How Do You Feel About Organ Donation?

[Beauty Mark]

I don't care what happens to my body when I'm dead. I'm dead then. I either go away forever to heaven or hell (or some other place) or just cease to exist. When I'm dead, they can free for all it.

I think religious factors in greatly why people don't wish to donate organs. Some people may feel that their organs will be problematic (very sickly folk) or perhaps cannot; I often get condemned for not donating blood, but I'm too thin. I kid you not. You have to weigh 110 lbs at least, and I've never been close. I also think organ donation causes people to deal with death; no one likes thinking about being dead.

I think organ donation is great. I really do. I think more people should do it. However, there are a bunch of reasons people do not. I don't know anyone's true reasons. It could be conviction of the religious or moral nature. It could be health-related. It could be selfish. I think, as everything is, should be up to the individual.

 

[trip75]

I'm a donor and have been since i got my driver's license at 17.
My Dad is a 7 year kidney transplant survivor. He was lucky...my Aunt was able to donate to him. Going through this with my Dad made me realize life is too short.
To each their own, but why not? You can't use em when your gone.

 

[user79]

I was a registered organ donor in Canada when I lived there, but now I'm in Switzerland and I don't know how it works here, if you have to register and stuff. I should look into that, I def want to donate whatever I can when I die.

 

[SparklingMissy]

I was an organ donor, until i was told by a doctor when my sister passed away that if you have good organs to give to someone, they can only do so much for you when your crashing. They do weigh the option of wether you will survive when they revive you or if they should use the organs. I promise you this. I want them to do everything they can for ME first. If thats selfish, then im selfish.

 

[COBI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparklingMissy I was an organ donor, until i was told by a doctor when my sister passed away that if you have good organs to give to someone, they can only do so much for you when your crashing. They do weigh the option of wether you will survive when they revive you or if they should use the organs. I promise you this. I want them to do everything they can for ME first. If thats selfish, then im selfish.

That is just disturbing; it goes against every oath doctors take. That is nothing short of them playing God and deciding who should live. I would honestly have filed a formal complaint against any doctor/hospital making that statement.

When my sister passed away in 2005 at 33yo, her eyes and some skin were donated.

My sister passed away from cardiac arrest due to complications caused by her ongoing struggle with bulimia. Many of her organs were not suitable for donation. If you have an eating disorder, PLEASE, please get help.

 

[Beauty Mark]

I would honestly consider this as a counterargument to the idea you'll be less important if you're an organ donor.

Snopes is generally very reliable when it comes to rumors

 

[purrtykitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by COBI That is just disturbing; it goes against every oath doctors take. That is nothing short of them playing God and deciding who should live. I would honestly have filed a formal complaint against any doctor/hospital making that statement. When my sister passed away in 2005 at 33yo, her eyes and some skin were donated. My sister passed away from cardiac arrest due to complications caused by her ongoing struggle with bulimia. Many of her organs were not suitable for donation. If you have an eating disorder, PLEASE, please get help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I would honestly consider this as a counterargument to the idea you'll be less important if you're an organ donor. Snopes is generally very reliable when it comes to rumors

Letting someone die just to harvest organs would be the ultimate form of malpractice. It would leave the doctor and hospital open to liability, at the very least.

 

[pratbc]

I am a huge proponent of organ donation! So yes, I am a registered organ donor. Like many people have posted, your organs are NOT going with you when you pass, so why not use them to help others.
My good friend's partner received a heart transplant 3 years ago. If that heart had not been available when he received it, he would have passed within a few weeks. He was already on life support at the time the heart was available. So, I have been able to see before my very eyes, the gift anyone can pass on to others by becoming an organ donor.
I was personally saved earlier this year through the gift of donor blood. I required a transfusion and, without donors, I probably would not be here today.
Just my 2 cents

 

[*Stargazer*]

I always wonder, outside of people like JWs, if the people who do not want to donate organs would also not consider receiving one in the event that they needed it.

 

[sleepyhead]

i'm an organ donor. the only thing i didn't check on the donor card is donating my body for medical schools after death. 3 of my grandparents are professors in medical schools, i've seen how disrespectful some of the students are towards the bodies. i know i won't actually know or feel any of that when i'm dead, and med schools really need ppl to donate their bodies after death, but still... (i know, i'm a horrible person)

 

[purrtykitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyhead i'm an organ donor. the only thing i didn't check on the donor card is donating my body for medical schools after death. 3 of my grandparents are professors in medical schools, i've seen how disrespectful some of the students are towards the bodies. i know i won't actually know or feel any of that when i'm dead, and med schools really need ppl to donate their bodies after death, but still... (i know, i'm a horrible person)

I'm iffy on donating my body to science as well. My grandfather did and I think it is noble to do such a thing so that people can learn, but at the same time, I've also heard how med students are disrespectful (you'd think they'd take it seriously, but there are a**holes in every profession). I suppose if I'm diagnosed with some really "cool" or obscure disease, that I'd donate my body to science, but in that case, I'd really rather it go for research purposes instead of med student education.

 

[rbella]

I used to work for a company that sold medical implants. We would host tutorials/courses on our products where surgeons could practice using cadavers.

