Organ Donation

MarkyMark22 · 16-02-2013 01:26AM

Would anybody become a full body donor?

The bodies exhibition can put me in their coach potato section..

Lingua Franca · 16-02-2013 01:28AM

MarkyMark22 wrote: »

Would anybody become a full body donor?

The bodies exhibition can put me in their coach potato section..

Even that wouldn't bother me at all, but I think it might bother my kids. If my remains can be put to good use then I'd prefer that but if not they're under instruction to get what's left down to urn size. But I suspect they might be irked at not knowing what's happening to my body.

MarkyMark22 · 16-02-2013 01:29AM

Could the lack of organ donors be a religious thing?

Maybe people don't want to be kidneyless in heaven or think they'll be hovering over the doctor watching the dissection..

Seachmall · 16-02-2013 01:30AM

MarkyMark22 wrote: »

Would anybody become a full body donor?

The bodies exhibition can put me in their coach potato section..

I've advised my family that I want my body to go to science. They're not a big fan of the idea (they'd prefer to bury me) but understand. At the same time I haven't filled out any legal work to do it (I think you need to but I'm not sure).

Jesus, this is a depressing conversation.

Edit - You do need to fill out legal work. For anyone interested.

squod · 16-02-2013 01:30AM

kitten_k wrote: »

I agree that not everybody is suitable but my point is that it should be a doctor that decides that.

From my experience, I disagree. Would you buy a second hand car without test driving it? If the previous owner told you it was fairly wonky would you trust it for everyday use?

MarkyMark22 · 16-02-2013 01:32AM

Lingua Franca wrote: »

Even that wouldn't bother me at all, but I think it might bother my kids. If my remains can be put to good use then I'd prefer that but if not they're under instruction to get what's left down to urn size. But I suspect they might be irked at not knowing what's happening to my body.

I did a quick google if the topic and came across a guy in another forum who's mother was a full body donator in America. He said he was kept informed for a few months of her whereabouts. And some of the receivers even got in touch with him..

Maybe different here, however.

The Big Red Button · 16-02-2013 01:32AM

elfy4eva wrote: »

Ahh a lota people cringe at the thought of their eyes being touched.
Kidney and liver and heart we can deal with
cos we eat the animal equivalents of them.

What if you told tomorrow that your corneas were diseased and you were going blind - but your sight could be saved by a corneal transplant. A relatively straight-forward procedure, that could be done immediately - as soon as a suitable donor was found. In the meantime, your sight would deteriorate rapidly. If a suitable donor wasn't found within a certain limited timeframe, a transplant would not be possible.

I'm sure you'd soon get over the ickiness and cringiness of your eyes being touched (and operated on), if it meant having your sight saved.

It just seems so wasteful and sad that patients are left waiting for suitable organs - and often die while still on the waiting list - when perfectly healthy donors are there.

If a person's organs are suitable for donation, chances are that they've died before their time, often unexpectedly. But, by allowing donation of your organs (and ensuring that your family are aware of your wishes), you may prevent the same happening to one or more other people.

Lingua Franca · 16-02-2013 01:33AM

MarkyMark22 wrote: »

Could the lack of organ donors be a religious thing?

Maybe people don't want to be kidneyless in heaven or think they'll be hovering over the doctor watching the dissection..

Only in small part. The fact is, most people are unsuitable to donate anyway due to their manner of death, and the distraught families of the few who are must give permission when they're in deep distress and despair. I couldn't blame devastated parents, for example, point blank refusing to even consider donating their child's organs.

elfy4eva · 16-02-2013 01:33AM

MarkyMark22 wrote: »

Would anybody become a full body donor?

The bodies exhibition can put me in their coach potato section..

Depends on who I get donated too, wudnt mind being the dissolved fella from Bodies showing all his blood vessels.

Don't think i'd opt to be a Learning cadaver though
All the 1st year surgeons wud be makin fun of me willy.

Miss Lockhart · 16-02-2013 01:36AM

I'd like to see an opt out system and relatives unable to overrule your wishes.

I'm willing to donate bone marrow now but I would only consider a kidney for a close friend or relative. Once I'm gone they can have what they like.

MarkyMark22 · 16-02-2013 01:37AM

I've read that if the person dying is an organ donor they can/will keep them alive on a life support whilst contacting local people who are in need of an organ to come to the hospital.

I find that slightly strange, some guy said they kept his mother alive for a few days after a brain aneurysm.

