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Organ donation


PrairieMom wrote: I was watching yesterday's Oprah show and she was talking about organ donation. It really got me thinking.
How many of us are donors? and anyone out there really opposed to it? Thought it might make for an interesting topic of discussion.

PrairieMom replied: I will answer first.
I am a donor, as is my DH, and God Forbid, my children as well. I have worked with transplant teams a lot in the hospital, so I have seen it in action. I would never not consider donating.
I have talked with my family, everyone, my parents, inlaws and everything about it, so IF the time comes, they won't have to wonder. thumb.gif

mckayleesmom replied: I am.....however...I feel horrible for saying this...but I have told my husband not to let them take my eyes...

I know I won't need them anymore, but just the thought of them taking them creeps me out....and on the other hand it makes me feel bad cause a person who needs them could someday see with them.

Calimama replied: I am and DH is.

mckayleesmom replied: I watched that on Oprah yesterday too Tara.

bawoodsmall replied:
Me too. Dh knows the eyes are staying. It totally freaks me out that I wont have any eyes. How weird. emlaugh.gif

holley79 replied: I am a donor.

PrairieMom replied:
thats fair. Its a personal choice. Did you know that something like 80 people can be helped by just one person donating? I thought that was really interesting. Anyway, IMO eyes, are a little different than a heart KWIM?

Calimama replied:
I didn't know that. ohmy.gif thumb.gif

PrairieMom replied:
Okay, so I was off a bit by saying 80, but I swear the literature at my hospital says 80. laugh.gif

This is from http://www.carolinadonorservices.org/faq.php#lives

faqs_Q.jpg How many people can be helped by tissue donation?
faqs_A.gif More than 50 people can be helped through one tissue donor.
faqs_Q.jpg How many lives can be saved by one organ donor?
faqs_A.gif One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people.

boyohboyohboy replied: i am a donor, but i havent ever thought about if my kids would be...i dont know if i could do that.
my dh however is weird about his body parts...so he isnt.

luvmykids replied: We're all donors. I think it would be difficult in a sense if something happened to one of my kids, to allow their body to be picked apart but I also think, what if they needed something that only another child could provide?

mommy~to~a~bunch replied: I am not, but DH is. I want to keep what I was born with. I don't think I could donate any of the kids' organs if it came to that either.

mckayleesmom replied: Just thought I would add some info

How do I become a donor?
You can become a donor in three steps:


Request that a heart be placed on your license at the DMV.
Sign and carry a donor card.
Express your wishes to your family.
The most important thing you can do is to discuss organ donation with your family.
Because if you don’t have a signed donor card, the decision of your organ and tissue
donation will be made by your legal next-of-kin at the time of death.


What organs and tissues can be donated and how are the used?

Organs that can be donated include the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and small intestines. Organs are used to save lives by replacing diseased organs with healthy ones. Tissues that can be donated include skin, bone, corneas, heart valves, and veins. skin grafts are used for burn victims. Bone, tendons and ligaments can be used in reconstructive surgeries; corneas are transplanted to give sight; heart valves are used in valve replacement surgery, common in children, and leg veins can be used in heart bypass surgery.


Is there any cost to my family if I am an organ/tissue donor?
No. All costs associated with donation are paid by the organ procurement organization. Your family is only responsible for hospital charges before the death declaration and for funeral expenses.


Will signing a donor card affect the quality of medical care I receive?
Absolutely not. Medical care is always based on what is necessary to save a patient’s life. Patients can be considered for donation only after they are declared dead.

Is there any age limit for donation?
No. Potential donors are evaluated on an individual basis, regardless of age.


Is it true that only rich people get transplants?
No. Factors such as race, gender, age, income, or celebrity status are never considered when determining who receives an organ. The organ allocation and distribution system is based on many factors including blood type, length of time on waiting list, geographical location, severity of illness and other medical criteria. There is NO way to buy a place on the waiting list.

