Organ Donation

[Andyrdj]

Folks, I've seen on this site the occasional person who has had a donor allograft valve. I believe that more people wouild be offered this, only availability is poor?

Can we all, in some manner, do something to promote organ donation? For all patients, not just the heart ones.

It makes my blood boil to think of organs being wasted by throwing them into the ground for worms, moulds, and bacteria to enjoy. I am further angered by responses in the UK making dead remains harder to use for experimental reasons. Again, to what purpose? So they can be thrown into the ground?

Let me remind us all that if it weren't for people in the past dissecting bodies - against the tradition of the time - we wouldn't be able to have these life saving operations.

While I'm at it, why not skip buying a marble headstone and give the money to your favourite medical research charity?

 

[catwoman]

Andy:

Many people avoid thinking about death and therefore may not think about being an organ donor. That may be one reason why there is such a demand for organs.
Before my MVR and going on warfarin, I had listed myself as an organ donor on my driver's license and had notified my husband and my family as such. However, I've been told that warfarin patients are not organ donor candidates.
Perhaps when a donor heart is available, transplant teams consider using the entire organ. I'm unfamiliar with homograft valves and don't know if they're from the actual valves or other cardiac tissue.
Ethnic/religious groups may also dissuade followers from being organ donors. I've been told that Conservative and Orthodox Jews seldom donate organs (or consent to autopsies or even embalming); this was from a funeral director who works mostly with Jewish families. There may be other groups who think along the same lines.
I've worked for newspapers for almost 33 years and have written many thousands of obituaries. Grieving families have so much to deal with that being approached to donate organs of their loved ones can be upsetting to some.
I agree; I wish there were more people willing to become organ donors upon their death.

 

[Debbrn]

My husband was the recepient of a heart/lungs from a college student. He was on the list for 15 months. Before my husband passed, he had been on low dose coumadin. The last few days in the hospital he was on a heparin drip instead though. He was able to donate his corneas for transplant and his retinas for research. Both corneas went to different recepients out of state. I was surprised that with all of his medications and health problems that he was able to donate.

I have a cadavar aortic valve in my pulmonic annulas.

Debbie

 

[Karlynn]

I had heard that when you designate organ donation that they don't automatically take skin, that you must specify that skin can be taken, so I have written "donate skin" on my driver's license. This was several years ago that I heard this (and it was on a show on organ donation, not just word of mouth) so maybe things have changed. But skin donation is highly needed for burn victims.

 

[aussigal]

I had a thought on this very subject myself last night and decided I would like to find a way to donate my body to medical science when I pass on...

Not just any scientists though...the ones searching for reasons and cures etc. for BAVD.

I just figure that they would somehow be able to use me to help figure out some stuff about these Bicuspid Aortic Valves and asociated problems from my left over body.... .

 

[rbl1999]

My husband is the recipient of a kidney transplant donated by the family of a man who was killed in a tragic auto accident.. He has had this kidney for 33 years and is one of the longest living kidney transplant patients in the country, this should certainly be an incentive for people to donate their organs.. He would have died at age 29 and is now 62, and has been pretty much problem free. Rose

 

[McCln]

And do not forget that those who are diabetic usually cannot donate, the disease affects eveything major. I feel and wish there were more healthy donor out there that would donate. But fears of Aids and other health issues does not help the donation situation. Thanks for the thought to share with us. I am type 2 diabetis and would be able to donate, can't even do the blood, on warafin. But I would hope others out there would. Thanks.

 

[Maureen]

Donating body to medical science

Donating body to medical science

I had a thought on this very subject myself last night and decided I would like to find a way to donate my body to medical science when I pass on...

Not just any scientists though...the ones searching for reasons and cures etc. for BAVD.

I just figure that they would somehow be able to use me to help figure out some stuff about these Bicuspid Aortic Valves and asociated problems from my left over body.... .

Many years ago my Father-in-Law decided he wanted to donate his body to medical science after his death. He contacted the College of Surgeons (Ireland) and filled out a form. They keep them on file. Sadly he passed away March 2004. We knew of his wishes, so we had to contact the college immediately. They arranged to have his body taken back to the college. They can keep him for up to 2 years, at which point they will cremate the body and return the ashes to his family.

It is an amazing thing for someone to do. He died from Alzheimers and it's good to think that maybe some of the research on him may be able to help others in the future.

The only thing I would say is that it is very important that the whole family are fully aware of what is involved and that they are in agreement. When Frank died, the college wanted to take him immediately and we had to keep putting them off in order to give family members time to see him. In the end, they took him just 24 hours after he died. We had a memorial service a few days later, but it is always at the back of your mind that you will have to go through another ceremony when the ashes are returned, up to 2 years after he died.

Every year the college arranges a non denominational service and invites the families of the donors to attend.

My Mother-in-Law also completed the forms years ago, thankfully she is still with us (age 83).

With regard to donation of organs, I am in full agreement and often think we should have a law that states if you do not want to be donor then you carry a card...otherwise they can take what they want...not much use to you when you're gone!

 

[tobagotwo]

Sometimes, things go too far.

In New Jersey, they make it easy to donate organs by placing it on the back of your driver's license.

Unfortunately, when it started, anyone reading the donate organs check-off could be easily put off. It didn't just donate your organs. It said your body could also be used for medical research and teaching cadaver work. Many people were repelled by that thought and wouldn't do it at all, as it denied the next of kin closure, and was just repugnant to many.

They have since changed it to a simple check-off for eyes, heart, liver, kidney, any organ, or none. However, they still don't mention it when you get your license renewed. I wonder how many looked at the old setup and never bothered to look at the new one.

Best wishes,

 

[Marty]

In Virginia we get asked about being a donor every time we renew our auto license. I volunteered for them to take anything they want. The clerk told me more and more motorists are volunteering but I couldn't get a percentage.