organ donation

[jules1968]

following a previous thread on news, i'm curious as to how many people carry an organ donor card. Is there anyone who absolutely wouldn't donate their organs after their death and if not, why not? Thanks

[nancie]

I certainly wont. Its not because im selfish,. its just that my body is me and my mind is my body, which i believe God gave me. I domt feel right with donating body parts as i feel, in some strange way, that to go into heaven afterlife etc you need your body intact for spiritual resaons. I read a strange thing in the paper recently how a man who could never draw before developed an amazing talent for painting and drawing, after having a heart transplant. It turned out the man who donated the heart was a talented artist who was excellent at art. Can anyone explain that? im going to pose a question on that!

[smudge]

I know it may sound selfish, but I don't carry an organ card for much the same reasons as nancie.

Apart from anything else, the very thought of someone digging my eyes out horrifies me! Having said that, both our daughters carry donor cards.

I have also voiced my opinion on transplants on here

[~Wingnut~]

My whole family carry organ cards. My husband has had 2 kidney trasnplants and I sometimes think that maybe if people saw the struggle that someone who needs a kidney, liver, heart etc. transplant, goes thru then they would carry a card.
I quite believe that if my husband hadn't have had his second kidney transplant 3 years ago, he wouldn't be here now enjoying a new lease of life and watching his 2 small children grow up.They would be growing up without a father.
He would go for dialysis on a night time 3 times a week just so that we could lead some sort of normality and go to work. He wouldn't get home till gone 1am and still get up at 6am to go to work, there were times when he just wanted to give up and I more or less carried the whole family for 5+ years. This is half the reason I have anxiety problems now because of what we went thru. He was in and out of hospital all of the time, and this was because of something he was born with.
I'm not judging you 2, please don't get me wrong, it is your right to decide what happens to your body after you have died, but doesn't knowing that you could help someone to live after your death spur you to carry a card? I am eternally greatful to the person that donated their organs so my husband could live and the turmoil I went thru when it all happened, nothing prepares you for the reality that someone has had to die for your own loved one to live, in my own way I grieved for the family of the organ donar even tho I didn't know them.

Heaven knows we need the organ donations.

All the best you 2, please don't think I am having a go, this is just a subject that I am quite compassionate about :o)

[Pippa68]

I am no longer allowed to donate blood as I had a blood transfusion in 1990. Apparently this is because of CJD (according to the blood donating website). I get fed up with people telling me to GIVE BLOOD when I am not allowed to...GRRRRR.

I suppose this may mean that I cannot donate organs after my death? shame really as they are supposed to be in short supply (as is blood). Otherwise I would, for sure :o)

[jules1968]

wingnut, my heart goes out to you and your family for what you have been though, may i wish you all the best for your familys future health and happiness. i agree with you but by no means will i judge anyone who doesn't share my view. All my family are registered for organ donation. nanncie, i have to say though, the body is just a shell, the spirit is something completely seperate. my mum is a spiritulist so i know a bit about how these thoughts go. The body is just a case and when you die, your spirit leaves your body.It is no longer required in the spirit world. How do you feel about being cremated? it all gets burnt then anyway. I would always like someone to live because of me. I hvae always said that if, God forbid, anything ever happened to my children, then i would find comfort in the thought that part of them are living on in someone else.

[alijangra]

I am most deinfately an organ donor but I think its a very personal decision and nobody should be made to feel they have to do it. Im not a spiritual person so Im not really worried what happens to my body when I die, but I dont like the thought of being buried as I am very claustraphobic!

[LazyGun]

I carry a donor card.

[lizwiz]

I carry a donor card as I would like to help people when I have passed away, obviously!

My brother however is dead against carrying a donor card. He says his body is his own and wants everything with him when he dies!

[Wispy68]

I've carried a donor card for years, and always will. They can have whatever they need from my body (although I don't think my lungs would be up to much as I'm a smoker!)

I've always thought that the donor system should be reversed, so that those who do not wish to donate, could carry a card to opt out.

[PhilBy]

I have carried one since the 70's and will remain to do so.

[jules1968]

thats a good idea whispy68. make it more of an opt out system as opposed to opt in because there are a lot of people who would donate but just don't really think about it.

[angel_juey]

I think it's wonderful that people carry donor cards. My mum had a kidney transplant 9 years ago, if it wasn't for that person who had that card she would still be on dialysis 3 times a week. Now she has had a chance to do so much with her life & I thank God every day that she got that chance.

[horselady]

I carry a donor card, just something I want to do. Like Pippa68 I can't give blood now, with me it's because of high blood pressure and the medication I take, it is annoying when everyone in the office trots off to give blood and says "oh don't you do it then"?

[little_missy]

I am currently on the transplant list.

I really don't understand why people are against donating organs. When you're dead, your body is either burned or eaten/degraded by other organisms - so your body hardly remains intact!

However, if you donate your organs, you are helping someone to survive.

To the people who are against donating their organs: would you be willing to accept an organ if you needed a transplant?

[Kay]

I carry a donor card simply because I wont need my body when Im gone but hopefully someone will benefit from it someway. I truly believe our body's are just like an overcoat which we leave behind whilst our souls live on. I would prefer to donate my body than burn it anyway,still each to their own as they say:-)

[~Wingnut~]

Hi Little_Missy!

Do you know I was laid in bed in the early hours with that very thought going thru my mind, would the people who are against donating their organs after their death refuse to have a transplant if they needed one? or what about if their loved one needed one?

I hope your day comes soon Little_Missy, don't give up hope & all the very best for the future xx

[flubber]

I carry a card always and am also registered on the National Donors website. When I "go" I am not going to need 'my bits' and if someone else can make use of them - to improve their life or their quality of life then my own life would have some meaning.

[flubber]

Oh Wingnut? I think that those people who find the thoughts of donating abhorrent maintain the same attitude if they needed a transplant. My Stepfather made it well known that if anything was to happen to him that none of his organs were donated. When he was rushed to hospital with kidney failure I immediately offered one of mine to him - he totally refused to consider any transplantation and got very nasty if the subject was mentioned.

Little Missy? Hang in there and I am sure what you need will come to you very soon, and good luck to you, brave lady.

[jules1968]

little Missy . Good luck, thinking of you!

[beejaybee]

I can`t give blood anymore since I had a hysterectomy 24 years ago due to cancer. Iwish I could leave EVERYTHING to someone else after my death. My mum has instructed that her body goes for medical research.