Having been recently laid-off, I find myself in need of some extra cash!

I have been getting this by the usual things like mowing, garage sale, fixing people's computers...

I took my grandmother to the Minyard's grocery store at Lake June and Masters in Dallas, TX... I noticed a building in the same parking lot labeled ZLB Plasma.. Curious as to what it was, I looked it up on the internet when we got home.

What is this place?

ZLB Plasma, recently renamed to CSL Plasma, is a place you can go to donate some of the plasma from your blood. This is different from donating whole blood, like we do at blood drives. The process of donating plasma involves removing your blood, separating and keeping only the plasma (the clear liquid part), then returning the red blood cells to your body! See their link for more information.

People are paid CASH to donate their plasma!

Well, I called them and found out that people are paid cash when they come donate their plasma! At the Lake June, Dallas, TX center, first time donors UNDER 149 lbs are paid $20 cash, then $25 when they come give their second donation WITHIN a week! After that, I think it's $15 per donation allowed twice a week. People OVER 149 lbs get a little more. I don't know those exact payments since I am not in that weight class.

Looked like easy money on the web site, huh?

Well, thinking I could make a quick $20 and do some good for my fellow man, I went to the Lake June Plasma place this morning. There were about 100 people in that waiting room. And I'm not going to be politically correct about this at all.. I am here to tell you facts based on experience.

If you live in Dallas and have ever ridden DART and had to wait on a transfer at West Transfer Center, imagine that environment indoors! That describes the lobby and waiting area perfectly! Mostly black, mostly ghetto type blacks, some white trash, and a few Hispanics.

Basically, there weren't any hippie, yuppie do-gooders there! Everyone there, including me, needed cash quickly! Either for food, vices, whatever.. I needed gas money and cigarettes.. And we were all willing to sell part of our blood for it!

So it seems that better-to-do people freely give whole blood, which is good, but poor people give plasma, for a price, which is more useful for a variety of reasons! Ironic, huh!

So what happens when you get there?

First, get there early.. This will take HOURS! Sign in on the NEW DONOR list.. If you sign in on the Return donor list, you'll just get lost in the crowd while they search for your non-existent file as they have time! I saw this happen to a guy today..

If you can get the attention of one of the ladies working behind the counter, let her know you are new and just signing in. I did this and a very nice lady helped me all day..

You need to sit or stand around where you can hear if they call you!

I got there at 11:00 AM this morning. About an hour later, I was called to the counter to show my ID, SS Card and an envelope proving my residency. She also gave me a paper to start filling out, but took it away before I was done. I said, "I wasn't finished..." She told me not to worry, she would be calling me to a booth soon.. I was sent to go sit and read a binder all about plasma donation.. I was then immediately called to go do a "vein check". A woman put elastic bands around each of my arms and told me to pump my fists.. I had good veins in my right arm and crappy ones in my left one. It seems you need a good, puffy vein in at least one arm to continue through the process.

I already saw this on the website

Next I sat down and flipped through the binder, it was all stuff I had already seen on the web site. I took it back up to the counter and stood and waited. It is now 11:45 and I have been called to a booth! In there, I finished filling out the paper that I started before, my name and info were entered into the computer.

Then we went to another room where I had to put my hands under a thing, take them back out, then my finger was marked with an ultra-violet marker. This was to prevent me from going to other donations center.

The lady told me, "Next you need a physical, but they're about to go to lunch." So I asked, "When will they be back? Can I go eat?" She said, "Good idea to go eat! They won't be back until 12:30."

Lunch Break!

I went to lunch and got back in by 12:30.. I finally got called at 1:30 where I went to a booth again..

Here, I was weighed (135 lbs), my blood pressure and temperature were taken, they poked my finger tip and drew a small tube of blood. The blood was put into a couple of machines, then I was told, "everything was good" and sent to go wait again.

Here is where I screwed up!

Finally around 2:00, I was called by the doctor to go get my physical. I was taken into a private room with another man and a female observer. I was asked a lot of questions, and everything was going well, until this one... "Do you have any asthma or allergy symptoms" I made the mistake of saying that I do have allergies, a tickle in my throat, that I get after mowing..

I was told that due to my allergy symptoms, I could not donate that day! It seems that taking plasma from me, which help fight allergy symptoms, would make my allergies worse, and also make my plasma weak and useless for their medical purposes. I was told to come back Monday.

I was pissed off!

I had spent all this time in this ghetto Hell-hole, just trying to get $20 for gasoline and smokes! Yeah, I would've bought some beer also, but allergies stop me??

Maybe I am no different, in a way, than the people I saw in there who as soon as they made their donation, got their money, immediately ran out to the drug dealers waiting like sharks in the parking lot! They spent hours in there, to sell their plasma, just to give it up right away on a ten minute high.

Not even sure if I'll go back.

I was told to come back when my "allergy symptoms" are gone.. What a bunch of goons! They're all worried over my allergies but have no concern about the crackheads and drug dealers they are supporting!

UPDATE!! Went back today!

Well, I went this afternoon after work.. I explained to the lady at the counter what had happened to me Saturday. Even though the waiting room was not nearly as full, I was told that the clinic was no longer taking anyone today. I was told to call early in the morning and make an appointment for Thursday!

What a hassle!

This is NOT quick, easy cash! I really no longer need the money for donating plasma, but I think I'll keep trying to just to be able to finish the story and let y'all know how it goes!

New Advice!

Call EARLY and set an appointment if you are a new donor!

If you are close to a plasma center that is NOT on the bus line or in an urban area, GO THERE INSTEAD! The place I keep trying to go to is literally full of druggies selling their plasma for drugs.. I AM NOT making this up!.. I saw them running out to the drug dealers as soon as they got their money for their donation!

From what I read, plasma is VERY important in medicine and highly needed. That is why people are paid to donate it. I just find it ironic that it comes from people who don't care about that at all!

By now, I already borrowed the money need elsewhere....

Since they turned me down for freaking allergies, I had to borrow money. After all, I will get cranky without my smokes!

My main reason for trying this was so I wouldn't NEED to borrow from others.

I guess I will go try again Monday and let y'all know how it goes.. I'll just tell them my allergies cleared up all of a sudden! How amazing!

Just be warned if you try this...

Pay very careful attention to the questions and say what you know they want to hear!!! Do not tell them even if you have allergy sniffles.

If you HAVE had a new tattoo or pirecing, don't even waste your time! They will NOT take you.

If you're a liberal do-gooder thinking you're helping your fellow man, be prepared to hang in the hood! And you'll be made fun of.. I am a poor white girl, so I blend..

But, sure, you're still helping your fellow man, so come on down!!!