Poll: organ donation.

[Semitendon]

Im not one
Im too young i think...
I cant see why you wouldnt be an organ donor, your dead, you dont need it anymore.

I don't know if you live in the US or not, and frankly, I am too lazy to look at your profile to find out. But, in the US, there is no minimum age for donation. Your parents, ( or whoever your legal gardian is) can donate your organs and tissues. If you want to donate, all you have to do is tell them, and hopefully they will respect your wishes, and consent to donation.

No, I am not.
The first reason is that I have a genetic kidney disease which causes hypertension. I've pretty much lived with it my entirely life and I'm sure my organs have taken a beating from it and would be fairly useless. Also, I will point out that while I do sound like a complete dick below, I have tried to donate blood and was denied.
But if my organs were fine, I would not be one. Being a med student and having talked to various doctors and having the subject come up. There are various doctors who will check whether or not a person is an organ donor and will be less likely to undergo a risky or a low chance surgery/ set of actions to help a person if they are an organ donor. Instead they will go for transplanting the organs. Maybe I sound like a greedy twat, but if I ever come into a hospital in a terrible condition I want doctors to do absolutely every thing they can to save my ass and not give up on me because I'm an organ donor.
Yes I know it is something that saves lives, and that in real life I will need an organ transplant for my kidneys but the idea that someone wouldn't try to save my life but instead opt for someone else is just horrifying to me.
And before someone jumps down my throat, yes I know not every doctor thinks like this, I've met enough that do think like this that I wouldn't want to take my chances.

A genetic disease in the kidneys could cause problems for donation of the KIDNEYS. But that is all. Hypertension is a common ailment, and does not affect donation in any way.

Since you did not mention why you were turned down for blood donation, I can only speculate, but the common reasons are high risk activity, such as recent piercings, tattoos, or a sexual lifestyle that would indicate an increased risk for viral infection.

You say you are a "med student", which I find that claim to be highly suspect, as you would have known the specifics of hypertension and kidneys in relation to transplantation, as well as the fact that hypertension does not deliver a "beating" to many of the organs that can be transplanted.

Now, I don't know about other countries, but in the US it is highly unlikely for any doctor to deny treatment, or give substandard treatment, on the basis that you are a organ donor.In the US, the UNOS system assignes donation priority, not the doctors themselves. Doctors are nothing more than the deciding factor in whether an available organ is right for their patient, and the surgeons who actually remove/transplant the organ. They have no say in who gets which organ, other than the ability to refuse an organ. There is no logical or financial benefit for a doctor to willfully allow an organ donor to die.

Furthermore, on a statistical basis, the organs from an organ donor usually only extend a recipients life by a short amount, and that's assuming there are no complications. The idea of allowing one relatively healthy person to die, so that a handful of ill people can theoretically live a few more years on average, makes absolutely no sense.

In the future, please do not spread misinformation and urban legends about donation, as it may affect the decision to donate by others, and thus rob the potential recipient of a chance at a longer life.

Incidently, I work in organ and tissue transplant, hence the name Semitendon, after Semitendinosus, a tendon which can be used for transplant.

 

[kawaiiamethist]

Proudly, I am. For those who don't plan to, I hope you reconsider.

I would also give blood, but my veins easily collapse; it takes a lot of pokes to just get some blood for tests.

 

[Balaxe]

Not yet, i'm still trying to decide if I want my body used when i'm not using it but it would save lives and i'm becoming ashes when I die anyway but i'm only 16, should I make a life decision at this age?
(+1 insanity for self conversation)

 

[Semitendon]

I'm not an organ donor by choice.

I have but one flimsy, unsupported rumor that keeps me from donating my remains: A friend of mine that used to work in the EMT field told me that the triage of care protocols place victims that are organ donors below those that don't donate organs. The logic behind that claim is that non-donors are useless when dead, they're just corpses. Donors, however might be able to save others if they don't survive.

I don't know where in the process of emergency care this occurs, be it first responders, ambulance crew, or surgeons in the ER. But if there's some chance that my life is given less consideration because my remains may help others after I'm dead, then sorry bro no deal. There's enough humans on the earth dying left and right anyways. Whatever sacrifice I can provide on an individual basis means little in the grand scheme of things.

Please see my post in the thread directly before this one.

No. Nor will I ever be. I do not want some doc to take a little too long to help me because my organs could save X many others.
Also they are my parts. My body. I am not some friggin toy to chop and change parts with. There is even the fact that I do not want my remains given to med students to piss around with.
When I die I do not want a autopsy or to be embalmed. Just set me on fire and be done with it.
Also if they did make organ donation a opt out thing I would be pissed off. Unless my friends and family deliberately state that they want to donate then I would cause as many hassles as I could just to delay it till their organs are not usable any more.

Please see my post in the thread directly before this one.

Also, the option of transplant only is readily available to everyone who wishes to donate, thus preventing the med students from using your body as a learning tool. You can mention that you do not want your donated parts to be used in any research or educational programs, your wishes will be respected.

If you choose not to donate, then I respect your decision, however, if your choice is based on misinformation, then perhaps you may re-evaluate your views when accurate information is given.

 

[x0ny]

What's a dead guy gonna do with organs anyway?

 

[WillSherman]

as nearly everyone else already stated I am, but not just an organ donor, what cannot be donated will be used for science because science is AMAZING!

 

[dochmbi]

Why isn't everyone an organ donor by default? It's not like you need them since you are dead...

 

[cuddly_tomato]

I haven't, nor will I ever go on an organ donor list.

I am waaay too shit-scared of hospitals and medical matters to even think about it for long enough. If I did try to sign my name to it it would haunt me horribly.

