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Organ Donation-What Do You Think About It?

My husband and I are both donors.
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I''m a donor! I would donate whatever my body doesn''t need! I give blood regularly as well. Absolutely amazing gift.
 
I will let them take absolutely anything they can if they are able once I am dead. Kidney's lungs, eyes, and so on. I used to know a nurse who worked at an eye-bank and said it was wonderful to see people get their sight back due to organ donations so I am all for that too. I am a registered donor, have discussed this with my DH and other loved ones, and it is also in my living will/personal directive (which also sets out life support wishes for my DH and vice versa). I'm also on the living-donor bone-marrow donation list though I registered for that quite a while ago and would need to evaluate as the situation arose.

A living kidney donation would have to be on a "case by case" basis though for me depending on how close I was to the recipient as cruel as that may sound. Kidney donations are risky for the donor and as I am quite active and such it would be an issue. Liver I would not have an issue with due to the regenerative properties of the liver and so on.

It is SO important to discuss this with family. My DH had a teenage cousin who had expressed to his brother he would want his organs donated, but when he quite suddenly died his mother could not bring herself to donate his organs for example. I know his brother was quite disappointed as were others who knew his wishes...when his mother did not really. Of course he was a minor so it was ultimately her decision.

Sometimes it cannot work out though even with best of intentions. A late boyfriend of mine was a donor too but as he was in the ICU in an induced coma his organs could not be used when he died though he would have wanted them to be. I know I wish they could have been donated as well as it would have helped me at the time have a little more "peace" with his young and sudden death.
 
Date: 4/27/2010 10:03:40 AM
Author: Pandora II
All three of us are registered as donors.


They can have whatever they want of me once I'm dead... even if I end up being known as 'Freda' and being chopped up by medical students!
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None of us can be blood donors - DH has hereditary spherocystosis and I've had blood transfusions, but I donated the placenta after Daisy was born towards research (they asked me if I wanted to take it home on the consent form
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). They couldn't use cord bloods as she may potentially have the hereditary spherocytosis.


I think Britain should have an opt-out rather than an opt-in system. I really don't understand what people have against it - and what I really despise are people who would accept an organ but not be prepared to donate.


Also I don't know about nowadays, but certainly in the past doctors used to swipe bits anyway - my father was an eye surgeon and said that corneas were often nicked as it wasn't as if anyone would find out!
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We have an opt-in system here in the States as well. We're big on not making people do what they don't want to do (sic). But in all seriousness, it's to respect people's wishes for whatever reason be it religion, ethics, whatever.
 
Date: 4/27/2010 10:39:09 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
Date: 4/27/2010 10:03:40 AM

Author: Pandora II

All three of us are registered as donors.



They can have whatever they want of me once I''m dead... even if I end up being known as ''Freda'' and being chopped up by medical students!
9.gif




None of us can be blood donors - DH has hereditary spherocystosis and I''ve had blood transfusions, but I donated the placenta after Daisy was born towards research (they asked me if I wanted to take it home on the consent form
23.gif
14.gif
). They couldn''t use cord bloods as she may potentially have the hereditary spherocytosis.



I think Britain should have an opt-out rather than an opt-in system. I really don''t understand what people have against it - and what I really despise are people who would accept an organ but not be prepared to donate.



Also I don''t know about nowadays, but certainly in the past doctors used to swipe bits anyway - my father was an eye surgeon and said that corneas were often nicked as it wasn''t as if anyone would find out!
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Click to expand...


We have an opt-in system here in the States as well. We''re big on not making people do what they don''t want to do (sic). But in all seriousness, it''s to respect people''s wishes for whatever reason be it religion, ethics, whatever.
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But you wouldn''t be made to do what you don''t want to do. If you don''t want to donate, then you would 100% have the right to opt out. People who object WOULD opt out due to their passion about their beliefs. With an opt in system, many people don''t tell people their wishes or actually sign on the donation register, meaning there are less donations. Its one of those things that they never got round to, and when they have an accident, their organs aren''t donated as they never registered.
 
We make people opt in for EVERYTHING, that way they have the freedom to decide for themselves. For example, boys still have to personally register for selective service at 18 (we don''t automatically sign them up).

I''m not saying it''s a good system, just surmising why it''s set up this way.
 
Date: 4/27/2010 10:39:09 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk





Date: 4/27/2010 10:03:40 AM
Author: Pandora II
All three of us are registered as donors.


