Organs

[SSY]

I was wondering, how many people here will be donating their organs?

In my case, I am giving away everything, all organs, skin for skin grafts, marrow, everything. Whatever is left can go to a medical school to be carved up by those delightful young butchers. The way I see it, after I am dead, I have no more need for my body, and I imagine the same will be true for many people here.

But looking at it from another viewpoint, the christian viewpoint. When they die, their soul goes to heaven, their body is used for wormfood, and charity is a christian virtue ( so they tell us at least ), so they should be donating freely as well.

Are there any religions that require use of the organs after death? The only example I can think of is the ancient egyptians, who kept their organs in kanopic jars for their subsequent judging in the afterlife.

Does anyone here think that denying the use of organs is a logically defendable viewpoint? Don't get me wrong, government mandated organ donation would be terrible from a personal liberty point of view, but sure would solve a lot of other problems.  The only reason why I would not carry an organ donor card would be in case it affected the judgment of the doctors involved in my care, I'm sure this is unlikley, but this is my life we talking about, I don't like taking chances!

[VanReal]

I carry a donor card and have a donor sticker on my driver's license.  I have actually had people ask me if that scares me because a doctor, hospital, emergency worker, etc may "off" me to get at my organs.  Not at all!  I truly do not think a doctor is going to allow me to die or not work hard at lifesaving efforts because they spy me as a potential donor.  Quite the opposite is that I feel if the donor card or license sticker is visible it will help ensure my body parts are kept going so I'm "usable" later.  Wouldn't want all of this good stuff going to waste, hehe.    They do still have to have your medical POA approve of the donation, you could have changed your mind since the initial decision.  Plus, I like to live dangerously...I live in Dallas so fatality car crashed occur regularly, don't want to take the chance of someone needing my organs and not getting them.

I too have not idetified what can be donated and what can't.  Have at me!  I do feel kind of funny about the "donation to science" thing only because the thought of my naked body laying on a slab in front of students is a bit embarassing, not that I'd know but still.  Not to mention the poor kids that would be subjected to that, poor things. But, in the end I don't object to whatever itsn't useful for others being sent off somewhere; I really don't care what happens after that.

I also have my son on board, which is quite the relief because I have his consent should that ever come up.

As far as the argument against donating, I can't think of one.  I think it's pretty selfish not to donate, and can't really see why you wouldn't want your body parts or the body parts of a loved one to help someone else.  Wouldn't they want to be able to receive an organ if they needed one?  Would they object to receiving a donated organ?  I think there is something in the Jehovah Witness religion that may forbid it.  I know they don't allow for blodd transfusions, that's how Selena ultimately dies after being shot in the stomach.  If they can't receive a transfusion there must be something against an actual organ transplant.

I have a friend that received a cornea transplant.  She had a degenerative eye disease that causes the cornea to expand and eventually causes blindness.  She received her transplant last year and it was wonderful!

[Ihateyoumike]

I was wondering, how many people here will be donating their organs?

Me! Already signed up for it.

The way I see it, after I am dead, I have no more need for my body,

I think I've actually said those exact words before.

But looking at it from another viewpoint, the christian viewpoint. When they die, their soul goes to heaven, their body is used for wormfood, and charity is a christian virtue ( so they tell us at least ), so they should be donating freely as well.

They should be. And I believe my parents, who are catholics, are going to be donors. I don't remember ever hearing any reasons from the church why organ donarship should be unacceptable.

Are there any religions that require use of the organs after death? The only example I can think of is the ancient egyptians, who kept their organs in kanopic jars for their subsequent judging in the afterlife.

Any that I know of? No. Are there any out there where it is unacceptable? Probably. There's some messed up religions out there.

Does anyone here think that denying the use of organs is a logically defendable viewpoint?

If there is a logical defense (which automatically excludes religious beliefs for me) then I'd sure like to hear it!

The only reason why I would not carry an organ donor card would be in case it affected the judgment of the doctors involved in my care, I'm sure this is unlikley, but this is my life we talking about, I don't like taking chances!