MarkyMark22 · 16-02-2013 01:39AM

Out of curiosity, can donating an organ whilst still fit and healthy be detrimental to your own health?

elfy4eva · 16-02-2013 01:40AM

atheists ate my baby wrote: »

What if you told tomorrow that your corneas were diseased and you were going blind - but your sight could be saved by a corneal transplant. A relatively straight-forward procedure, that could be done immediately - as soon as a suitable donor was found. In the meantime, your sight would deteriorate rapidly. If a suitable donor wasn't found within a certain limited timeframe, a transplant would not be possible.

I'm sure you'd soon get over the ickiness and cringiness of your eyes being touched (and operated on), if it meant having your sight saved.

It just seems so wasteful and sad that patients are left waiting for suitable organs - and often die while still on the waiting list - when perfectly healthy donors are there.

If a person's organs are suitable for donation, chances are that they've died before their time, often unexpectedly. But, by allowing donation of your organs (and ensuring that your family are aware of your wishes), you may prevent the same happening to one or more other people.

Again I totally agree you should read my subsequent post I was merely pointing out the reasoning as to why people in particular find it hard to opt for their corneas in relation to other organs. This is the way real people react when they see "Corneas" on their donation card.

You are of course entirely correct however in that people need these transplants and that we all in hindsight would have vastly different feelings were we the ones who needed it.

Seachmall · 16-02-2013 01:40AM

MarkyMark22 wrote: »

I've read that if the person dying is an organ donor they can/will keep them alive on a life support whilst contacting local people who are in need of an organ to come to the hospital.

I find that slightly strange, some guy said they kept his mother alive for a few days after a brain aneurysm.

You're alive in the medical sense but not alive in the true sense. You're brain dead, they just use a machine to help pump oxygenated blood around the body to stop your organs breaking down. (They probably "feed" you too to prevent breakdown as well.)

It's kind of like giving CPR to a corpse while shoving a big mac down it's throat.

MarkyMark22 · 16-02-2013 01:43AM

Seachmall wrote: »

You're alive in the medical sense but not alive in the true sense. You're brain dead, they just use a machine to help pump oxygenated blood around the body to stop your organs breaking down. (They probably "feed" you too to prevent breakdown as well.)

It's kind of like giving CPR to a corpse while shoving a big mac down it's throat.

Haha, I meant I find it slightly weird if it was a loved one being kept "alive" for a few days afterward..

Gongoozler · 16-02-2013 01:47AM

Surely something that would help hugely in this regard would be if they were to take advantage of the possibility of transplanting the organs of late stage aborted fetuses. Apparently studies have shown that the organs of further-developed fetuses will very quickly grow to a functioning size when transplanted.

fussyonion · 16-02-2013 02:12AM

I used to think I didn't want anyone having any part of me.
If I was dead, then nobody else was going to benefit from my demise, but that was so selfish.

I also got a reality check when a family member almost died waiting for a transplant and I had to see her in a ward with her husband and children, basically waiting to die.

Fortunately, she got her transplant, but it made my think. Why was I objecting to donating my organs?

I would have absolutely no use for them when I died, so why shouldn't someone get my organs if it meant keeping them alive and living a long and healthy life with their family and friends?

Put yourself in the position of that mother/father/sister in hospital waiting for a transplant and basically preparing to DIE when someone's tick of a box on an organ donation form would easily end her/his suffering.

CollardGreens · 16-02-2013 04:39AM

Nobodies getting nothin, I'm not going to die ~ y'all go ahead and be my guest and die all you want too but nope, not me!

1ZRed · 16-02-2013 04:45AM

I'm definitely going to be an organ donor as me kicking the bucket could potentially mean that my organs would go on to save or improve the lives of many people. That alone would be reason enough for me.

I also would've really liked to donate blood regularly, but that's ruled out.

Sofiztikated · 16-02-2013 04:58AM

I'm not allowed to give blood, due to operations and blood transfusions that I've had.

I must get on the donor list, I've no real need for them after I die.

On a side note, I tried talking to herself a while ago about what I want done when I die, and she got really upset. I think it was the "Put me in the compost bin" that might have done it though.

16-02-2013 11:53AM

I won't get too involved in this thread as it's a very emotive subject for me, but yes, I would like my organs to be donated if possible when I die.

mattjack · 16-02-2013 11:58AM

I'm preparing to donate an organ in about a months time.

