What Do You Think About Donating Your Organs After Death?

Amy SF

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Just what the title says.

Has anyone signed a living will, donating your body parts for transplant after you die? Thinking about it? Planning to leave your body to science? Does your drivers license designate you as an organ donor?

I work at a rehabilitation hospital, and the idea for this thread popped into my head yesterday. A lot of the patients at the hospital are victims of gun violence and motor vehicle accidents, so many of them have had organ transplants. I'm sure they are more than grateful to the people who donated their organs so that strangers could get a second chance at life.
 
I've never really thought about it. As I'd be dead I don't suppose I'd care any which way. My relatives that outlive me could sell my body to cannibals if they wanted, though I'm not sure the money would be worth the effort.
 
I have a donor card but I think they would still have to get the permission of my next of kin. Actually I'm not sure, I should probably look into it.
 
I like the idea but it freaks me out that part of me will be yanked out...even though Id be dead.
Also a good question I was asked...'would you state only veg*ns could have your donated organ?'
 
My husband believes that if I have "donor" marked on my Medicare card (which I do), then in a life or death situation, some doctors wouldn't do as much as they can to save my life. I'm torn on the issue, since I do want to save other lives if I die, but if I am not of mind to speak for myself, then my husband can say no if he likes.

Maybe, to satisfy his concern, I should list myself as a non-donor, and if/when I die, then hubby can decide to donate my organs.

I really won't care at that point, I'll be dead.
 
I'm not an organ donor yet but only because I've been too lazy to figure out how to become one, it's a project for a rainy day.
 
I'm listed as a donor on my drivers license as well. I like the idea that others will get a second chance from something I no longer need. I wish I could designate only veg*ns, but they said that isn't an option.
 
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My husband believes that if I have "donor" marked on my Medicare card (which I do), then in a life or death situation, some doctors wouldn't do as much as they can to save my life. I'm torn on the issue, since I do want to save other lives if I die, but if I am not of mind to speak for myself, then my husband can say no if he likes.

I worry about this, too, however irrational it may be. It is not supposed to ever happen of course but I have worked in hospitals and watched enough real-life medical shows to know the younger a patient is, the harder the staff tries to save them. So if my organs could save a couple kids or young adults . . . yeah probably doesn't happen but I still wonder. I'd rather my dead carcass go to feed starving, carnivorous animals somewhere anyway. Feed me to the wolves or the big cats! :p
 
A third-party company deals with the organ donation, so the staff taking care of the critically injured patient doesn't know or care if he's an organ donor or not. So I wouldn't worry about a "slow code" or any plot to get your organs. Although I completely understand the mistrust, and I definitely understand the creepiness factor of your heart or liver in someone else!

I'm an organ donor and on the bone marrow list. When my dad died of leukemia, I'd already been on the bone marrow donor list for years, but he was not a candidate anyway. :(
 
Oh it's not an irrational fear at all.

My uncle had a stroke, and his prognosis was excellent. Until they learned he had no insurance. Then all of a sudden he had zero chance of recovery, but if my aunt was willing to let them have his liver and his eyeballs they wouldn't charge her anything. She stood to lose her home if she had been billed for the little they had already done for my uncle, so she agreed. And they didn't wait for him to die before they harvested his organs. They took them while he was still alive and then they took him off life support.

:( that's just awful.
 
I heard a surgeon on the radio who had been interviewing people about their near death experiences (after being declared clinically dead in a hospital, and then regaining consciousness). He said that one person who had been declared clinically dead recalled (correctly) hearing people trying to get the family to donate the person's organs, and they refused. Then the person regained consciousness.
 
Oh it's not an irrational fear at all.

My uncle had a stroke, and his prognosis was excellent. Until they learned he had no insurance. Then all of a sudden he had zero chance of recovery, but if my aunt was willing to let them have his liver and his eyeballs they wouldn't charge her anything. She stood to lose her home if she had been billed for the little they had already done for my uncle, so she agreed. And they didn't wait for him to die before they harvested his organs. They took them while he was still alive and then they took him off life support.

That's awful. They keep donors on life support until after the donation though because once the heart stops, the other organs soon die. But still awful nonetheless that his prognosis changed based on ability to pay. :(
 
I heard a surgeon on the radio who had been interviewing people about their near death experiences (after being declared clinically dead in a hospital, and then regaining consciousness). He said that one person who had been declared clinically dead recalled (correctly) hearing people trying to get the family to donate the person's organs, and they refused. Then the person regained consciousness.

They shouldn't be taking any organs until brain death is confirmed, but they are like freaking vultures, circling and waiting. I've seen it enough, including when my aunt died of metastatic cancer. Like any of her organs would be usable.

The more I think about it, the more I want my carcass tossed to the lions.
 
Oh it's not an irrational fear at all.

My uncle had a stroke, and his prognosis was excellent. Until they learned he had no insurance. Then all of a sudden he had zero chance of recovery, but if my aunt was willing to let them have his liver and his eyeballs they wouldn't charge her anything. She stood to lose her home if she had been billed for the little they had already done for my uncle, so she agreed. And they didn't wait for him to die before they harvested his organs. They took them while he was still alive and then they took him off life support.

That is...terrible.