Is anyone an organ donor?

[Jessica]

I'm an organ donor, and I agree with Harty... DH is a paramedic and I'm pretty sure he's not checking licenses before deciding if he should give complete medical care or not. If what your nutritionist is saying is truth, sounds like she knows some shady dr's. Most of the docs I know are in favor of organ donation.

[1elephant]

i am. i wouldn't have it any other way. my cousin, who is now 19, has had 3 heart transplants. i can't see getting different medical care b/c i'm a donor tho...like someone said, isn't that incredibly unethical?

i just don't want them to take my eyes. that grosses me out.

[JHarwood2Be]

I don't get where she got that from either. I have been a transplant nurse for a few years and have witnessed the benefits of kidney and liver transplants. I think it is difficult to meet the criteria for donation and most donors are from those taken off life support. So attempt for treatment has been made. I agree with Harty, she sounds a little crazy!

[EricaG]

I am an organ donor as is my Mom and we are both nurses. There have been nurmerous times that the ambulance comes in with patients that have coded or been in an accident and they are being worked on, and we don'e even know their name, unless we recognize them (we are in a small town). After things calm down medically or the patient's passing has been called, then we have gone through pockets looking for ID. Otherwise if there is an accident, sometimes the RCMP will look for ID while the medics are getting the patient ready for transport if there is no one else to identify them.

 

As for your nutritionalist, I am curious as to how see has been around to witness medical staff not working hard to save someone's life so they can donate? I know we don't tend to have nutritionalists in the ER with us when we have a trauma patient come in. And like it was mentioned, if the medical staff don't do their job to save you, and they let you die, then chances of your organs being used for transplant are very unlikely.

[Sarah]

I am RN, here's my take...

 

There are definitely some "urban legends" about organ donation and the darker side of organ harvesting. I remember my mom reading a book about it when I was a teenager and freaking me out- basically saying the same stuff that your nutritionist is telling you.

 

Here's the thing: if someone's life is in jeopardy, medical professionals are obligated to try to save their life until the very end- exhaustive measures are taken. People are often coded for close to an hour or so after they are technically "dead". No one is looking to see if they're an organ donor, and even IF they are- that doesn't give anyone a reason to stop trying to revive a person. Now, on the flip side of that, there are such things as DNR orders and instances where people would have very little medical intervention or life-saving measures taken. These are VOLUNTARY and people make those decisions long before they're in a situation which requires life or death decision-making. I personally do not every want to be on life support and do not want extensive measures taken to prolong my life. I love living, but I am also not scared to die. My family thinks I'm very selfish to have taken this stance, but it's my personal decision. I will donate my organs, and all of my body to science- I want my body to go to a university where it can be studied and used for educational purposes. Why not? When I'm dead I'm dead, and I sure don't care. So if perhaps I were to get in a horrible car accident tomorrow, and be on life support my husband has the paperwork to have that discontinued. Now, on the outside, if someone didn't know my situation, they might think that not everything was being done so that they could harvest my organs (btw- it's best if the person isn't completely dead when organ harvesting begins- only "brain dead" - they can use soooo much more that way); when actually everything has been done just as I've requested and my final wishes are being carried out.

 

I think people just love conspiracy theories, and this is one of them.

[jajajaja]

My mom wants her body donated to science too Sarah. She's terrified of the thought of being burried alive so I guess her rationale is to donate it to science. I dunno- if wasn't technically dead I don't know if I would want someone cutting me up either. She's funny.

 

Anyways, I think it's wonderful that people sign up to donate. So many lives could be saved and I like knowing that I could potentially save someone.

[Sarah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LC_Rachel My mom wants her body donated to science too Sarah. She's terrified of the thought of being burried alive so I guess her rationale is to donate it to science. I dunno- if wasn't technically dead I don't know if I would want someone cutting me up either. She's funny.

Rachel you crack me up. Ummm yeah, i want to be good and dead when they start chopping me up...lol

[Davematthews16]

No offense, but I would change nutritionalists. That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Unfortunetely you cannot predict anyone's ethics (whether it be a surgeon, teacher, or priest or EMT) but for someone to tell you they put your life on the line for a donor card is CRAZY. My sister is a cop and an EMT and trust me, in a life or death situation the LAST thing they are concerned with is digging around to see if you are a donor or not. I am ABSOLUTELY a donor!!!!!!!! Good luck chica

[rodent]

It's really unfortunate that urban legends like this exist. There was a novel written in the 80s that may have spurred these rumors.

 

I'm a donor. I agree with sarah. When I die they can use every piece of me to do some sort of good with.

[ehegwer]

I am a donor.

 

I'm pretty sure that Doctors will do whatever they can to help you when you are in the hospital ignoring any donor card info. But once they have done all they can, and your time is up, I feel like it is a wonderful way to help others.

 

E