Comment on “Donated” plasma today
FairycorePhoebe@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
I work in plasma, and deferring donors is by far the most difficult part. I had to send three people home just today for having out of range hematocrit. The look of devastation on their faces when they find out they’re not getting paid nearly brings me to tears every time. Sometimes they get angry and yell at me, and I just let them do it until they tire themselves out because I know how desperate they are. I’m just thankful that I’m primarily a lab tech and don’t have to deal with the donor side every day; I don’t think I could take it psychologically.
Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I got deferred years ago because a batch test including my sample came up positive for hepatitis (I forget which type.) I immediately went to my doctor and got tested. I had no risk factors, so the doctor was confused, but they ran the test anyway. It came back negative.
But the center said I was deferred for life, without a chance that I could ever donate anything again. All the plasma they had taken from me had to be destroyed. It was heartbreaking, and I’m still confused how they could defer someone permanently for something that wasn’t even in their own sample.