Are you an Organ Donor?

ANLR21 said:
Actually, my daughter the EMT tells me that those that ride without helmets are privately referred to as "organ donors"
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A nurse freind of mine once stated that I should be careful while passing a hospital in Denmark, since they have introduced the "Brain Dead Criteria", they would most certainly and legally harvest all my organs if given a chance ....
 
I am, and hopefully when the time comes, I can help someone out. I just hope that time is a long long way in the future.

I haven't donated blood since once in college, though. Before that, I didn't weigh enough, and after there have been mitigating cirucumstances (foreign travel, etc.). Once the baby's born, I plan on doing that again too.
 
I give blood every 8 weeks. I'm also signed up as an organ donor. Hopefully I'm hoping that I blood is the only thing that I actually have to donate.
 
I would donate blood more often but the first and only time I went has turned me off to the experience...

I donated blood on my sister's behalf (she didn't weigh enough) for a blood drive at college. The 'nurse' who started the procedure pokes me in the arm and then says "uh oh"... and just as I was about to ask what happened, my arm explodes in pain and I start cringing and laughing hysterically. She missed my vein completely and struck a nerve and had to get the head 'nurse' to fix it.

After we were finished my arm was still in pain but I didn't hold it against them. I probably should have but I figured it was an accident and that I'd be fine so no harm done. My arm hurt when I moved it for 3 days after and to this day years later I still have strange sensation when something cold or prickly touches my forearm.
 
There is no place for organ donor notification on our licences but you can carry a donor card. I am a Think Bike member and it is noted on my membership card that I am a donor. The Think Bike membership also includes dog tags with all your contact info, medications, allergies etc on them. Handy if someone lifts your wallet at an accident scene.
 
KensFz6 said:
I donated blood on my sister's behalf (she didn't weigh enough) for a blood drive at college. The 'nurse' who started the procedure pokes me in the arm and then says "uh oh"... and just as I was about to ask what happened, my arm explodes in pain and I start cringing and laughing hysterically. She missed my vein completely and struck a nerve and had to get the head 'nurse' to fix it.
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Similar thing happened to me at a company blood drive. The "nurse" had had several dozen too many cups of coffee that morning and her hand was all jittery, so she put the needle in and then rapidly pulled it out stabbed me with it a couple more times. That, in conjunction about being squeamish about needles (I think from seeing Brother From Outer Space when I was young about people OD'ing on cocaine injections) has been enough to keep me away. But I am an organ donor.
 
zigzagg321 said:
I am not a donor...there have been cases where an injured person was identified as an organ donor and certain life saving practices were not employed to save the life of the person. I have heard of this happening at the EMS/ on-scene level only...not in a hospital setting.
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I would like to hear more about this story? To be honest with you mate, it is actually more beneficial to maintain life saving procedures, even if they are futile. A well oxygenated brain and tissues gives the transplant team more options.

Before any organ donation is carried out, conclusive brain stem tests have to be carried out.

Nelly
 
Not a donor, blood or organs.
I'm a medic so I do understand that it makes no difference to me if a person is a donor or not, I will do everything I can to save that guys life... I don't ever see their drivers license anyways if it's a serious case all I'm focused on is their condition and what I'm doing.
I don't donate blood because I hate needles... But I'm good at giving them lol. and I have O- blood so once they find out that I have the best type to donate they will suck me dry whenever they can lol.
Plus, I'm typically too active to have a couple "down" days after while I replenish.
 
I am not a donor, nor for blood. Much I would like to be I've been put off for 2 reasons really.

First one being that if I was donated my organs then I would like to think they were going to help people who deserve it, not thos who could pay for the treatment to jump the queue. The NHS freely admit that my organs could be offered to private patients, rather than people on the NHS. Something I can't agree to so that rules out the spirit of donating my organs to someone in need.

I found this article while surfing, so haven't read it all as yet. I would hate to think that my family had donated organs only for them to be sold to someone who had the money rather than to people who have been waiting, as they have to.

Organs of 50 NHS donors sold to foreigners who pay £75,000 each | Mail Online

As for blood donation, my only concern is that the blood is sold, again not in the spirit of it all really.

Donated Blood Products (Hansard, 20 November 1997)

Sorry and all that, but as I said I won't donate so that my blood/organs can be sold.
 
I'm with GastonJ. I'm not a donor of blood or organs for two reasons. One is that since I lived in Europe during a certain time period they will not accept my blood for donation. Two is I think it's highly unethical for me to give something away for it then to be sold to someone who needs it. If something I give is sold then I (or my family) should be compensated or if I give it freely then it should be given freely to the person who needs it. Of course I'm only speaking of the organ or blood not of the doctor fees and such.
 
GastonJ said:
I am not a donor, nor for blood. Much I would like to be I've been put off for 2 reasons really.