They can have whatever they want of me once I'm dead... even if I end up being known as 'Freda' and being chopped up by medical students!
9.gif



None of us can be blood donors - DH has hereditary spherocystosis and I've had blood transfusions, but I donated the placenta after Daisy was born towards research (they asked me if I wanted to take it home on the consent form
23.gif
14.gif
). They couldn't use cord bloods as she may potentially have the hereditary spherocytosis.


I think Britain should have an opt-out rather than an opt-in system. I really don't understand what people have against it - and what I really despise are people who would accept an organ but not be prepared to donate.


Also I don't know about nowadays, but certainly in the past doctors used to swipe bits anyway - my father was an eye surgeon and said that corneas were often nicked as it wasn't as if anyone would find out!
23.gif
Click to expand...

We have an opt-in system here in the States as well. We're big on not making people do what they don't want to do (sic). But in all seriousness, it's to respect people's wishes for whatever reason be it religion, ethics, whatever.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your post, HH. There are many reasons that people cannot or choose not to be a donor. To say you would despise their choice is appalling. You have no idea what drives an individual's decision. If we do not have choice, we have nothing.

ETA: Evidently, my post wasn't clear. My comments were directed to Pandora, not HH. I am not debating the "fairness" of organ donation. I am giving my opinion on the word "despise." I am sorry to have involved you in this, HH.
 
It wasn''t HH that said despise.

But do you think it is acceptable to take an organ when you would refuse to donate?
 
Yes I am an organ donor. I do not know anyone that has received an organ, but I am all for it. If I am not using it why shouldnt someone else. I will even donate things while I am alive such as extra organs and marrow and that sort of thing.
 
Date: 4/27/2010 11:03:09 AM
Author: SapphireLover
It wasn''t HH that said despise.

But do you think it is acceptable to take an organ when you would refuse to donate?
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I am well aware that HH didn''t use that word. That is why I quoted the person who posted it. I repeat, you do not know why a person makes such a decision. I choose not to despise people for their choices.
 
I''m a registered organ donor. the concept is a little creepy, but really cool IMO:-)

I have a good friend who''s sister was a match and donated her kidney to her mom.

Also, my DH''s childhood BFF has had several kidney transplants.
 
Definitely in favor of donating and have had it on my d/license for 30 years.

I couldn''t bring myself to deny donation to someone else who needs what I have when I no longer need it.
 
I''m an organ donor on my license. Tho..the thought of my eyes freaks me out.
 
I''m 100% supportive of organ donation and am an organ donor.
 
donor.

mz
 
Date: 4/27/2010 11:03:09 AM
Author: SapphireLover
It wasn''t HH that said despise.


But do you think it is acceptable to take an organ when you would refuse to donate?
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No worries ladies, I knew RS wasn''t talking about me. I would NEVER judge anyone for their decision to donate or not donate.

That being said. I think it is acceptable to take an organ if you can''t donate (notice I didn''t say refuse to). Most people who refuse on the grounds of religion or ethics would most likely be opposed to receiving as well as donating. However for those people who for some reason cannot donate (genetic conditions, unrelated diseases, etc) I think it''s reasonable for them to receive even though they can''t and won''t donate. I mean, I can''t donate blood but at some point I might need to receive blood. That doesn''t make me a hypocrite.
 
I''m registered.
 
HH- I think there is a difference between can''t and won''t though. Obviously there are people who can''t due to genetics/ having had blood transfusions etc, but there are some people who choose not to donate, but would happily take an organ. Can''t and won''t are two very different things. I think Pandora was referring to people who won''t donate, not can''t donate (Pandora- correct me if I am wrong!)
 
Date: 4/27/2010 12:49:03 PM
Author: SapphireLover
HH- I think there is a difference between can't and won't though. Obviously there are people who can't due to genetics/ having had blood transfusions etc, but there are some people who choose not to donate, but would happily take an organ. Can't and won't are two very different things. I think Pandora was referring to people who won't donate, not can't donate (Pandora- correct me if I am wrong!)
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I completely understand the scenario Pandora is describing. Now I have a question for you. If someone refused to be an organ donor and, at some point in their life, they became an organ donor recipient, would you despise them? That is the issue with which I am concerned.
 
DH and I are both donors (always have been) and we''ve even decided if God forbid something happens to one of our children, we''d also donate their organs.

