I just found my new calling. Now that Shayne has been made redundant, see his post about that here, we have had to find creative ways to make money, you know to feed our children and pay the bills. This morning I was on my way to my new "job" and a friend of Shayne's pulled up beside me at a light. He rolled down his window, and noticing it was me driving the truck said, "Where's Shayne?" My reply, "Someone's got to pay the bills!"So for now I am a working mom. What is my new job? I give plasma. Yep, I go and sit for just over an hour while they take my blood out of my body, separate the plasma, and then put my blood back. Very fascinating, I know. It's kind of rough. Actually not. Easiest money ever made.
I have found some interesting benefits to "working" at BioLife, besides the saving lives and getting $50/ week (if I go twice/week), I get my iron and protein checked each and every time I go there. I have a history of low iron and when I am running lots I sometimes get too low. I spent $170 a month ago to check that iron, and find it was normal. Ugh! Now I can do it for free. Awesome. Another benefit? I have an hour in my day with uninterrupted reading time. After getting Breaking Dawn, I was dieing to go give plasma, so I could get reading without the girls bugging me about dinner or Shayne giving me the eye. No guilt.
Could there be more benefits? Believe it. It was there that I learned I was gifted. Gifted, really? Yes. How so? I think I can safely say that I was born to give plasma. I have the perfect veins for it. They are huge . I didn't know this really until now. Almost every time I go, the person sticking me with a needle comments on how large my veins are. They are surprised that a small person like myself would have some so big. Super. No need to panic with the needles when even a half blind person could stick me in the right place. Good. And for some strange reason this new discovery has made me feel special. I get a weird satisfaction knowing that I am the perfect candidate for plasma giving. And it really feels good when you find that one thing you were meant to do in life. Mine happens to be saving lives, an hour at a time.... and without a medical degree. My self-esteem has never been better.
13 comments:
Work it, baby, work it!!
I'm so proud of you....so selfless! :) We have to find those quiet times to ourselves, even if it does mean getting poked with needles to do it! :)
You're braver than I am.
good for you and your ginormous veins!!
my sister is doing the same thing over there--it's important work!!
ps love the term redundant. brilliant.
Strange. You would've thought that being a wife and mother would've been your calling. You've wasted a whole decade doing that when you could've been sitting...I mean saving lives.
too bad they have to limit you to twice a week. you and shayne would be regulars. think how much reading you'd get done.
selfless Scotts. you amaze me:)
Hey, I'm sure I'll see you there sometime. Hank is so funny about it. He calls it "saving lives". "We going to save lives today mom?" Yes hank.
Someone's got to pick up the slack. I also happen to know what Shayne's doing while you're gone. That's right, "Breaking Dawn." He's hooked.
Of course you have big veins - all true athletes have big veins. No surprise there.
This post cracked me up. I used to give plasma a lot in college and this totally brought back memories of drinking a ton right before getting weighed in so I could give more, and get paid more.
first i'll say i'm proud of you, then i'll try not to pass out, as the mere thought of needles makes me queasy. in fact, i think i need to go lay down.
As little Maggie would say,"Awesome!"
Jenni- Lucky for me, you get paid by the visit..not how much you give. SO I get paid the same as Shayne when he goes and I get done 15 minutes faster.
i still have the scar on my left arm from doing that in college. it's a beautiful system. oh, and i, too, have every blood-taking nurse-type comment on my "nice veins." i think it's just because my skin is translucent, though...
loved this post. hilar.
Daisy, you're cracking me up! I'm proud of you for applying your skills and gifts and getting the job done! I loved Breaking Dawn as well. I think we need to go to dinner and discuss???
love,
Mindy B.
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