Its this one . http://www.google.ie/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&tbo=d&authuser=0&biw=800&bih=485&tbm=isch&tbnid=es7vhK0YY9taiM:&imgrefurl=http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4764113/k.C903/Organs.htm&docid=Yo9uEVtfdfcjNM&imgurl=http://www.nationalshrine.com/atf/cf/%25257BB0534716-4524-407D-A065-B68C4BFCB4BE%25257D/Crypt%252520Church%252520Organ.JPG&w=1498&h=1908&ei=JWYfUaWeGMTNhAfGkoHoCQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:2,s:0,i:122&iact=rc&dur=1062&sig=101514873492788278823&page=1&tbnh=188&tbnw=153&start=0&ndsp=8&tx=130&ty=75

16-02-2013 12:04PM

They can have whatever they want, and I think it should be opt-out.

My only exception is skin/fat/whatever for elective cosmetic reasons. Burn victims etc can help themselves, but I don't want anyone sucking the fat out of my dead ass to inject into the lips of old biddies for profit.

squod · 16-02-2013 12:05PM

mattjack wrote: »

I'm preparing to donate an organ in about a months time.

Its this one . http://www.google.ie/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&tbo=d&authuser=0&biw=800&bih=485&tbm=isch&tbnid=es7vhK0YY9taiM:&imgrefurl=http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4764113/k.C903/Organs.htm&docid=Yo9uEVtfdfcjNM&imgurl=http://www.nationalshrine.com/atf/cf/%25257BB0534716-4524-407D-A065-B68C4BFCB4BE%25257D/Crypt%252520Church%252520Organ.JPG&w=1498&h=1908&ei=JWYfUaWeGMTNhAfGkoHoCQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:2,s:0,i:122&iact=rc&dur=1062&sig=101514873492788278823&page=1&tbnh=188&tbnw=153&start=0&ndsp=8&tx=130&ty=75

That's a really big one. Are you sure you can even fit it in?

16-02-2013 12:08PM

Gongoozler wrote: »

Surely something that would help hugely in this regard would be if they were to take advantage of the possibility of transplanting the organs of late stage aborted fetuses. Apparently studies have shown that the organs of further-developed fetuses will very quickly grow to a functioning size when transplanted.

You might run the risk of creating a situation where pregnancies are carried and terminated, perhaps even under duress, simply to provide material for transplant.

TheRealSquishy · 16-02-2013 12:22PM

My uncle needed a kidney transplant, his body rejected it and he died at 19 anyway but we appreciate what it means to get an organ and all of my family are hoping to donate if possible.

He died from multi organ failure so none of his major organs were of any use for donation but they did donate his corneas which still bothers a few people in my family as they think he wont have been able to see his way into heaven, lucky his donor hadn't the same attitude! He gave sight to 2 people that would otherwise have gone blind and now that my friend needs a cornea transplant its really humbling to see the difference his would have made.

yellowlabrador · 16-02-2013 12:23PM

This is a video I made for my friend for the 15th anniversary of his liver transplant

mikemac1 · 16-02-2013 12:34PM

No problem with organ donation

But no way am I going to a medical school to be used as practice by hungover rookie medical students

elfy4eva wrote: »

All the 1st year surgeons wud be makin fun of me willy.

There's that too

Ava_e · 16-02-2013 12:54PM

They can harvest me for my organs, and let the worms have a nice meal on the left overs. No point in letting anything go to waste

I really think it should be an opt out system, a simple box you tick on your drivers licence could save so many lifes.
An interesting statistic, in your lifetime you are more likely to need an organ donation, than become an organ donor ( even if you had consented to donation before your death ).

Also think the of donation of a healthy kidney to those in dire need should be made an easy straightforward option for those willing to give.

Medusa22 · 16-02-2013 12:57PM

There are a lot of misconceptions around organ donation. I have Cystic Fibrosis so my lungs and some other organs are fecked (and one day I will need a lung transplant) BUT I still have a donor card and there will be something that they can take when I die.

Maybe my heart, kidneys, liver etc (and I take loads of medication). Smokers lungs are often donated and so are organs from people in their 70s or 80s.

If you need a transplant you are in a pretty dire situation and the doctors will decide if the organs are good enough, so definitely get a card - even if you think that nothing will be useful, I'm sure one of your organs will. 50% of people die waiting on the transplant list because of the shortage of donor organs so having a donor card is something that I think everyone should have, I'm a firm believer in the opt out system.

Some people might be against organ donation for whatever reason, and although I don't understand it I think the main problem is that people think they can't donate for whatever reason or it doesn't occur to them to get a card.

Organ Donation

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