Platelet Donation Via Apheresis (Plateletpheresis) 2

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Platelet Donation Via Apheresis (Plateletpheresis) 2

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Stats:
Pulse rate: 90
BP: 90/63
Temperature: 98.1
HCT: 39%
Platelet Count: 269,000

March 21, 2006
Went to the Main office today for my platelets donation. Met this really cool chick named Gina who works there; she and I hit it off perfectly. She took my stats (which you can see above). My platelet count is still high, a little less than last time, but high. Plus, my BP is lower, however my heartrate is higher by 12 points. Gina even remarked how high it was. I was completely at rest, reading a magazine. I have had some anxiety lately though.

Completed the rest of the Interview: Have you traveled to Europe in the last year, have you had a tattoo in the last year, have you had a piercing in the last year, have you had sex for money or drugs since 1978, have you slept with anyone who has accepted money or drugs for sex, blah blah blah. NO NO NO. So, I take my crit and was 39%. The iron supplements paid off. I was good to go

I was then taken to met Mirna, who just RAWKS!. She is the best phlebotomist I have ever had--ever. She was amazing. Like night and day compared to John at the other center. I picked out my movie (Outbreak), she chose an arm, my left - yay! I think she had to take it from my median vein though. I couldn't tell too well.

She put a cotton glove on my hand because my fingers were so cold and wrapped my arm in a heating pad to help enlarge the bore of my veins. I only alarmed a few times, but it was fine compared to last time (which were too numerous to count). I had major tingly lips during my returns so she turned down the amount of citrate (anti-coagulant) I received and gave me about 5 Smooth Tums (which are so better than the regular kind) It took 72 minutes total to remove 1 unit of platelets which contained about 250,000 of them. Towards the end I felt a little *off* so I got a sip of water, she said I couldn't drink a bunch of water though. That was fine, I just needed a little to cool my tongue.

I finished up, had only 2 Oreos and a small can of grape juice. I didn't feel like eating at all.

When I left, I received a voucher for a hotdog at New York-New York, bowling vouchers for 2 at I think South Coast and a free 7 minute water massage at some kiosk at another casino shopping area.

I'll be back in two more weeks for more :)


Run complete!	Receiving my reds back	Bad pic, at the end of my donation

Interesting, But Disgusting Observation
The first time I gave platelets I noticed that, okay this is gross, but...I noticed there was no mucous in my nose when I woke up. it is very dry and dusty in Las Vegas and many times when you wake up, your septum will have a thin coating. Well for about a 4 days, there is nothing in your nose. I assume it is because of the lack of platelets.

I noticed it the last time but didn't say anything because of coincidence. Then, today I wake up (yesterday was my second donation) and sure enough--no mucous coating on the septum. It is like it is absolutely absent. While I have no definitive data to compare this finding to, it is enough for me. Of course, I will be able to conduct my own study as my donations increase.

The scientific heart does not rest.