Are there any racial barriers to donation and matching organs?
No. Race is not a barrier, nor is it a criterion for organ placement. A computer database matches organ donors with potential recipients according to medical suitability. However, patients waiting for kidney transplants are more likely to have an antigen match with a donor of the same race.

If I am in good health can I sell my organs for money? No! It is against the law to buy or sell organs in the United States.


Can I be a donor if I have or have had cancer?
People who have or have had some forms of cancer can be eye donors. They could be an organ and tissue donor if they have been cancer-free for at least five years.


Can my organs be used if I die at home? Unfortunately, no. Organs must have a continuous blood and oxygen supply to be suitable for transplantation. Only individuals who have been determined brain dead, usually in a hospital intensive care unit, have the potential to be organ donors. However, tissue donation can occur when someone dies at home.


What does “brain death” mean?
Brain death is the irreversible and complete cessation of all brain and brain stem function. It means there is no blood flow through the brain or brain stem and the patient has stopped responding to outside stimuli. It is considered death and allows a death certificate to be signed. Brain death is not the same as being in a coma, since coma patients still have brain function and respond to stimuli.

If I am a donor, will there be a delay in funeral services? In most cases, no. Usually, the procedure can be completed and the body released to the funeral home the next day.

Can I still have an open casket funeral? Yes. Organ and tissue recoveries are conducted in the operating room under the direction of qualified surgical personnel. An incision is made, closed, and dressed; therefore, the body’s appearance is not changed by the donation process. Also, the identity of the donor family is kept confidential so no one will know that donation took place.

Can I still be an organ donor and also donate my body to science? If you are an organ or tissue donor, a medical school will not accept your remains for teaching purposes. However, if you are an eye donor, you may donate your body to a medical school. Some research institutions will accept your body for research after organ and tissue donation.

How many people are waiting for organs in our country? Right now, more than 90,000 Americans are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. For the most current waiting list number, visit www.unos.org.

.

How many people can be helped by tissue donation?
More than 50 people can be helped through one tissue donor.

How many lives can be saved by one organ donor? One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people.

When was the first human heart transplant?
In 1967, a South African heart surgeon named Christian Barnard performed the first human heart transplant.

When was the successful living donor transplant done?
In 1954, a kidney was transplanted form a healthy 23-year-old identical twin to his brother, who had chronic kidney failure.

mummy2girls replied: I believe in organ donation. i look at it this way... what if it was me in teh hospital on machines and confined to the bed because i needed a new heart or kidney etc and on the waiting list... So if anythign I would liek to help as much as i can. when I lost jordan i donated his heart and kidneys( i would donated more but they couldnt find recpients for the other organs) .. I wanted to prevent at least one mom to go through the loss of a child. It made me see that something wonderful came out of something so tragic! I always wondered how the kids are but here in Canada you will never find that out.

mckayleesmom replied: Sorry Tara....Didn't realize you were doing the same thing... laugh.gif

PrairieMom replied: Great info Brianne!

Also, something to note, when a patient becomes a donor the care is given to a completely different team of people, so no worries that the level of care will be less. The Transplant team is only involved after brain death is established.

PrairieMom replied:
I lost a friend a few years back and his family donated his organs. It really helped with my grieving process to know how many people's prayers were answered with this one tragedy. sleep.gif

At the hospital we some times get updates about where the organs have gone. I wonder if it is just a difference in policies of the different transplant organizations?

mummy2girls replied:
I didnt think i could could when i found out Jordan died of brain death. i wanted to be holding him while they took him off life support. But you know i thought about it and knowing that my son saved so many lives and could save them made me feel a warm release of happiness...

When i was deciding i looked down at jordan leaned into his ear and said Jordan If you want me to do this please give me a sign and then all of a sudden he smiled. i know it was a muscle spasm but to me that was his way of saying yes mom...

Plus i also looked ta as this.. what fi it was my son that needed that new heart? new kidney? To prevent a tragedy like a death of a child and knowing he lives on made me feel like i was doign the right thing!

