'm adding this because of Sarah's comment--you better believe I got paid after all that poking and prodding!