Organ Donation

[HBK-aholic]

A growing number of people have their names down for donating their organs when they die. If someone doesn't have a card about organ donation, the persons family is often asked on whether they would allow the hospital to use their organs to help another patient.

On one hand, many people take comfort in knowing their loved one is still helping other after their death. They also find it comforting that a part of them still lives on, even if the person isn't alive in themselves. To know that someone else is alive because of the person they loved is great, and something many people can hold on to. It can also offer them a small good feeling, in all that mourning, in knowing they are stopping someone else going through what they are.

Others, find it impossible to imagine their loved on being a part of someone else. The thought is too hard to bare; that they couldn't live, but someone else could. They also don't like the thought of the person being operated on, especially when they're not sure what the outcome will be like for the body they will be burying. Many also find comfort in burying the body whole, so that the person is 'together', and dislike the idea of only parts being buried.

Are you personally on the organ donation list, or do you want to be? Or, if this was your mother/father/wife/child etc, would you be happy to give the doctors the go ahead in donating their organs?

I'm not sure on the matter myself, so I'd like to hear some opinions.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I've got a Donar card. What the fuck do I care if somebody needs one of my organs, I'll be dead. No biggie. Chop me up and have me as fertilizer for all I care. Somebody needs my heart, they can have it. I honestly don't know why anytbody would truly care.

Taking organs without consent is wrong, but as I'm giving consent then it's not an issue. If my daughter was to die, so long as I was aked, I'd let them have her organs too.

In all honesty, anybody needs a kidney now, they can have it. I have a spare one. I don't need it, you do, it's yours.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I am the xact same way. Right this second if a total stranger came to me and asked me for a kidney id be like "ok". I mean, shit, I got one I dont even use!! And im in the database of the bone marrow donors of america, so when someone needs bone marrow who matches my structure, they are taking it outtta me. Fuckin sweet.

Im an organ donor for sure. I plan on having my body turned to ashes anyhow, so why not help others??? And what the fuck do you need organs for??? YOUR DEAD!! lol. Like Jake, I just cant really see a reason why someone wouldnt.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I also have a donor card, signed by my parents as my witnesses. And when I die, I hope they mutilate my body to create a bionic human being before creamating the scraps.

I think it's critical for anybody whose chosen religion allows it to have a donor card. Like Jake said - if you are dead, who cares?

The issue arises when somebody is brain dead, or the less clinical term "a vegetable" a la Terri Schiavo. In that case, it becomes a matter of "pull the plug and allow this persons organs to be useful" vs "don't let so-and-so die." It parallels our discussion on Euthanasia, but in THIS case, the person is on no pain. The issue is when a person still legally alive becomes a commodity because their organs are sought after.

If I have no chance of survival, then take whatever is needed from my body to provide a chance to someone else. And even non essential organs. If my eyes can be used to improve someone's quality of life, then more power to you. I urge anyone who doesn't have one and feels the way I do to have a donor card.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I have a feeling that we'll be getting an overwhelmingly positive response. We don't really have many ignorant types round these here parts. That is unless I'm missing some really important argument which I can't believe I forgot about in the first place. In which case, I apologize for my ignorance to my ignorance.

Like all my views, I agree with Jake, but in a much less cool and composed way. What do I care if someone has my organs? I'm dead. Even if I believed in an afterlife I'd be fine with someone having my organs. Unfortunately, I don't actually have a donor card. I'd like to get one though, so it's going on my to do list. Otherwise, I'm sure my family (surprisingly, I do have one) or whatever would donate a few things on my behalf.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

That is unless I'm missing some really important argument which I can't believe I forgot about in the first place. In which case, I apologize for my ignorance to my ignorance.

Ask, and ye shall receive. As a result of the positive reponse, I am changing sides. I am 100% anti-organ donation. Let me tell you why.

1. The occurance of involuntary organ donation. As mentioned in my previous post, often when the decision is made whether organs will be taken, the donator is not yet deceased, and thus somebody else is making the call whether or not that person's organs will or will not be used. Even with a living will and donor card, it is impossible to know at the moment that person became incapacitated and brain dead if they want to donate or not.

2. The bioethical issue with organ preservation. For an organ recipient to receive organs, they must be ready, prepped, and often must go through testing to ensure a safe transfer. In some cases, donors are kept alive by machines despite being brain dead in an effort to preserve the organs. That removes that individuals quality of life, and rapes them of their right to die with dignity.

3. Organ donation is a form of playing God. Just like gender assignment, taking the organs from one person and giving them to another is irresponsible. If one person's organs failed, there is probably a reason - physical or spiritual - for that. Why should an alcoholic get a 2nd chance at a liver at the expense of a teen who died in a car crash?

