I wouldn't want to visit, either.
Needless to say, hours have been rather skimpy of late at the hotel and even working a part-time job I am still scrambling to make ends meet. I can only work as many hours as I'm scheduled so what's a poor girl to do?
Fortunately, back in April I learned about donating plasma.
I know some of you are shuddering right now because donating plasma means needles. There's no getting around that. But for those individuals who aren't fazed by that fact, donating plasma can be a handy way of earning a bit of extra income. Granted, you won't make a ton of money, but I've been donating since April and the money I have earned from donating (my 'blood money' as I joking refer to it) has kept me in bus tickets and groceries during these lean times.
The company I donate with is called CSL Plasma. And the reason I chose them was because it's within a mile of my house, which is an easy walking distance, and, well, because I have no clue what the other company is called or where it is located. The facilities are clean and I find the staff to be very helpful.
If you are interested in learning more about donating plasma and would like to know the locations of any of the CSL Plasma sites across the country, please visit http://www.cslplasma.com/. They will be able to answer your questions a lot better than I can.
I can offer a few helpful suggestions, though, to make things a little easier.
1. Drink PLENTY of water and other caffeine free liquids on the days before, of and after your plasma donation! It will help counter the post-donation fatigue you may feel. You may feel tempted to drink a caffeinated drink, but don't. It will ultimately make you feel even more fatigued because caffeinated drinks dehydrate you because they are diuretics
2. Make sure you eat a well balanced meal a couple of hours before donating.
3. Don't drink alcohol the day of or after your donation. Again, this can dehydrate you and you'll already be dehydrated enough.
4. Eat a small snack after donating. Yes, I know that I told you to eat before donating, but it is also important to get a little something in your stomach after donating. It doesn't have to be something big. Some nuts or cheese would do. It will help counteract any hotheadedness you may feel.
5. If you feel faint, put a wet washcloth on the back of your neck.
6. Take it easy after donating. It is natural to feel a little tired after donating plasma and it isn't a sign of weakness. Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for the rest of the day.
I'll tell you a little story before I let you go.
It was a hot day in July and the temperatures were in the high 90's and the humidity was so thick you could almost choke on it. We didn't have any A/C at our house so it was so nice to go donate plasma in a nice, cool building. Since I had eaten a fairly balanced meal before donating and I wasn't hungry, I figured that I would wait until I got home to get a snack. So, I walked the mile home in that sweltering heat, umbrella raised to ward off the worst of the sun.
By the time I got home, I was feeling a little nauseous so I sat down on the couch and a box fan to cool down. A few minutes later the telephone started ringing and I stood up quickly to go answer it. Bad idea. A wave of dizziness washed over me and I had to grab a chair to keep from collapsing.
I don't know if it was the heat or the lack of A/C or the fact that I hadn't bothered eating a snack after donating. It could have been a culmination of all three things for all I know. What I do know is that I have never skipped a snack since and I've never had a repeat of that incident. Now, once I finish donating I go to what they call the 'departure lounge' and sit at one of the tables for a few minutes while I eat my snack. Like I said earlier, it doesn't have to be a lot. Some nuts, cheese, or even some cookies out of the vending machine, it doesn't matter. Just as long as I get a little something in my stomach to counteract any nausea or dizziness I may encounter.
Because it would be really inconvenient, not to mention embarrassing, to faint on my way home.
