Are you an organ donor? Why or why not? For what?

Contributor: *HisMrs* *HisMrs*
Quote:
Originally posted by Tuesday
People with DNR orders can't be organ donors?
My aunt was a DNR and did donate her corneas. This was in April of 2008.
02/05/2011
Contributor: Joie de Cherresse Joie de Cherresse
If there's anything inside of my body that would help another person live a happy life I'm willing to give it. Once I die I'm not going to need it anymore, so I'd rather help someone who needs it.
02/05/2011
Contributor: lezergirl lezergirl
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
I'm willing to give up anything for the simple reasoning that I'll no longer be needing any of it.
pretty much what she said. Especially given I would rather be cremated.
03/10/2011
Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
Quote:
Originally posted by Tuesday
People with DNR orders can't be organ donors?
I don't think that's what P'gell meant...I think she meant that all people are treated the same regardless of whether or not they are organ donors when it comes to trying to save your life. People with DNR's are treated differently because they do not try and save the life - I don't think it has any impact at all on whether or not they can donate.
03/10/2011
Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
Quote:
Originally posted by *HisMrs*
Yeap I dunno but my clinicals are at one of the largest hospitals in Texas and I have seen it. It was last semester. The $300 charge is the main reason we didn't donate my aunt's organs. I think it is crazy. I will see if I can get a list of ... more
That sounds really bizarre to me. My ex-husband has worked in surgeries and donation situations in several NJ, NYC, and Philadelphia hospitals and he's never seen anyone not stitched up and cleaned up respectfully before being sent to the morgue. And both and my best friend and I have worked in funeral homes in NJ and there is literally no such thing as this fee or even this situation here. If a body was ever received in a funeral home with duct tape on it here, people would go berserk and lawsuits would abound. In addition, funeral directors here do not repair anything except their own work or fatal injury marks (when requested by the family for open caskets, etc.). They are never ever responsible for sewing up an unfinished surgery or organ donation.
03/10/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
That sounds really bizarre to me. My ex-husband has worked in surgeries and donation situations in several NJ, NYC, and Philadelphia hospitals and he's never seen anyone not stitched up and cleaned up respectfully before being sent to the ... more
Tori, my experience is similar. I've never seen or heard of an organ donor being sent to a funeral home "open."

And exactly what I meant about the DNRs. Most people with DNRs have progressive diseases, and as they are dying, other organ systems shut down, often causing organs to become unusable in the process of death.

The only DNR situation where I could see this not being a problem is where a young person with a closed head injury is brain dead, and the family decides not to continue heroic measures to keep his body alive. But, most DNRs are on people with progressive diseases, cancer, heart disease, end stage liver or kidney failure, etc. Organs from a body which has broken down in all or most systems won't usually be used for organ donations.
03/10/2011
Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Tori, my experience is similar. I've never seen or heard of an organ donor being sent to a funeral home "open."

And exactly what I meant about the DNRs. Most people with DNRs have progressive diseases, and as they are dying, ... more
Maybe the laws are far less stringent in Texas? I know laws of what funeral homes can or cannot do in NJ is extremely tight, even down to who can and cannot touch the body during preparation, and are followed to a 't'.

The education to become a funeral director in NJ requires college, mortuary college, and an apprenticeship as part of mortuary college. There is also only ONE college in NJ that can certify you, or at least was only one when I was interested, which is why I went a different way.

Some states still have two separate professions - a funeral director (more business side) and an embalmer or mortician, that work together, and in a couple states the mortician position still requires full medical training. In some states, no more than high school is required to perform the duties of a funeral director (again, business front end only). It appears that in TX, it is similar to NJ, with one position two do both jobs, requiring both an associates degree plus mortuary college plus licensing boards.

Funny (well, scary to me) side note- to this day, the state of Colorado has no actual certification requirements in place to become an embalmer or funeral director besides a stricty voluntary certification program. This technically means that they can hire ANYONE to remove your organs (just for embalming, not donation) and pump you full of fluids. No offense to anyone in Colorado, but remind me not to die there. Hawaii will also still certify an embalmer with 5 years of apprenticeship but no formal classroom education.
03/10/2011
Contributor: markeagleone markeagleone
Quote:
Originally posted by ~LaUr3n~
I would like to know if you are an organ donor. If you are not, what is your reason.

If you are, are their limitations to what you would donate?
I haven't signed the deal yet. I would suppose that what ever they could use would be ok. I just believe that I'll wear them all out before I go!
03/10/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by markeagleone
I haven't signed the deal yet. I would suppose that what ever they could use would be ok. I just believe that I'll wear them all out before I go!
I hope not. They all don't wear out at the same time, and partially working body parts are really a pain.......literally.
03/10/2011
Contributor: Ajax Ajax
Quote:
Originally posted by KnK
It's more like I forget about changing it on my license.

I also have an irrational fear of people thinking I'm dead and I'm not and them harvesting my organs...Might have to do with this Alfred Hitchcock episode I saw as a kid...
haha sadly...I have the same fear. So I am NOT an organ donor and I'm not sure that I will ever be. I have lots of time to change my mind *I hope*, but right now its a no.
03/10/2011
Contributor: bunny love bunny love
Yes!

