Plasma Donation & Bad Outcome

Plasma Donation pt.2

Today is Friday 2 days after my first actual donation and I walk in to the front desk not knowing what to do exactly. I ask a technician what do I do for my appointment?

“Just go to the computers and fill out the medical questions and when finished go to the chairs and wait for the next phlebotomist to get blood checked and answer any questions about health form.”

After I filled out the questionnaires i sat and waited to be seen by the tech. To check my blood and iron levels. After that they sent me to the line to Waite for available chair to sit and donate that Plasma baby.

Now another phlebotomist will call you up and have you sit and double check your info to make sure they tag the plasma correctly. As I’m sitting the technician will goes over what the procedure that will happen.Same as last time but this time the machine would be on full pressure return of blood. Im like lets go get this done and faster than last time hopefully.

Now every thing seems to be going good as the blood leaves and is coming back Im feeling good so far. This is where it gets interesting partially thru the first 2 rounds it seems to be going as planed. As I am watching that large needle all I see is a little jump in needle and then blood starts to come out of the puncture site. I am like excuse me the needle is coming out of my arm. As the phlebotomist is heading over more blood is being pushed into my arm but not the vein. Oh boy the technician is like we can’t use that arm to finish let poke the next one. During this process he removes the needle and bandages the arm. During the time the tech. Is patching my arm and applying a ice patch to the arm for swelling. They move over to next area and have to sanitize it for a minute to make sure it is nice and clean so their would be no infection from the open hole where the needle will go. During this process of switching arms and getting to poke the next arm I start to feel a little off but ok still. I don’t tell them that I feel a little light headed thinking that as soon as i get the blood back ill be ok.

After i get the second poke the machine was turned down a bit so it does not just pop out like last time. The machine cycle maybe twice and then I see some blood leaking out and raise my hand to get their attention. I eventually say I’m leaking blood and the tech said it was ok as long as it is not a whole lot like dripping on the floor by the time the phlebotomist get to me it has gotten worse. Ok we are going to have to stop the donation. The phlebotomist asks have you had a Hematoma before? (No) this was were i started to feel a bit dizzy and Im getting hot like cold sweats. The doctor is like you lost a little over 2 liters of blood and have hematomas 1 in each arm, i get a complimentary electrolyte water and a snack to help with the loss of blood. They put ice on my neck to help cool me down. Now i have to wait for 15 minutes for them to make sure i am ok to leave and drive.

Now here is the bad part since i lost so much blood i can not donate plasma for 2 months, i need to recoup the blood loss. So now I can’t get extra cash every week and i lose out on the bonus money they were offering. To achieve this i had to donate like 8 times before the month was over. 2 times a week basically.

Now i really need to get some extra cash to help with the bills i wish it was just for the fun extra stuff this money but no i need every cent and now out of luck for 2 months.

Sorry and thank you for reading