Asked if I had a gun when donating plasma

[kellyj00]

as a side note, I used to get together with a few friends and we'd donate plasma in order to cover our range fees weekly. It seemed like a solid plan for a Saturday, start there around 11 am then get to the range after lunch. Everything done that afternoon would be covered by the $30 check from the plasma place. (I shot a 9mm at the time. and ammo was cheaper back in 2001).

After about 6 months of doing this every week, one of my saturday friends ended up in the hospital for alcohol/ingested drug poisoning on a Friday night. He got his stomach pumped and an introveneous solution of some sort was given (also called an I.V.)

I called him up that next saturday morning from outside the plasma place...his girlfriend answered. "he's not going to make it [for the reason mentioned above] and you shouldn't be going in either!" "Why not?" "because the Dr. thought he was on introvenous drugs because the veins in his arms were so scarred. He said that if [my friend] didn't stop 'shooting up' his veins would be so scarred that he would risk at least numbness in his hands, perhaps inability to use his hands and even blockages that may require surgery." She informed him that [my friend] didn't use introveneous drugs at all, and she had lived with him for years. She did mention that he got stuck with a needle every weekend at the plasma place. The Dr. replied that was going to be his next guess.

Supposedly the needles they use at the plasma place are fairly large and cause a lot of tissue damage. This is why you get blood pooling and bruises every now and again when you go.

We all stopped going at that point, and decided to just put in an extra hour or two of overtime to cover our range fees.

 

[doubleg]

Two words..

ANKLE HOLSTER.

Then you don't have to put up with coats, untucked shirts, ect.

 

[CNYCacher]

The only thing that I want to know is why did you escape all your single and double quotes?

Do you write code all day or something?

 

[Pax Jordana]

It's blood plasma - mainly water. Whole blood you have to wait a while to make more of, for plasma donations they put the red blood cells back in ya, you can do it maybe once every three or four days.

OP - funny story, I went to get a urine test today (got in a minor car accident at work, had to get drug tested), and had to empty my pockets into the lock box. I asked the gal, who asked her supervisor, who said she didn't care so long as it went into the lock box, and then back into my pocket and out the door when we were done.

I think "none of your g/d business" would be a little harsh, but they have no legal basis to go digging thru your crap. Note the knife guy got kicked out for waving it around..

 

[Hoppy590]

i has at the dentist one day, gettign a check up one day. and the assistant looks down at my beltline and goes "what kind of cellphone you got? im looking for a new one" i procede to pull my phone out of my left pocket. the girl goes "if thats your phone, whats on your belt?" ...
my responce
"a really big knife."

 

[walking arsenal]

My response

"Wait, wait, wait............Lemme get this strait. You have a lot of crazies that come in here.

But you disarm everyone that comes in.

So you admit that you allow unstable people in here so you can get their donation but make it so that everyone is defenseless?

So........Who is protecting us?"



Gad


I'd like to meet the man who can draw a cell phone, dial 911 and have the police there before i can craw and fire. That'd be impressive.

 

[MrDig]

Selling Plasma is different from Donating Blood. You can sell Plasma up to two times weekly.
Having been a drunk who needed a bottle I sold plasma a lot when I was drinking. That is why you see seedier types hanging around at Plasma Centers. Drunks and Junkies will sell Plasma to get a fix.
The plus side is you get to watch a movie.

 

[bogie]

Weapons eh, not like some idiot couldn't come in and give you an air embolism while you had an IV shoved in you...

It ain't like the movies - you need a LOT of air for an embolism...

(have learned a lot taking care of Jen...)

 

[pdowg881]

I've watched plenty of air bubbles going into me via IV and I'm still here. lol

 

[kellyj00]

having an IV or a plasma needle shoved into a vein in the same spot twice a week isn't a good idea according to a doctor. The scar tissue constricts the vein and causes problems.

That's why I stopped....and I got a better paying job.

 

[Avenger29]

I'm right squemish about blood and needles (needles are some of the few things I fear).

That is why you see seedier types hanging around at Plasma Centers. Drunks and Junkies will sell Plasma to get a fix.

Please tell me they test this stuff for AIDS and Hepatites

The plus side is you get to watch a movie.

No thanks. Blockbuster and Netflix take care of that.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

He said that he keeps tabs on all those who have guns.

"Well, we get a lot of crazies coming in and we do not put up with people with weapons.

What do they do when they encounter one?

Why, they adopt the Virginia Tech strategy and die en masse, of course.

 

[Soybomb]

This is somewhat unrelated to plasma but having been the volunteer guy at a couple blood drives I could see not wanting donors to be armed at the time. It doesn't happen often but I have seen a few people each time get really loopy and stupid after donating.

 

[joe4702]

If its legal, carry when you donate if that's what you want to do. Don't disarm due to the mindless phobia of others.

 

[WestonSmith]

I live in Utah. When I get a permit, it is legal to carry anywhere but airports, federal buildings, and places that it's posted. It is even legal in Utah to carry in schools and bars, although it is not recommended to carry in bars because it is illegal to be drunk and in possession of a firearm. My concern is that the plasma donating place reserves the right to turn anyone down for any reason, even if they just feel like it even if they meet all the screening requirements. If I were to be caught later with a concealed firearm, even though it is not posted they could still say I can not come back, which means I would miss out on $240/month ($30 each time you go and only takes 1-2 hours from the time you sign in to when you actually walk out of the place, can donate twice a week). I left a note in their suggestion box anonymously saying that I am in the process of getting a permit and that I am going to carry unless they put up a sign at the entrance. I really do not want to be told I can not come back, so I could point that out if it happens I have to appeal to an owner later on. They have not posted any signs yet and it has been a while since I left that in the suggestion box. They have all sorts of signs up saying "Absolutely no cell phones" "No electronic devices on donating floor, including ipods". I wonder if a laser on a handgun would count

 

[zoom6zoom]

"Of course my coat is heavy. It's lined with lead foil to protect me from the government thought control beams. You know, the ones that make people think the police can protect them when they're herded into victim disarmament zones."

 

[ccw9mm]

I find it interesting how most people automatically assume that just because someone has a gun, that automatically means that something is wrong.

Something is wrong: the fatal flaw of the "anti" argument is to assume anyone packing a weapon is a BG. In reality, of course, a defensive weapon is just that, and a person carrying it in defense is a GG. It's only the weapon used in offense in a criminal action that's risky ... and that only in the hands of a BG. Yet, few people truly get it. Anti's won't. Not can't. Won't.

 

[Afy]

I didnt know that about Plasma...
Cool...

 

[SamV]

I would also agree with Soybomb. I almost always have no problems what so ever giving blood, having shots, medical tests, whatever. And if you get old enough, there is a lot of whatever. However a few times over the years, I nearly passed out. I believe you medical types call it a vasovagal response. Its probably fairly common in a blood donation place.