Organ Donation is a State of Mind
I’ve been thinking a lot about organ donation lately and a story on MSNBC about a mom hoping to have a hand transplant hit home. I am not an organ donor, nor am I prepared to say I want to be one. But I am not sure why. Why do I hesitate at the chance to give someone else the opportunity to, in some cases, live? What the hell is wrong with me?
When I do think about what organs I would be willing to donate, should I change my mind, I immediately think about things that are inside my body — things that no one would be able to tell went missing. That seems to bother me less. Well, except my heart; I am not so sure I would be willing to let that go. But then I think, really, if a doctor took my heart (after I am already, of course, utterly and completely dead) and gave it to someone who needed it, why should that bother me? I am not going to need it anymore… or will I?
Jerry Orbach donated his eyes. His eyes! How will he see? Okay, obviously he is dead, he won’t need them anymore… so why am I having so much trouble with this?
How do I get past this silly feeling I have of violation? If I am dead, I’m dead, right?
Latest posts by Amy Boshnack (Posts)
- Can someone please clean my balls? - September 24, 2010
- Amusement park ride death freaks me out - July 1, 2010
- Child lies about getting raped… for candy - May 14, 2010
- Justin Bieber doesn’t know what “German” means? - May 7, 2010
- Yankee baseball is causing a war in my house - April 16, 2010
Print This Post
I actually think about this often. I can honestly say one of the main reasons I fear signing the back of my license is because I worry that if I end up in an ER one day and I am on the brink, a little less effort may be put in to save my life b/c I am an organ donor. From what I undersand, organ donors do not come around regularly. I know it sounds crazy, but stories fly around. Another reason I worry is because I was always told growing up that b/c I am Jewish, I can not be an organ donor. The body can not be touched, even embalmed in the Jewish religion. But then again, I have tattoo’s… so how ridiculous and hypocritical am I? Maybe we should talk about it over a cocktail some time soon?
I am an organ donor- they can take everything and spread it around. I thought about adding my implants to the list on the back of my license because, well, they were expensive. And why not give another flat chested, AAA cup chick a chance to shop for a something other than an inflated bra.
Sign your license and save some lives. April is organ donor month so I’ll be checking in w/ you about this then.
I’m just the opposite. I am an organ donor, but what I worry about is the cost effectiveness of transplants. Even for medical procedures, they’re incredibly expensive, and we live in a society where some of the recipients of multiple(!) organ transplants are already 3,000 years old. Meanwhile, people die because they can’t afford simple vaccines. Someday, I might take advantage of those organ-by-organ options to limit my generosity to kidneys, eyes, and skin.
(And, Jaclyn, go talk to a rabbi. Saving a life is a huge mitzvah, and from reform to orthodox, the rabbis are all donors.)
If you’re unwilling to be an organ donor, then you should refuse to accept a transplant should you ever need one.
About 50% of the organs transplanted in America go to people who haven’t agreed to donate their own organs when they die. As long as we let non-donors jump to the front of the waiting list if they need a transplant we’ll always have an organ shortage.
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage — give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren’t willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at http://www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.
Dave, I wasn’t aware of that statistic and I agree with you; others who are willing to donate should be moved up on the list. Although, however unfair it may be, I would never refuse a transplant if I needed one. You have made me look at this is a different way though. Thank you!
This is all very interesting.
Dave – I agree that organ donors should be at the top of the transplant lists. How does prioritizing work when it comes to a child? Obviously they can’t be an organ donor… can they? Should it fall to the parents?
Carrie – I think its wonderful that you’re offering up your “lady lumps.”
Matt – My Grandmother is going to get an earful from me today!
I asked a friend that is an Orthodox Jew what the “rules” were when it comes to organ donation. The conversation went on for some time, and he just sent me an article that gives some interesting information and raises some interesting points.
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/635401/jewish/Organ-Donation.htm
My three-year-old niece was killed in a car accident years ago and the doctors were able to donate her skin. As horrible as it was, it really does help knowing she was able to help someone. As for me, I’ll be donating everything and the leftovers can be cremated – ashes blown off a mountain somewhere.
Interesting discussion! I can tell you that being in the healthcare field, every institution I have worked for has strongly encouraged organ donation. Every time a patient donated an organ- it warmed my heart to know that they lived on within someone else & that one of their final accomplishments in life was to give life to another person. There is no greater gift than the gift of life. For all those that are reluctant to sign the back of their license, I encourage to at least have a healthcare proxy or living will & to make your end of life wishes known to your loved ones (irregardless of your age)…because we all know how unpredictable life can be.
Next month is donor and tissue awareness month. It should be considered donor “BEWARE” month.
I am a former musculoskeletal tissue recovery technician for a multimillion dollar non-profit agency that I will not name.
I worked in this medical field for 5 years and I have first hand knowledge of what really goes on during the tissue procurement process.
The hard facts are:
Your deceased loved-one is not always treated with the dignity and respect they deserve during the procurement process.
I have seen young, inexperieced techs, laugh and make fun of obese donors.
laugh and make fun of donors who were over or under endowed in certain areas of their body’s anatomy.
drop naked donor bodies off the operating table and consider it funny.
Use surgical objects to probe areas of the body (for fun) that they have no reason to go anywhere near.
Drop donor tissue to the dirty morgue floor and ship it to the tissue processing department when the tissue should have been discarded.
And even more acts of unethical, immoral, and disgusting behavior.
I attempted to report this type of unprofessional behavior to senior management and there was no investigation regarding these allegations for fear of these types of incidents becoming public knowledge.
I am no longer a recovery technician, and I, nor any member of my family, will donate organs or tissue because of this one unscrupulous agency.
Pick your donor organization well and good luck.
Stella.