I just got back from giving plasma and now I have and extra $30 in my pocket!
Here's why you should do it:
$30 dollars each time X twice a week = 60 dollars a week = 240 dollars a month (that's a 8800GTX in 3 months!) Also, I live in small town but I hear that in bigger cities it's $40 each time = $320 a month!
It's easy: Sit in a big lounge chair for 45 minutes to an hour and watch movies (they had The Sandlot when I came in this time). Then you walk away and can do anything (unlike donating blood) walk/run/sit/sleep/eat/drink/drive/etc.
It's a good thing to do: Most of the plasma goes to laboratories to be used to find cures for diseases. Some goes to hospitals for people who need it in emergencies. The rest goes to Africa for people who are dieing.
The Process:
The first time takes a while (2-3 hours including first donation). It's mostly just filling out paper work about your medical history. There is also a physical (upper body only, don't worry you don't have to show them your pee-pee or vajay-vajay). Then you donate.
Donation Process:
You sit on a bed while they prep you (put iodine on your arm). Then they stick a needle in your arm (yes this is the part that sucks but it's like a bee sting, it doesn't hurt too bad after a few seconds. Then you sit and read/watch movies while the machine next to you does its magic (it takes a pint of blood, centrifuges the plasma out then returns the blood). After 45-60 minutes they pull the needle out (doesn't hurt at all) and you walk away with 30 (40 in cities, see above) dollars.
Make sure to drink LOTS of water before you go (I drink 2 liters = 2 nalgene's) and eat (you don't want to do it on a full stomach).
Eligibility:
Yes you must be 18. Sorry kiddies.
In good health.
No diseases within the past few years.
No HIV/AIDS.
There are some countries that cannot have lived in some years ago including Germany (mid 90's) and UK (early 2000's) due to mad-cow disease. But this is LIVED in. I went to England a few years ago for about a month and I was fine.
Other than that, that's it!
What you need the first time:
Call the local donation bank to make an appointment. They will tell you you need: Your Social Security card (a copy will do), a picture ID (DL, School ID, etc), and a proof of address (a letter addressed to you, if you don't have this you can donate the first time and they will send you a postcard to bring in the next time).
SO WHY NOT? For the money, the fact that it only takes an hour, and the good cause, how could you turn this down?
http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed … 0_,00.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl … money.html
Here's why you should do it:
$30 dollars each time X twice a week = 60 dollars a week = 240 dollars a month (that's a 8800GTX in 3 months!) Also, I live in small town but I hear that in bigger cities it's $40 each time = $320 a month!
It's easy: Sit in a big lounge chair for 45 minutes to an hour and watch movies (they had The Sandlot when I came in this time). Then you walk away and can do anything (unlike donating blood) walk/run/sit/sleep/eat/drink/drive/etc.
It's a good thing to do: Most of the plasma goes to laboratories to be used to find cures for diseases. Some goes to hospitals for people who need it in emergencies. The rest goes to Africa for people who are dieing.
The Process:
The first time takes a while (2-3 hours including first donation). It's mostly just filling out paper work about your medical history. There is also a physical (upper body only, don't worry you don't have to show them your pee-pee or vajay-vajay). Then you donate.
Donation Process:
You sit on a bed while they prep you (put iodine on your arm). Then they stick a needle in your arm (yes this is the part that sucks but it's like a bee sting, it doesn't hurt too bad after a few seconds. Then you sit and read/watch movies while the machine next to you does its magic (it takes a pint of blood, centrifuges the plasma out then returns the blood). After 45-60 minutes they pull the needle out (doesn't hurt at all) and you walk away with 30 (40 in cities, see above) dollars.
Make sure to drink LOTS of water before you go (I drink 2 liters = 2 nalgene's) and eat (you don't want to do it on a full stomach).
Eligibility:
Yes you must be 18. Sorry kiddies.
In good health.
No diseases within the past few years.
No HIV/AIDS.
There are some countries that cannot have lived in some years ago including Germany (mid 90's) and UK (early 2000's) due to mad-cow disease. But this is LIVED in. I went to England a few years ago for about a month and I was fine.
Other than that, that's it!
What you need the first time:
Call the local donation bank to make an appointment. They will tell you you need: Your Social Security card (a copy will do), a picture ID (DL, School ID, etc), and a proof of address (a letter addressed to you, if you don't have this you can donate the first time and they will send you a postcard to bring in the next time).
SO WHY NOT? For the money, the fact that it only takes an hour, and the good cause, how could you turn this down?
http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed … 0_,00.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl … money.html