I'm not going to be using my organs, so someone else might as well benefit from them. I'm willing to donate any of my body parts. In fact, I'd really like to have my body donated to science when I'm dead. The thought that my body could help someone become a doctor, be used in research that could save lives, or even be used as a teaching aid for the general public is exciting to me. I want to be useful even when I'm dead
03/10/2011
Contributor: Stephanie Marie Stephanie Marie
I am not a organ donor.
I am not sure if any of my family are either (brothers,mother,fathe r).

I was once told by a nurse my organs wouldn't help a soul most likely, after all the stuff I have done and do. So I don't think it to wise to be an organ donor.
03/10/2011
Contributor: slynch slynch
I am a donor for whatever is needed.
03/10/2011
Contributor: Screaming Violet Screaming Violet
I'm not, mainly for the reason that they take your organs whilst you are still technically alive and without using anaesthetic (as your brain dead you logically don't need it) but I have massive irrational fears about feeling it. For similar reasons I would like to donate my body to the body farm so that I neither have to be buried or cremated.
03/10/2011
Contributor: bunny love bunny love
Quote:
Originally posted by Screaming Violet
I'm not, mainly for the reason that they take your organs whilst you are still technically alive and without using anaesthetic (as your brain dead you logically don't need it) but I have massive irrational fears about feeling it. For similar ... more
Oh man, I would totally upvote you if EF had that feature. The Body Farm is awesome!

For anybody interested, it's a research program run by the University of Tennessee that studies the decomposition of human bodies in different environments. This research is used in forensic science. There's a great book about it entitled, "Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales."

I'll stop nerding out now
03/11/2011
Contributor: Eliza Eliza
I'm an organ donor, and I don't have any limits. I actually didn't know you could have limits.
03/11/2011
Contributor: cobiffle cobiffle
I would do it but I am not completely sure yet. Might sign up for it later on.
03/11/2011
Contributor: cobiffle cobiffle
I would do it but I am not completely sure yet. Might sign up for it later on.
03/11/2011
Contributor: *HisMrs* *HisMrs*
Quote:
Originally posted by bunny love
Oh man, I would totally upvote you if EF had that feature. The Body Farm is awesome!

For anybody interested, it's a research program run by the University of Tennessee that studies the decomposition of human bodies in different ... more
I looked it up and found that there is one pretty close to where I live... well about an hour away! There are 5 in the US and 2 are in Texas! I think it's awesome that all this research is being done to help solve murders and such! I just can't believe that there is one so close to where I live & I've never heard about it! I knew about the one in Tennesee but I really didn't know there were 2 in Texas much less that it was so close to where I live! I will def pick up that book! =)
03/11/2011
Contributor: Novs Novs
No limitations.
05/19/2011
Contributor: froggiemoma froggiemoma
i am not but have been meaning to change that
05/19/2011
Contributor: GravyCakes GravyCakes
Quote:
Originally posted by ~LaUr3n~
I would like to know if you are an organ donor. If you are not, what is your reason.

If you are, are their limitations to what you would donate?
my license was cheaper if i decided to be an organ donor. plus, if i'm dead, i have no need for them. let someone else who needs them have them.
05/19/2011
Contributor: Dizzykakes Dizzykakes
When I die I would like it if my body could help the living.
05/19/2011
Contributor: zeebot zeebot
I am, except for skin I think? I don't actually remember which box I ticked.
06/12/2011
Contributor: big b big b
not any more came down diabetes
06/12/2011
Contributor: Noira Noira
My mother asked me why I would consider doing that to the people grieving me, getting myself cut into pieces, when I first expressed interest in being a donor at 12. (facepalm)

My opinion is that I'm not using it, why should I waste my body if someone else can make good use of it? I'll be dead and anyone who complains about me giving away any useful pieces left is just selfish. D:

I'd rather not even be buried or cremated if my body could be useful post-death, but apparently that's dreadfully inconsiderate of me.
06/12/2011
Contributor: Linga Linga
If I can help someone else live or even live a better more fulfilling life after I'm gone then that's what i want. I don't have any limitations, use it all
06/12/2011
Contributor: K101 K101
Well, I am an organ donor, but I would prefer limitations to it. I don't quite know how to make that list though. I was only given the option to say "yes" or no. I'd prefer my organs not being taken when I still had a chance and that does happen. Other than that, I will give em' up. But if I still have a chance, I don't want to be given less help just because they want to take your organs. That's what makes me weirded out about it.
06/12/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
I am an organ donor. I'll be dead, I certainly won't need them any more. Might as well give them to someone else who does.
06/12/2011
Contributor: mandiegk mandiegk
I'm not an organ donor right now. When I first got my license my parents had to approve it since I was under 18 - they wouldn't sign it because they wanted to decide what they were willing to donate if anything happened. I forgot to make the change the last time I got license renewed, but I will be doing it the next time.
06/12/2011