I have visual snow syndrome and as a result experience a low level visual hallucination at all times. Usually it’s just a sort of fuzzy TV static up top of everything. Sometimes I get black dots in my vision that linger for seconds at a time. It gets considerably worse in the dark, resulting in a level of night blindness that actually prevents me from reading in dim light when a normal person should have no problem. I also frequently experience closed eye hallucinations that typically take the form of multi colored spinning fractals.

I work in plasma, and deferring donors is by far the most difficult part. I had to send three people home just today for having out of range hematocrit. The look of devastation on their faces when they find out they’re not getting paid nearly brings me to tears every time. Sometimes they get angry and yell at me, and I just let them do it until they tire themselves out because I know how desperate they are. I’m just thankful that I’m primarily a lab tech and don’t have to deal with the donor side every day; I don’t think I could take it psychologically.

There is no utility in punishment. Wanting people who wronged you to suffer isn’t a desire for justice, but a desire for revenge. Dangerous people can be stopped from hurting others without locking them in cages or treating them poorly.