Organ donor?

Boy this topic caught my eye!

As a lot of you know, I benefited from a living non-related kidney transplant in October of 2003! My father benefited from a cadaveric kidney transplant for 14 and 1/2 years before his death.

I am an advocate for donation awareness because of the quality of life it gave my father and for the increased quality of life it has given me! Sure I still get sick more than other people, but it sure beats being hooked to a machine every night for 10 hours (peritoneal dialysis).

I had a co-worker who was staunchly against organ donation until I needed a kidney and now she is a supporter. I believe more people would support it and even sign their donor cards if they really knew how much it really helps others!

 

I never thought much about this topic before five years ago when my mother needed a new heart because of an extreme heart attack. She got a new heart and is living well, thank God! I am now a great supporter of organ donation.

 

I have had an organ donor pledge card in my wallet since 1983. I think Robycop3 is on the money - when my body is dead I won't need the organs anymore. Bruce

 

Being an organ donor is great, but make sure your family knows your wishes because after your death they have the final say. At least it's that way in Texas.

 

The State Of Georgia gives a monetary break on drivers licenses if you sign up as an organ donor and have it listed right on your license. Our family all are willing to share what we no longer need.

 

If you feel led to donate, or to receive, more power to you.

 

Both DH and I plan on making that decision when the time comes. Most likely we will be an organ donor at that time, but we REFUSE to have it listed on our drivers license. That decision will be made by the surviving spouse/family member at that time, not by a doctor who "can't" get a hold of family and the billionaire upstairs has a better quality of life.

 

I'm not against donation per se, but this is really flawed logic and theology. Could we then say that if God were not in favor of abortion He wouldn't ever have allowed one to be successful?

 

I have declared my wishes to be an organ donor on my Indiana Driver's License. I also visited and filled out info on an Indiana website for myself. Yes, I am in favor of organ donations or organ transplants. When our past Indiana governor died, his wife mentioned that he had donated organs upon his death (that was within the past 2 years). thanks, mr. messy.

 

I have worked in healthcare for nearly 25 years as well as having watched the process from the family side when my mother received her new heart. Decisions regarding donor recipients are never made by your doctor or a recipients doctor. There is a state-wide donor recipient list and available organs go to the patient most in need. The criteria is based on many things...how ill a patient is, matching blood types, etc. What you have in your wallet is never even considered.

 

Take everything you need, I won't be needing it where I am going! Have it on my drivers license

 

I am all for organ donation; I--will talk to my family as soon as possible---about my wishes.---------

 

I am a complete organ donor as was my husband.
You'd be amazed at what is used.
Contact your local organ procurement organization to find out what they use and how valuable your gift will be to someone else when you pass on.

Places like the Organ Procurement Organization are VERY sensitive to your loss and they stay in contact with you throughout the grieving process(a year) which is helping me tremendously.

I can't take my body with me, so why not help someone else fighting to live?

 

Most of you are talking as if the organs are taken after you die. Actually, the organs are not good after you die (except the corneas, I think). They have to be removed while you are still alive.

This is why I am not an organ donor. I do not trust that if I were really borderline that they would decide it was best for me to die so they could have the heart or whatever they needed.

 

Most of you are talking as if the organs are taken after you die. Actually, the organs are not good after you die (except the corneas, I think). They have to be removed while you are still alive.
This is absolutely not true. Donor organs are removed after the patient has died.

 

Most of you are talking as if the organs are taken after you die. Actually, the organs are not good after you die (except the corneas, I think). They have to be removed while you are still alive.
This is absolutely not true. Donor organs are removed after the patient has died. </font>[/QUOTE]No, you're wrong and I'm right.

 

It all depends on what you mean by "dead" and who is defining it. The heart still needs to be beating.

Organ donation from living anencephalic infants:

 

The ethics are very tricky and sometimes questionable concerning organ donation and definition of death. That's why I posted what I did - it was obvious people posting here assume they will really be dead before an organ is taken, and that is just not true.