4. Organ donation leads to cloning, because labs seek to recreate organs with the same genotype as the recipient. If you would like an arguement against cloning, see #3.

5. Organ reception exploits the poor and only benefits the rich. Generally, only the financially stable can afford organ donation. With the growing cost of health insurance, especially in the US, organ donation represents just another rift between the classes. Furthermore, the legalization of organ transplantation has caused a "black market" to form, allowing the rich with failing organs to exploit the poor who sell their organs because they have little other means to earn any money.

6. Speeding death as a way of procuding organs. What if somebody can be saved, but their organs are coveted? You end up with a case like Hootan Roozrokh, MD. He administered a lethal dose of morphine and other sedatives to speed the death of a man with irreversable brain damage. Why? You guessed it - organs. As Guns N Roses once said, it's a "Human Grocery Store."

There. Organ donation is just wrong, and leads to other, far worse behaviors in society. Each person should play the hand they are dealt.

 

[Father:_Polley]

Ask, and ye shall receive. As a result of the positive reponse, I am changing sides. I am 100% anti-organ donation. Let me tell you why.

1. The occurance of involuntary organ donation. As mentioned in my previous post, often when the decision is made whether organs will be taken, the donator is not yet deceased, and thus somebody else is making the call whether or not that person's organs will or will not be used. Even with a living will and donor card, it is impossible to know at the moment that person became incapacitated and brain dead if they want to donate or not.

IC, outstanding heel turn on this. The thing is though, if a person has made a living will and signed up on a donor card to donate organs when they die, it's unlikely that they will have changed their mind without telling anyone beforehand. Regardless of whether or not they have changed their mind, the fact is that they made clear their intentions, without saying otherwise and so it has to be taken that they wanted it to happen still

2. The bioethical issue with organ preservation. For an organ recipient to receive organs, they must be ready, prepped, and often must go through testing to ensure a safe transfer. In some cases, donors are kept alive by machines despite being brain dead in an effort to preserve the organs. That removes that individuals quality of life, and rapes them of their right to die with dignity.

Again, this is an issue that people would, or at least should be aware of when they sign up. As regards lose of quality of life, well I don't see how that is a valid argument, when by definition these machines are simply keeping blood pumping. The other signs of life are still gone. the person is dead in all intents and purposes except an artificial heartbeat and ventilation

3. Organ donation is a form of playing God. Just like gender assignment, taking the organs from one person and giving them to another is irresponsible. If one person's organs failed, there is probably a reason - physical or spiritual - for that. Why should an alcoholic get a 2nd chance at a liver at the expense of a teen who died in a car crash?

There may reasons behind things happening, but isn't it also playing God to refuse a person treatment on the grounds that there's a reason for the condition happening, when at the same time there is a reason that the medical knowledge was there to allow the procedure to occur. As far as who gets the organs, from what I understand, there are ethics committees who decide who deserves the organs, and those who don't shouldn't receive.
Over in the UK, there was a high-profile incident regarding one of the world's greatest footballers, whose father lived 5minutes from me...a Mr George Best. Despite being an alcoholic, he was given a new liver and proceeded to drink publicly. People who can't accept the rules don't deserve the second chance if they won't take it seriously.

4. Organ donation leads to cloning, because labs seek to recreate organs with the same genotype as the recipient. If you would like an arguement against cloning, see #3.

It is unfair to say all donation leads to cloning. Ok, there is a move towards that, and I personally don't agree with it, but I don't think it's right to destroy the system because of this.

5. Organ reception exploits the poor and only benefits the rich. Generally, only the financially stable can afford organ donation. With the growing cost of health insurance, especially in the US, organ donation represents just another rift between the classes. Furthermore, the legalization of organ transplantation has caused a "black market" to form, allowing the rich with failing organs to exploit the poor who sell their organs because they have little other means to earn any money.

Not a situation i can relate to given the differences in healthcare between UK and USA. However, there will always be ways of getting round the system, and I can't deny it's not right that paying a fortune for a matching kidney is the easiest way to get it, but again, why should the innocent suffer for the mistakes of others. It is up to the healthcare system to root out how the person obtained a donor.

6. Speeding death as a way of procuding organs. What if somebody can be saved, but their organs are coveted? You end up with a case like Hootan Roozrokh, MD. He administered a lethal dose of morphine and other sedatives to speed the death of a man with irreversable brain damage. Why? You guessed it - organs. As Guns N Roses once said, it's a "Human Grocery Store."

