It's been interesting at the plasma center lately, because the it's under new ownership and is getting ready to move. In the meantime, they are implementing more and more new rules, both for the staff (who are increasingly disgruntled) and the donors (getting increasingly baffled by the labyrinthine system we have to go through to make a few dollars). One of those rules is a change to the "no sleeping" rule. For medical reasons, we aren't allowed to fall asleep while donating. It makes sense, and I'm never that tired while I donate anyway. Well, the new rule is that if you fall asleep, they will shut off your machine and send you away with only a partial payment. Before, they would just yell (nicely) at you until you woke up. A lot of people go give plasma on their way home from a night shift, so I've seen a few people get woken up in the past.
Well, yesterday one of the other patients was shut off and sent away (also banned from donating plasma for a week). I felt bad for her, because she really needs the money. I mean, I'm doing this to help make ends meet, but I also have some other options in an emergency. She was very upset. But the plasma people kind of laughed it off. It troubled me. I'm sure they get used to the type of people they work with and eventually numb to their problems, but there's a limit. Anyway, I felt bad, but there wasn't really anything I could do.