PrairieMom replied:
hug.gif

Can you imagine those other childrens parents the day they got that call? wub.gif hug.gif hug.gif hug.gif hug.gif

mckayleesmom replied: Ok Tara....You watched Oprah yesterday...Did you notice that the one guy who lost his brother said he died unexpectantly in his sleep at home??......How did they donate his organs then? They did say they donated them.....I thought that right when he said it...because I always knew they had to be on life support or something in order to keep the organs alive.

PrairieMom replied:
yeah , I wondered that right away too. They never really touched on that. In my limited experience, the only thing that I can think of is that he was found right away, and they started CPR, keeping his blood circulating, and that they did a good enough job that there wasn't any damage to the organs. I don't remember what all they said he was able to donate either. I imagine it wouldn't be everything.

mummy2girls replied:
i do get updates. i received a call a few months after jordans death and they told me that both recepients are doing well. i even recived letters from teh recpeients families.. It never said the names but all i know is the child was in toronto childrens hospital and he had a twin sister. the other was a wonman who recieved both his kidneys:) and she doing well as well.

mummy2girls replied:
when in aletter i received from teh mom of teh boy who got his heart..s he said when she learned he was recieving a new heart they had said a prayer for me and Jordan...

stella6979 replied: Yep, we're all organ donors. I just don't see the point in keeping things that we don't need anymore, especially when you can save so many others.
I totally understand about the eyes though, that would be kinda creepy. We plan to be cremated though so they can go ahead and take whatever they need. biggrin.gif

kit_kats_mom replied: We are organ donors. My BFF is a tissue recepient (her neck was broken in a car accident and her spine was fused, now she has almost full range of motion). She speaks at donor conferences and was even featured in the calendar with her two boys. Knowing someone who has benefitted so much from donation, makes it even more important to me.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Currently I am not a donor, but I would like to be. It's on my to-do list. wink.gif

CantWait replied: I'm still undecided.

I think I would so long as it was my internal organs, but something like my eyes I wouldn't want, I really don't know what difference it makes, but it does.

lovemy2 replied: I am and my kids as well - it is the only comfort I have when I think of dying tragically or suddenly sleep.gif plus my children are wonderful little human beings - why wouldn't I want some other child to share in that wonder wub.gif

Cece00 replied: We are organ donors. I will donate anything and everything they can take from me. I would donate my children's organs too.

SO many ppl are helped by organ & tissue donation, I could never refuse to do so.

Plus, I'll never need the parts once I'm dead, and I want to help other people live.

Cece00 replied:
I think all you have to do is check a box when you renew your DL, and they ask anytime you are at a hospital too.

Or you can go here

http://www.organdonor.gov/

HuskerMom replied: I'm not a donor but would like to be.

A&A'smommy replied: I am an organ donor and so is my dh

AlexsPajamaMama replied:
And think of all the family members too who's lives you changed ... some little boys life would change forever once his dad got a transplate...

I didnt see it on oprah, it was on some other program though last night

MyBabeMaddie replied: One of my clinical instructors worked for CORE for awhile (The people who coordinate and take out the organs) She said she would NEVER EVER EVER be an organ donor after knowing what its like - The person is still alive (you can throw the word "alive" around whether you take being alive as having a beating heart or a working brain" it is a subjective term) The reason she said she could not do it is because the people who go in and take out the organs (obviously not everyone that works for CORE is like this) but these people supposedly have absolutely no respect for the person or the person's body they are taking the organs from - She said shes seen them barbarically tear the person open take what they need and don't worry about putting them back together so that they can have an open casket funeral... Obviously this is just from one person's experience, but it makes you wonder... I would have no problem giving whatever organ someone needed but please treat me with respect, dead or not.

AlexsPajamaMama replied: How do you sign your kids up to be a donor?