My FIL is not a donor and I don''t think MIL is either. They''re both super-creeped out by the whole thought and I know they struggle with their religious views about it. I don''t know that either of them would accept a donated organ and would perhaps go as far to say God wants it this way if they found out they were sick.

I don''t personally know anyone who has given or received an organ.
 
Yes I am registered.

I''ve read stories of Dr.''s pressuring families to pull a person off life support when they are organ donors any truth to that.?
 
Date: 4/26/2010 11:14:10 PM
Author:thing2of2
What are your feelings on organ donation? Are you a registered organ donor? Why or why not? Do you know anyone who has received an organ transplant? Or donated a kidney to a relative? I'm curious!
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Well, I'm not superstitious. I can't take them with me, and it seems wasteful and selfish to bury functional organs that some living person can use. I have a cousin who received a kidney. His were both damaged and failed.

can't stand the thought of someone else seeing the world 'through their eyes'
LOL! I don't mind them seeing through my eyes. But I hope they don't have any flashbacks to some of the stuff I've seem. Might scare them, lol.
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Husband and I are both donors! I have a question, can they use your eyes even if you have the worst vision in the world? I mean I'm not blind, but my eye lens prescription is pretty horrific lol

eta: I'm also on the bone marrow donation list! It is as easy as donating plasma nowadays and so many people need it!
 
RisingSun- I probably would judge them and think they were selfish. I probably wouldn't even want to be friends with somebody who would choose not to donate but in the same breath would then say that they would happily accept an organ.

I don't know if I would choose to despise them, as I don't think I despise anybody. But I would despise their decision.
 
Well, this is timely and a good reminder. I *thought* I was a donor, but I''m ashamed to say I haven''t thought about it in ages. I mean AGES. Like back when I had an old school drivers license and all you had to do was stick the pink donor dot on the california drivers license (which I did). But now I have no idea how to go about it.

*off to check out the DMV site*
 
T-Gal, they just ask you when you renew your license here in colorado :)
They also program 2 emergency phone numbers into your file in case you get in an accident, they know who to contact
They also have you registered for voting using your d-license here.
It''s a really great set up, I loooooove it :) Not to mention the shiny holograms
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Date: 4/27/2010 1:07:35 PM
Author: SapphireLover
RisingSun- I probably would judge them and think they were selfish. I probably wouldn't even want to be friends with somebody who would choose not to donate but in the same breath would then say that they would happily accept an organ.

I don't know if I would choose to despise them, as I don't think I despise anybody. But I would despise their decision.
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Thank you for your answer. I would respond differently. I would consider it their choice and their private business. I do believe in organ donation. For medical reasons, I cannot be an organ donor. I would, if I could. I cannot bring myself to despise people for their choices. We have the right to make decisions regarding our healthcare and I fully support that right.
 
Date: 4/27/2010 12:49:03 PM
Author: SapphireLover
HH- I think there is a difference between can''t and won''t though. Obviously there are people who can''t due to genetics/ having had blood transfusions etc, but there are some people who choose not to donate, but would happily take an organ. Can''t and won''t are two very different things. I think Pandora was referring to people who won''t donate, not can''t donate (Pandora- correct me if I am wrong!)
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I know I was just clarifying my perspective to avoid any miscommunication.

IMO, yes, if you refuse to give an organ I don''t think it''s right to take an organ. However, a lot of people who refuse to donate do so for philosophical reasons. This usually extends to being against receiving them as well. For the other people who are just selfish, to each his own. They''re entitled to make the decision for themselves and what I feel doesn''t matter. I would hope that the life altering experience would make them realize that donating is a good thing and they''d change their view on the subject and be a donor if possible after that.
 
Date: 4/27/2010 1:04:18 PM
Author: Smurfyimproved
Husband and I are both donors! I have a question, can they use your eyes even if you have the worst vision in the world? I mean I''m not blind, but my eye lens prescription is pretty horrific lol


eta: I''m also on the bone marrow donation list! It is as easy as donating plasma nowadays and so many people need it!
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I was under the impression that a BM transplant required a very very painful procedure involving them drilling into your pelvis/hip. Has that changed?
 
Yup! I''m an organ donor.

When I took my cat to be put to sleep, it was a very profound experience for me. I thought I''d want his body to bury or to keep his ashes. But once he was gone, he was really gone. The body was just a body - it wasn''t my cat anymore. I signed a consent for the hospital to use it for research.

So, that''s how I feel about my body. Once I''m dead, the body isn''t me anymore, so by all means, it should be put to good use!
 
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