Sadly enough, I feel that these were donations gone to waste because the only reason we ever took the surgeons to do the cadaver courses was to gain their business. We were basically taking them on a fancy vacation under the umbrella of a tutorial because they already knew how to do the surgery. About 50% of the time, the surgeon would come to the tutorial, drunk from partying the night before (We always held them in Vegas), stick his hand in the cadaver for about 5 minutes and then take a certificate home for his CME. It is disgusting and the main reason I got out of the business. I would say that in 5 years during my employment, I saw about 150 cadavers at least. That doesn't include all the ones used at the many courses I didn't attend. .

Needless to say, that is the one area I will not donate to.

 

[Abbytabby]

I've been on daily medication for a while so I'm not sure what of mine would be viable but I'd definitely want to donate what I could. I wouldn't want my body to go to science though for the reasons already stated. My mother took a class where they had to work on cadavers and she mentioned that some of the males had...parts taken off.

My uncle died needing a kidney transplant and I know how terrible it was on my aunt and cousins so I'd hate thinking of someone else going through that. It amazes me still that his children refuse to be organ donors. My sister and I used to talk about it all the time and how we'd do it. Unfortunately my sister's organs couldn't be donated (she was murdered and we weren't asked, I don't know if it was because they had to perform an autopsy or not but it always makes me even sadder knowing that her final wish wasn't to be)

 

[COBI]

They performed an autopsy on my sister as well because she was so young. Timing is essential for organ donation, so if they were unable to obtain authorization, they wouldn't be able to harvest the organs. In some states, even if the person has indicated they want to be an organ donor, authorization is still needed from immediate family.

 

[Willa]

I think it's important to sign the card
I'll be dead anyway, so where's the problem...

 

[YvetteJeannine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrtykitty I believe in most states that "Donor" status doesn't mean much. The family still has the ultimate choice in approving organ donation, so theoretically the family could go against the donor's wishes and refuse to donate. Good for you for making your wishes known to your family (both my husband and I have made our wishes known to each other and our families, as well). Many people forget that part and think their "Donor" status is enough.

That is why, if one is serious about Organ Donation, and they want their wishes respected after they pass, they should get a card.

You're right...technically, the DONOR symbol on your license doesn't mean much...Doesn't seem right, but it's the truth...The next-of-kin always has the ultimate say in those matters UNLESS you get yourself a special card.

I know my husband and sisters will respect my wishes, BUT sometimes medical personelle cannot reach family straight away (and Organs need to be recovered quickly), so I went down to the Connecticut center for Organ Donation and got a card that declares my Donor status...I was told there that it is a legal document, and cannot be contested (even by next-of-kin) after death. I needed two witnesses to sign it (not family). I suppose there ARE ways for family to get around it if they really want to; but I don't think it's easy...Donors should check the laws in their state and speak with their families about how they feel.

My reccomendation to any Donor would be to get one of these card...Especially if they know their family member(s) don't believe in Donation. My feeling is that the family should always respect the decedent's wishes..no matter what they are...but we all know that doesn't always happen.

 

[dearstars]

I am an organ donor, although I don't think any of my organs are any good. So, instead, I'm donating my body to science. I'm currently trying to get on the waiting list for lungs and a liver, due to complications from cystic fibrosis. I'm 27 years old. And to also show you how sensitive this subject is for me, I have 4 friends who are alive thanks to double lung transplants, and 2 who have died because there aren't enough donors.

 

[ratmist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dearstars I am an organ donor, although I don't think any of my organs are any good. So, instead, I'm donating my body to science. I'm currently trying to get on the waiting list for lungs and a liver, due to complications from cystic fibrosis. I'm 27 years old. And to also show you how sensitive this subject is for me, I have 4 friends who are alive thanks to double lung transplants, and 2 who have died because there aren't enough donors.

*hugs*

 

[liv]

I am a donor, although I would rather be dissected for transplants, and not in a cadaver lab. I've spoken with professors and I've been told that the majority of bodies donated are elderly people whose organs are not salvageable for donation.

I don't have a donor card, but both of my parents are very aware that I want whatever they can salvage to be donated, skin, eyes, whatever.
ETA: I have to admit skin donation used to creep me out and I wasn't sure whether I would be okay with it, but then I saw a special on TLC with US Soldiers who have lost half of their faces or have severe burns down their arms and chests, and now I absolutely believe in skin donation. Just watching them makes me want to cry.

This reminds me...I need to go donate blood soon. =]

 

[Kuuipo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparklingMissy I was an organ donor, until i was told by a doctor when my sister passed away that if you have good organs to give to someone, they can only do so much for you when your crashing. They do weigh the option of wether you will survive when they revive you or if they should use the organs. I promise you this. I want them to do everything they can for ME first. If thats selfish, then im selfish.

He was not a very good doctor. When someone is in crisis the medical team does everything they can to save a life-it doesn't matter if your brains are leaking out, if you are homeless, if you are old, if you are a criminal, or if you have no insurance. All that is not considered. Everyone is someone's son or daughter or mom or dad or brother or sister.
They don't look at your donor card. That is immaterial, so is your insurance. Medical professionals do not solicit for organs, the organ donation society does. I've worked trauma, ER, OR, etc, and have watched this senario thousands of times over the last two decades.