Be an organ donor.

Published on October 26, 2004 By dharmagrl In Health & Medicine

I saw a wonderful image this morning.

A picture of a little boy, holding a stethescope to the chest of an elderly man, listening.

Listening to the beat of his father's heart within that elderly man's chest.

The boys father had been killed, and his organs had been donated. The man who got his heart had been told earlier the day of the transplant that unless a heart became available soon he wouldn't be strong enough to withstand the surgery.

Miraculously, later that day, he got a heart.

One person's tragedy became another person's salvation. I like how that works.

I've been a recipient of donated tissue. I had a surgery a couple of years ago to repair the damage my monster-baby son did to me when he was being born, and my surgeon used pieces of cadaveric skin. I may be the recipient of more donor tissue soon - the spinal fusion surgery I might be eligible for sometimes utilizes donor bone.

But you know, you don't have to die to donate. You can donate some organs and live to tell the tale. Kidneys and bone marrow are the most common, but you can give part of a liver, pancreas, intestine and even a lobe of your lung and still live happily afterwards. You don't have to die to help someone else.

I'm an organ donor. It says so on my drivers' license, and my family and my friends all know that if, when I die, there's any part of me that could be salvaged and used to help someone else....well, I want to help them.

I'm an organ donor. Are you?

For more information on organ donation, please go to :Link

Comments

BlueDev

on Oct 26, 2004

A noble cause Dharma. I have been for years. As you mentioned though, it is important to let people know, and not just put it on your driver's license. That can often not be enough.

MarcieMoo

on Oct 26, 2004

K~

I had a dilemma when I got my driver's license when I turned 16. I didn't know whether to check that box or not...I thought that maybe religiously, there might be something wrong with that...interfering with the "course of things" or whatever.

But my "second mom"...my Sunday school teacher for years, helped guide me through that process of deciding. And...I chose to check that box to be a donor. And now, I know personally what a difference it makes.

My uncle (my father's brother) was accidentally shot in the head on our family's farm while they were butchering pigs in October of 2002...today is the 2 year anniversary of his death, as a matter of fact. He was pronounced brain dead within a matter of hours, and my aunt made the very courageous decision in the face of tragedy to donate his organs. As far as I know...the doctors took everything that they considered of use, and I'm glad they did.

My aunt has received letters upon letters from people around the midwest who received my uncle's lungs, heart, kidneys, cartiledge, etc., thanking her for the gifts of life they received...

I loved my uncle, and I miss him every day, but I'm *SO* glad that other families are functioning normally today because of my aunt's and uncle's gift.

dharmagrl

on Oct 26, 2004

it is important to let people know, and not just put it on your driver's license. That can often not be enough.

Exactly. You have to make sure that someone knows what you want, and you have to be clear about it. All too often people who have the organ donation box checked on their DVL have their wishes over-ridden by their relatives who...just because the person didn't speak to them and make it plain that they wanted to be an organ donor.

If you have advanced directives or a 'living will' it's a good idea to specify in there that you want to be a donor.....and also which organs you're willing to donate.

I'm thinking about registering as a bone marrow donor.

dharmagrl

on Oct 26, 2004

Marcie,

First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. Secondly, I'm glad that your aunt made the choice to donate. As you said, a bunch of people are benefiting from your uncle and aunt's generosity....they have made a real difference in someone's life.

I'd like to ask anyone who isn't a donor this question: If you came across a car accident whilst you were driving down a lonely road, would you stop and help?

Texas Wahine

on Oct 26, 2004

I think it's wonderful for you to be promoting organ donation, dharma!

I'm also a donor.

As you mentioned though, it is important to let people know, and not just put it on your driver's license. That can often not be enough.

If you have advanced directives or a 'living will' it's a good idea to specify in there that you want to be a donor.....and also which organs you're willing to donate

Those are both excellent points. I think often people don't realize that you can specify which organs you would want to donate.

Great blog idea, dharma.

SSG Geezer

on Oct 26, 2004

The Army is even giving out info on Living wills now.
and yes i am, my family knows it,(just make sure I am very unlikely to recover) And I am registered for marrow donation.. Hey it only takes one little vial to register.

dharmagrl

on Oct 26, 2004

I think often people don't realize that you can specify which organs you would want to donate

Yes, people seem to think that if you donate one, you donate all.....and that's not the case. You can choose what you want to give. There used to be a time when I didn't want to donate my eyes...and I made sure that people knew it! Now, however...I'm not sure that there will be a lot left of me to cremate once I'm done giving things away!

Geez: I really want to register, but I'm not sure that they'll let me. I'm not allowed to donate blood because I lived in the UK - last i heard there was a moratorium on people who had resided there dontaing blood. I don't know if that applies to bone marrow as well...I'll have to go find out.

apdelong31

on Oct 26, 2004

Organ donor right here! I don't know how I'll help, either with research (I wouldn't mind having my body donated to science), saving a life, etc.

dharmagrl

on Oct 26, 2004

Reply By: apdelong31Posted: Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Organ donor right here

Good for you!!!

I wouldn't mind having my body donated to science

My dad is doing that. He's had so many surgeries and so much stuff go wrong with him that he's decided to donate his body to Oxford University. He told my mum to take the money he'd got stashed away for a funeral and go have a party on him at the local pub.

lifehappens

on Oct 27, 2004

I'm a donor too. I'd hate to be so selfish in death (when I REALLY don't need that heart anymore) that I could withhold it from someone who was alive.....

oleteach

on Oct 27, 2004

Who says you don't care? You care about the right things, at least in my humble opionion.

dharmagrl

on Oct 27, 2004

I'd hate to be so selfish in death (when I REALLY don't need that heart anymore) that I could withhold it from someone who was alive.....

Exactly. I'm not going to be using them, so why shouldn't someone else have them?

Oleteach: Thank you!!!

Silver_and_Jade_Tears

on Oct 27, 2004

One warning... my relative is an emergency attendent, or an ambulance dude, to put in his son's words. He warned our family NOT to put down on their drivers license that they are donors. He said that the doctors wouldn't try as hard to save your life were something to happen, just so they could have your hearts, etc. I am not sure how true this is, but all the same, I don't have it on my license. Just in case.

I am a doner, yes. It is in my will, (which I just had drawn up

) and my family knows it. But I want every chance at life I can get.

island_gurl12

on Nov 01, 2004

Very instructive article. thanks for posting it. Lets all be donators

island_gurl12

on Nov 01, 2004

donators???? haha! i meant donors! gee i am really tired!

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