 

[NLS]

No, I'm not an organ donor.
But I'm going to.

 

[Semitendon]

I figure I'm doing enough damage to my organs as possible so if someone had the opportunity to take them it wouldn't really be worth their time so no, I am not a donor.

I'm not one.
People are better off without my organs.
They suck.

Organs that can be used for transplant have to undergo an extensive criteria check, that much is true, however, the deciding factors in suitability are best left to professionals. Do not assume that your health, or lifestyle, will make your organs unusable.

Also, Tissue donation is an option. Tissues such as skin, heart valves, tendons, veins, corneas, and bones can all be used for transplant, and they all operate on a completely different set of criteria. Criteria which does not follow the restrictions of organ transplant, in most cases, virtually anyone could donate at least one of these tissues. This is in addition to the possibility of research and education donation, which also operates under it's own criteria.

I would rather someone use my bones, organs, skin, eyes and brain rather then just becoming more mess in a wooden box underground.

Plus it's much cheaper for a funeral if you have very little left of you

I commend you for your decision to donate, however, organ and/or tissue donation, do not affect the cost of funerals in any way.

 

[Abedeus]

We lack the 3rd option:

After I die.

I'm not giving away my flesh while I'm alive, and I probably can't anyway since I can't donate blood, marrow or plasma (allergy + blood pressure meds make my blood unclean, and the risk of giving my marrow to someone else is too great, considering that marrow is basically the thing that makes our immune system work - I wouldn't give anyone but a sworn enemy my allergy).

But hey, I won't miss my hammer-pounding heart or clean liver after I'm dead. It's also good in case I have a clinical death and wake up after few hours in a coffin.

 

[Tharwen]

Im not one
Im too young i think...
I cant see why you wouldnt be an organ donor, your dead, you dont need it anymore.

In the UK, you have to be 12 to legally declare yourself as an organ donor.

Really? How?

I must do this...

 

[AcacianLeaves]

As someone who's received an organ transplant, I have to thank everyone here for being organ donors or, in general, being in support of it. If you aren't, I beg you to reconsider. I was fortunate enough to have a good match with my father, but if it wasn't a good enough match my life would change drastically for the worse.

For instance, I was in need of a kidney transplant. If I had not received a kidney from my father, I would have had to go on the waiting list. Because so few people are organ donors, that list can take 4-5 years to climb. I would have had to go through year after year of dialysis, which is a mental and physical drain on the body like you wouldn't believe. You're constantly sick, tired to the point of exhaustion, and can develop complications like nerve damage and heart disease. The fun part is that heart disease can disqualify you from receiving a transplant!

18 people die every day due to a lack of donor organs.

Don't underestimate the amount of good you do by being an organ donor. You are literally saving someone's life. Thanks to everyone who is.

To those who aren't: http://organdonor.gov/donor/index.htm

 

[Semitendon]

We lack the 3rd option:

After I die.

I'm not giving away my flesh while I'm alive, and I probably can't anyway since I can't donate blood, marrow or plasma (allergy + blood pressure meds make my blood unclean, and the risk of giving my marrow to someone else is too great, considering that marrow is basically the thing that makes our immune system work - I wouldn't give anyone but a sworn enemy my allergy).

But hey, I won't miss my hammer-pounding heart or clean liver after I'm dead. It's also good in case I have a clinical death and wake up after few hours in a coffin.

I don't know the exact nature of your condition, or exactly why you can't donate blood or plasma, but, it is highly unlikely that an allergy ( allergy's are very, very common) or blood pressure meds ( also very common, as many people suffer from hypertension) would affect your suitability as an organ donor.

Instances of someone waking up after being declared dead, have occured in the past. But these situations are increasingly more rare. Organ donation has taken this rare occurance into account though, and there is criteria that must be met, before recovery of organs can take place. Part of this criteria, is in the event of brain death, a certain amount of time be alotted to assure that the patient will not "wake up".

The day a donor "wake's up" is the day I quit working in the organ and tissue donation buisness.

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

On my 18th birthday I will be.

 

[AcacianLeaves]

I'm not an organ donor by choice.

I have but one flimsy, unsupported rumor that keeps me from donating my remains: A friend of mine that used to work in the EMT field told me that the triage of care protocols place victims that are organ donors below those that don't donate organs. The logic behind that claim is that non-donors are useless when dead, they're just corpses. Donors, however might be able to save others if they don't survive.

I don't know where in the process of emergency care this occurs, be it first responders, ambulance crew, or surgeons in the ER. But if there's some chance that my life is given less consideration because my remains may help others after I'm dead, then sorry bro no deal. There's enough humans on the earth dying left and right anyways. Whatever sacrifice I can provide on an individual basis means little in the grand scheme of things.

That is patently false. Think about the implications if it were true. No one would be an organ donor. Your friend heard a rumor from a friend who heard a rumor from a friend who made it up because it made sense in their head.

Do not let this stop you from saving someone's life. People die every day because there aren't enough donors, your sacrifice means a LOT to that family and that person that you could save just by checking a box on a form.

 

[AcacianLeaves]

I figure I'm doing enough damage to my organs as possible so if someone had the opportunity to take them it wouldn't really be worth their time so no, I am not a donor.

You'd be surprised how much damage you'd have to do before your kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, and stomach all become unusable.

 

[Wadders]

I am. It seems pretty selfish to keep them once I'm dead, when they could be used to help anothre person.

 

[cartzo]

i agree with many people when i say that i think the organ donor system in this country should be an opt out system instead of opt in.

 

[Sebenko]

Yep, Put that on my driving licence.

Have my organs, bake them in a tasty pie. Or something.