Again, that is a criminal issue. Ethically, no doctor should be killing a patient at the expense of another. Murder is not acceptable for an organ, but neither is depriving someone of a chance to live when the person is dead

There. Organ donation is just wrong, and leads to other, far worse behaviors in society. Each person should play the hand they are dealt

This is like saying those who catch an infection should fight it themselves...after all, they were dealt the hand, so why should the technology and medicine invented be used for the purpose it was made for. Technology and medicine is also a part of the hand that is dealt, and if you've somehow been dealt an Ace, a 4 and a 5 to go with the two and three you've been dealt, there's no reason you shouldn't go on to win.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

I'm pretty sure I won't be liked for this, but I'm NOT an Organ Donor. I'm much like Irish was, in the half and half catagory, but I'll explain why I didn't originally mark myself into the "Organ Donor" Catagory.

First, its in the rules and restrictions that if you're not quite dead, but you're an organ donor. If they feel you have somewhere around a 20% chance or less of survival and someone needs an organ you just so happen to have. You die, and they get it.

Now while I'm all for helping people.. I'm also all for my own survival, and until I'm 100% dead and gone (including lifeless veggie on a table) I'm holding my shit.

Like NorCal stated, if its a minor Organ that I don't need, fine, sure.. take it. But if its going to result in be dying from it, because I had a less than half chance of survival, no. I have always been an underdog and I will continue to always be an underdog. I will always believe that miracles happen, and anything is possible. With that said, that means that if I have a 1% chance of survival, to me, thats just as good as having a 99% chance of survival.

I might be bleak about the situation. I might KNOW I'm about to die, but my organs can fully be taken the instant I do infact die. NOT a second before.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Meh. I dont care. friggin Kill me and take them LOL. Ive been striving my entire life to have that be my end, so why the fuck not LOL. and really it comes down to the situation. Your 15% compared to having a 100% chance of survival for someone else??? Id let em take me. I can see were people would be coming from in that case though.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Meh. I dont care. friggin Kill me and take them LOL. Ive been striving my entire life to have that be my end, so why the fuck not LOL. and really it comes down to the situation. Your 15% compared to having a 100% chance of survival for someone else??? Id let em take me. I can see were people would be coming from in that case though.

But see, thats just it. Noone is 100% or even 1% on chance of survival with a donated organ. During the surgery, there is ALWAYS the chance that the organ won't take to the new body. And if thats the case, then what.. your 15% survival rate just got shot to hell.

Even if 15% isn't great, or even worth it, its life. And if I'm only getting one life, then I'm pretty sure I wanna live it to my full potential. Now, if I'm a veggie without ANY chance of ever coming back, and I mean ANY. (which I'm thinking you always have a chance) Then fine, be my guest. I don't wanna live my life as a fruit.

But if I'm in a coma, and could pull out.. dispite being in it for who knows how long. If there is still a shot, then I want my shot. I don't wanna just say... "Well, it was a nice run, but I might as well drop outta the race." No, win lose or draw, I'm finishing my f*cking race and I'm not giving my number to someone else so they can get a better position than me, unless I'm absolutely done in that thing. (get the point lol)

Overall, to get to my original point. Noone has a perfect chance of survival when it comes to donating organs. Donors risk losing their life if something freak happens to them, because some drunk messed up his kidney and needs a new one. (assuming the donor only had one left to begin with) Again, I'm completely for helping people to the best of my ability.. but I don't have much ability as a dead man, to help anyone.

 

[kieran_devlin]

I like the opt out scheme you know like if you want to knot give organ donations you could opt out. The opt out scheme takes into account the situations of the individuals, for example they would only try to find someone unless nobody volunteered right away. They would take into account things like how close the organ donor lives to the patient or hospital how compatible they are the situation of the donor. It would need to be careful.

Sure tho take my organs if someone will survive thanks to me go ahead. If someone close to me wanted a spare organ id give it. If i could improve someones life id do it what the heck im dead anyway.

About being a vegetable i dunno what id do? For example they might starve me to death. They might kill me if i was alive, they might keep me alive if i was brain dead. Id have someone flip a coin either way its a difficult decision. They need to discover a way of diagnosing the patient in that state.

 

[Bernkastel]

I'm on the Organ donation list. I've already given out a statement to the government saying that when I die, If some needs one of my organs to live, to surrender that organ, I mean it's not like I'm going to be using it. The body has extra organs that it doesn't really need, an appendix, a pancreas, and 2 different kidneys. I've heard of people giving kidney's all the time, the body only needs one to survive.