A freaky otherworldly experience. ALYX is actually a new procedure being used by some blood centers that is capable of taking twice the amount of red blood cells as a standard donation. They way they achieve this is by extracting your plasma from the blood in a cetrifuge and then actually returning it to your body on site and during the procedure.
The process actually involves four extraction/return processes, so you are never out the full amount of fluid at any time. But it was weird-both physically and psychologically. Physically, in that the plasma would be near room temperature by the time they were ready to pump it back in--which, of course, is far below body temperature. They had a heating pad over my shoulder to help maintain my temperature, but I still developed a chill. From a mental standpoint, it was crazy watching this mostly clear substance that was my plasma fill up a bag, and then watch the level begin to go down as it was pumped back in. Sort of like I woke up at an inopportune time during an alien abduction.
On a side note, I was eligible to donate cause the iron content in my blood was very high. The lady testing me said, "You must eat a lot of red meat."
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4 comments:
First fish, now red meat. Dan, is there something you need to tell us?
I think this explanation isn't required, but I was joking about releasing the fish "down me throat," and when I told the lady I was a vegetarian, she simply gave a lot a credit to Sharon for the nutritious meals she prepares. Still an herbivore.
Participated in the same procedure - twice. Interesting and weird to be sure.
Can no longer give blood, as my travels abroad have put me at risk to carry mad cow. Until they come up with a blood test to determine whether you've got it, I'm off the list.
Mad cow may explain a few things....
So the procedure must not be that terribly new, since mad cow's been around awhile. I have been on a 3-4 year blood donation hiatus. Once, while at Musicland, I had a really bad experience where my blood kept clotting, and the lady kept trying different spots & different spots. After well over an hour, they finally gave up.
At this very last procedure, I realized that it was ridiculous for me to keep from giving potentially life-saving blood, just because of the potential for being in an uncomfortable position for awhile. I would like to think I would go to greater lengths than that to save lives, if it came to it. This seems like a good place to start.
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