No, it's not the "red badge of courage" but it is the only physical evidence I have that I took some time this afternoon to lose a pound. I didn't go to the gym but rather to Bloodsource, Northern California's principle blood donation processor. There, for the first time in my life, I donated blood plasma rather than whole blood as part of their "Automated Donations" program. 
Considerably more complex than whole blood donations, the automated donations program allows donors to give various different components depending on the need of the community and the health and availability and even the blood type of the donor. Being ABneg, my blood is seldom needed for whole blood but becomes the "universal donor" for plasma. And I can donate plasma every four weeks instead of every eight weeks with whole blood. According to the nurse that processed my donation, they have discovered problems with using plasma from women who have had children so they've stopped accepting accepting it. Instead, they're recruiting more men to donate plasma.The process is similar. I had visions of being poked in both arms with blood coming out of one and the blood minus some plasma going back into the other. Instead, there is still just one stick. About a foot away from my arm is the Y junction where I could see blood leaving my arm during the extraction cycle and blood minus some plasma coming into my arm during the restore cycle. It's kind of like merging a blood donation with a blood infusion. A machine automates the whole thing so once the nurse hooked me up, I could watch the monitor to see what was happening and which cycle I was on. Four 11 minute cycles completed the process. The ritual cookies and juice are the same. But I didn't get a frail little "pink lady" to escort me to the table.
You can give platelets even more often than that. (Once every two weeks.) Oh, and incidentally you are lucky to get the one stick option. Some places still use two.
ReplyDeleteI used to give all the time at UCLA, but once the Red Cross just across the street recruited me. However, not only did they have to use two needles, the chair wasn't as comfortable, the staff wasn't as accomodating, and the thank you gifts weren't as good. I stopped going there after that.
I do try to make it up to UCLA every now and then. It is hard to do, but I doubt I'll ever get better service than I get there. They know me by name and treat me like a hero. It's nice to feel needed.
Yes, I read about the problems with women donating plasma. Apparently after pregnancy we start to generate antibodies which, in rare cases, can cause a fatal inflamation of the lungs for the recipient of our plasma donations. But since they still need my whole blood whenever I am willing/able to give it, I don't feel the least bit slighted that they don't want my plasma.
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