The only assumption I can make about this statement is perhaps it means you think it would be a possibility that a doctor could save you, but would rather let you die to take an organ for another person? I don't see that happening, except on tv, but that's not to say it couldn't. As for me, if I'm on the verge of death, I'll take my chances having my donor card in my wallet. Hell, if I'm gonna end up a vegetable or something, I'd rather see me go and save someone else anyway.

[curiosityandthecat]

I'm a donor. My dad was a donor too; gave up his corneas and something else, but I can't remember what. I agree with the whole body-is-meat-after-death thing. As long as they try to save me, I'm okay with them taking whatever they can harvest. I should probably make a note on the card that they can probably just skip over my liver... it's a bit worse for wear.  

[gwyn428]

I'll be signing up to become an organ donor. Human beings need each other for many reasons and a life saver is one reason.  

[Kyuuketsuki]

I admit the idea worries me (specifically determination of brain death) but yeah, I decided they can have the lot because it would be wrong of me to accept someone else's (which I would) if I am unwilling to do the same.

Kyu

[MariaEvri]

I woul'd love to. I;d hate to have my useful meats rotting down in the dirt for nothing.

[Messenger]

Does anyone here think that denying the use of organs is a logically defendable viewpoint?

Even that it is not my opinion, but I know a reason!
Once I got an ad in my mail box, saying pay $40/month and that company (I don't remember its name) will save my body in Nitrogen
and someday science will be able to bring me back

[Kylyssa]

I had an organ donor card but, I decided to stop carrying one.  However, it's because I have an illness which is causing fevers of unknown origin.  My reasoning is that whatever is causing the high fevers may be transmissible and if my doctors couldn't figure it out in a year's time in a live patient they surely couldn't figure it out in the bare hours between organ removal and transplantation.  I wouldn't want my possibly infectious organs going into an already weakened transplant recipient.  So, for now, I'm just donating my body to science.  

The second I get a confirmed diagnosis (which is non-transmissible, of course) I'll have my donor card back in my wallet.  I lost an uncle to kidney disease, it was horrible waiting for a kidney.

[SSY]

Glad to see so many generous people   .

I was also thinking, do you think denying organs to people who are unwilling to donate is a good idea? I see it as fair in an eye for an eye sort of way, but am not sure that that would nessacerily be the most benelovent thing to do. Thinking with the catagorical imperative however. . . . . . . . .

In addition, I can't wait until we can clone organs, no more rejection, a steady stream of organs so people can't wear themselves out, a good time had by all!

[Squid]

I had planned on donating my body to a medical school so that future physicians can learn from my body.  And also, if another life can be saved by my organs - great - I'm dead, I won't need them.

[Ihateyoumike]

Does anyone here think that denying the use of organs is a logically defendable viewpoint?

Even that it is not my opinion, but I know a reason!
Once I got an ad in my mail box, saying pay $40/month and that company (I don't remember its name) will save my body in Nitrogen
and someday science will be able to bring me back

I sure hope not.

[VanReal]

I'm a donor. My dad was a donor too; gave up his corneas and something else, but I can't remember what. I agree with the whole body-is-meat-after-death thing. As long as they try to save me, I'm okay with them taking whatever they can harvest. I should probably make a note on the card that they can probably just skip over my liver... it's a bit worse for wear.  

Haha!  I always say that! There are probably pieces of it they can still use, they don't need the whole thing it will actually re-grow. (That is not the scientific term).  They certainly don't want my eyeballs or pasty white skin for graphs, but I'd like to think there is something I haven't ruined.

[Miss Anthrope]

I haven't made the arrangements yet (it's kind of macabre, you know?), but I plan on donating everything.

I couldn't really care less about my body after death, I don't really consider my dead body "me". As I sometimes joke to my family, "Just roll me up in an old rug and throw me off a bridge." (yeah, because THAT'S not macabre, right? lol)

[Kylyssa]

I haven't made the arrangements yet (it's kind of macabre, you know?), but I plan on donating everything.

I couldn't really care less about my body after death, I don't really consider my dead body "me". As I sometimes joke to my family, "Just roll me up in an old rug and throw me off a bridge." (yeah, because THAT'S not macabre, right? lol)

My statement has always been - cremate me and sprinkle me on the sidewalk so little old ladies don't slip on the ice.