First one being that if I was donated my organs then I would like to think they were going to help people who deserve it, not thos who could pay for the treatment to jump the queue. The NHS freely admit that my organs could be offered to private patients, rather than people on the NHS. Something I can't agree to so that rules out the spirit of donating my organs to someone in need.

I found this article while surfing, so haven't read it all as yet. I would hate to think that my family had donated organs only for them to be sold to someone who had the money rather than to people who have been waiting, as they have to.

Organs of 50 NHS donors sold to foreigners who pay £75,000 each | Mail Online

As for blood donation, my only concern is that the blood is sold, again not in the spirit of it all really.

Donated Blood Products (Hansard, 20 November 1997)

Sorry and all that, but as I said I won't donate so that my blood/organs can be sold.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the article. As a physician I guess I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know about that. Any of our medical people know more about this...Neil? or others? That would be quite distressful if widespread. I know some transplant surgeons and I will inquire about that when I speak with them. Perhaps even they are unaware.
 
I am a donor, i even am a doner while alive, i give blood every time i am eligible to. If i can help saves lives and it dosen't harm me in the process then i am all for it.
 
GastonJ said:
I am not a donor, nor for blood. Much I would like to be I've been put off for 2 reasons really.

First one being that if I was donated my organs then I would like to think they were going to help people who deserve it, not thos who could pay for the treatment to jump the queue. The NHS freely admit that my organs could be offered to private patients, rather than people on the NHS. Something I can't agree to so that rules out the spirit of donating my organs to someone in need.

I found this article while surfing, so haven't read it all as yet. I would hate to think that my family had donated organs only for them to be sold to someone who had the money rather than to people who have been waiting, as they have to.

Organs of 50 NHS donors sold to foreigners who pay £75,000 each | Mail Online

As for blood donation, my only concern is that the blood is sold, again not in the spirit of it all really.

Donated Blood Products (Hansard, 20 November 1997)

Sorry and all that, but as I said I won't donate so that my blood/organs can be sold.
Click to expand...

Phat Tony said:
I'm with GastonJ. I'm not a donor of blood or organs for two reasons. One is that since I lived in Europe during a certain time period they will not accept my blood for donation. Two is I think it's highly unethical for me to give something away for it then to be sold to someone who needs it. If something I give is sold then I (or my family) should be compensated or if I give it freely then it should be given freely to the person who needs it. Of course I'm only speaking of the organ or blood not of the doctor fees and such.
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So what you are saying is that you would rather see some 18 year old "only rode my new FZ6 once" biker die than get one of you organs after your death, simply be course you once read about some corruption in the organ businesses?
Now I'm not saying that organ trade does not exists, I'm just saying that in most cases there is NO money involved.
To me this is the same as saying "I will newer ride a black motorcycle, coz I read 5 articles about people getting killed on black motorcycles" ..........
 
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Norm said:
Thanks for the article. As a physician I guess I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know about that. Any of our medical people know more about this...Neil? or others? That would be quite distressful if widespread. I know some transplant surgeons and I will inquire about that when I speak with them. Perhaps even they are unaware.
Click to expand...

Well if you do find out more I'd be interested in knowing. Much as I want to be a donor it is literally that 'abuse' which stops me. Not that I begrudge anyone the benefit of some organ that I may have donated when I'm dead, but I do draw the line when donations are used in that way as I'm sure other people are as well.

Everyone should have an equal chance to make use of such donations - with the most needy first, not just those that can afford to queue jump by virtue of having more money.

On the blood donor side, while I realise that blood does 'go off', it has to be questionable as to why it is sold in the way that it is. What's the problem with giving it to 3rd world countries where there are no donation schemes, at least that way it isn't being sold and is put to good use. I know there's implications for movement/shipping/storage etc - but to me surplus donations used that way would be in the 'spirit' of such a donation.

Selling such donations smacks of commerce for something given freely in good faith to a good cause.

Enough said.
 
Fz6Sa said:
So what you are saying is that you would rather see some 18 year old "only rode my new FZ6 once" biker die that get one of you organs after your death, simply be course you ones read about some corruption in the organ businesses?
Now I'm not saying that organ trade does not exists, I'm just saying that in most cases that is NO money involved.
To me this is the same as saying "I will newer ride a black motorcycle, coz I read 5 articles about people getting killed on black motorcycles" ..........
Click to expand...

No I'm saying that I would sooner my organs went to the 18 year old, instead of someone who could pay to queue jump, but I can't make that decision, I can't write up 'no one may pay for my organs and queue jump' as a condition of being a donor. Nor should I have to, or even think that I have to.

Therefore what they are doing is wrong. If they want more donors, then make it a level playing field. That way I won't have to even think about it.
 
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