I gave plasma today!

I was super nervous on the way in and through the physical. It really wasn’t that bad though. Getting poked with a needle that looked like the straws that come with the Capri Sun juice packs was surprisingly painless. I DID almost pass out though. I didn’t eat before I went in, so that was why. It was actually kinda funny. I was just sitting there at the machine, and I felt just a little light headed, and as the nurse walked by, he asked if I was feeling alright. I told him about the lightheadedness and he like, quickly grabbed his little cart thing and stopped the machine. It’s funny how in that split second between him asking me, and him grabbing his equipment, I IMMEDIATELY felt like shit. Another nurse came over and talked to me while he fixed me up to get more saline. Things went blurry, my ears started ringing, I was nauseated, my skin got clammy, and inside my head, I was like, “FUCK I’M GOING TO PUKE OR DIE OR MAYBE BOTH.” but at the same time, the second nurse was asking me if I was okay, and I was like, “Oh, I feel fine. Just woozy…” but then after I was hooked up to get some of my blood back and some saline, within like, 3 minutes, I was totally fine again! The first nurse laughed and said, “I watched you completely change like, 3 colors..” I wish I could have seen it. He was pretty cool. He was a young guy with a lumberjack beard.. After a few minutes, and after my blood pressure returned to normal, they let me finish the full donation. When I was done, they wouldn’t let me leave until my blood pressure was back up to being close to where it was when I came in. They had to give me all kinds of snacks and juice lol. It was pretty great. But really, all around, it was a nice experience. I’m going back to do it again on Friday. This place lets you come back 2 times every week. $35 each time you donate. This is not bad at ALL.

*edit* I took a few pics. Nothing interesting. I just thought the tube they used was ridiculously big! It was weird to feel my own hot blood running through it when it was up against my skin.

I don’t know if you can see it, but I tried to get a picture of the MASSIVE bottle they had me fill with plasma. I think he said it was 880 mL. It has a yellowish liquid in it.. Also, that machine is scary as fuck.