Organ Donation
By RKWriter
@RKWriter (70)
United States
October 26, 2006 6:19am CST
As a heart transplant recipient, I am interested in knowing about people's opinions on organ donation. This may take several discussions, but lets start with this question:
Have you registered as an organ donor either on a card or through a living will?
2 people like this
8 responses
@nicky35 (747)
•
27 Oct 06
yes i have registered.id like to think i could help people when i no longer need my body.if i needed a transplant i would want someone to help me so i wouldnt be very nice to refuse.i hope youre o.k.it must have been frightening for you getting a heart transplant and be full of mixed feelings,happiness and releif and also sadness and gratitude for the other person.
2 people like this
@aggieerich (14)
• United States
27 Oct 06
I definitely believe in organ donation. You don't need them when you die, so why not give it to someone else who does need them. I'm registered as an organ donor and a bone marrow donor. I give blood and plasma whenever I can. The way I look at donating blood, plasma, and bone marrow is that it may cause a few days (max) of discomfort for me, but it can give someone else either a second chance at life or even just one more day to live.
1 person likes this
@Clubber (141)
•
27 Oct 06
I'm sorry for your loss ahalapia. The fact that you had to make the decision, well, I can only imagine just how stressful that must have been at such an upsetting time. You are one incredibly strong and couragious person for that, and you have my total appreciation and respect, thankyou.
I wish you all the best in life.
@RKWriter (70)
• United States
26 Oct 06
I am finding out that the really brave ones are those who are left behind and have to make the final decision on organ donation. Some families will decide to ignore the wishes of their loved one out of fear or lack of understanding. Your decision was even greater since it was your son. Thank you for having the courage and the strength to follow through.
1 person likes this
@Clubber (141)
•
26 Oct 06
My father was also a recipient of a new heart almost 11 years ago now. I know just how stressful and upsetting such an ordeal can be on a family, and I can only imagine just how upsetting it was for the family of the ladys' heart he received.
I fully support organ donating. I was only 11 when we were told he'd need a new heart. He was in hospital waiting for a new heart for just over a year, and from day one I've had my organ donations card in my wallet. I've also discussed it with serveral close friends and they've all got their cards now too, aswell as relatives.
I didn't really know about organ donation, and the lack of organs worldwide until this happened to my father, and all I can say is, _more_ people need to consider it, it's one of those things people take for granted, but you shouldn't. I got to know, and watched several others die in hospital whilst my father was in there, all because there weren't enough spare organs to go around. I'm not religious, but the way I see it, once we die, we've no use for our body any longer and it's a waste to just, and I use the term loosely, throw it away, when we've all a set of lungs, a heart, liver, kidneys (that's 4 lives we could all possibly save right there) which could give a son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother a few more years to spend with their loved ones.
I'm incredibly thankful for the extra years I've been given with my father and for the ones to come *touch wood*, and I know just how thankful he is for being given a new lease of life and watch his kids grow up. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to know the names or contact details of the relatives of the donor, but to be honest, what their daughter did for my father just by carrying that donor card with her, I wouldn't know what to say, it's not something you could put into words.
I hope you're doing well RKWriting, and I wish you all the best for the future mate.
@Clubber (141)
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27 Oct 06
That's excellent! I'm so glad it went well for you. I know what you mean though, the advances in medicine these days is unbelievable. My father had his at 2:45am on a thursday morning, and was out of surgery that afternoon with somebody elses heart in him, keeping him alive.
One thing that's always stuck in my mind about that morning is, we received a phone call the night before from the doctors saying they didn't expect him to make it through to the next day (It'd been over a year) and to come up and be by his side just incase, and on our way up to hospital, the beeper thingy they gave us, that goes off if they've got a compatible organ, went off.
I don't believe in god, but something or someone was on our side that night. I know that the lady had to lose her life in order for my fathers to continue, and her parents lose a child, but if she hadn't have been a donor, I wouldn't have my father with me today.
I see the donor card as taking the burden of having to make such a decision when I die, off of my loved ones. I can only imagine how hard a decision like that would be to make if the donor card wasn't there.