MoonMama replied: Alec and I both are.

amynicole21 replied: Yep, I have been since I turned 16 and put the sticker on my driver's license. thumb.gif Just last year I also sent in my swabs for the bone marrow registry as well. I would love to be able to help someone that way - especially if it means I don't have to die first wink.gif

Jackie012007 replied: I am, I dunno if carl is. When my grandma died, they donated her eyes and the organs not affected by the cancer, and she still had an open casket. You couldn't tell at all. I would definitely donate Carly's if it would help someone not go through the illness or death of a little one!

kimberley replied: i have heard that too about the organ harvesters. i am not a donor and the jury is still out. i like the idea that so many could be helped but i am having difficulty with the idea of being buried without all my parts, the "alive" factor and the thought of my eyes or heart being around after i am not. unsure.gif blink.gif

stella6979 replied:
Swabs for bone marrow? You can count me in! How do you go about doing that?

PrairieMom replied:
I don't work with that group, but that is not the expereiance I have had. I have only seen the translpant teams treat the patients and families with dignity, understanding and respect. Not to mention that they work so hard to ensure that they can get as many organs as possible.

PrairieMom replied:
YOu don't. You just make the decision, and if the time comes, you will be asked by hospital staff.

amynicole21 replied:
You can go to www.marrow.org but there is usually a cost associated with tissue typing. I happened to join when they were having a drive and all of the costs were waved. It costs about $50-$55 unless you join when they are running a sponsored drive.

stella6979 replied:
Thanks so much for the info! I'll definitely be looking into it. smile.gif

3xsthefun replied: I am not. I'm still undecided if I want to or not.

Boo&BugsMom replied: I am a donor. Something good always comes out of something bad, and if I can help that good come about by my passing then it is worth it. My soul will already be gone anyways so I really don't care what I am left with. Plus I want to be creamated (sp?) anyways. The thought of bugs crawling around my earthly body creeps me out. laugh.gif

On a different side of things, I have a friend who is not. She once was, but for now (she may change her mind) is not. She lost her brother about a year ago (at 27 years old) to a sudden death (got ran over by a car) and she saw how the doctors treated him after he passed. She was upset because they kept calling him "John Doe" and were just concerned about preserving his parts, not about the family's grieving and loss. So, after going through that she is a bit reluctant right now about it. Along with that, the people who recieved his heart and liver both died. She may chose again in the future, but she needs to get over the grieving process still a bit before she can bring herself to it.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
This is what my friend saw and went through after seeing how they treated her brother's body. Literally within minutes of declaring him dead they were around like vultures she said and treated the situation with very little class. sleep.gif

TheOaf66 replied: I am not a donor simply for the fact that not much would be worthwhile

my eyes are horrible
my liver is full of barley and hopps
my heart is probably clogged


there is not much that would do much good to anyone rolling_smile.gif

lisar replied: I am a donor. I think if I could save someones life when I was dying anyways then why not give someone else a chance.

luvbug00 replied: Lars is and we are not ( we being mya and i). personal choise.

PrairieMom replied:
Oh, there are lots of parts they could still use. Good healthy lungs are extremely hard to come by... wink.gif

Crystalina replied: I am an organ donar but my eyes stay put. They are too personal.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
They don't want his lungs either. Trust me. laugh.gif

However, I do believe your heart would be usable honey. wink.gif

PrairieMom replied:
wub.gif awww... so sweet. ... In some sick way... laugh.gif

coasterqueen replied: Dh and I are both donors. I am a reluctant one, but one nonetheless. I am on the fence, but I signed up because I felt selfish for not wanting to help others. I figure when or if it does ever happen I won't know what's going on anyways, right?

As far as my kids go....I just don't even want to think about it to go there.

TheOaf66 replied:
how?, you say I have no heart laugh.gif

PrairieMom replied:
maybe she means that you never use it, so it should be nice and fresh for anyone who gets it? laugh.gif rolling_smile.gif rolling_smile.gif rolling_smile.gif


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