not a Dr - but I think you'll find 'need' (severity of illness) and 'match' dictate the recipient of donated organs.

Good on you for raising this matter though. I have been registered for years... I can't see why you wouldn't - you won't need them when you're dead!

doggie said...

I dont think anyone would want mine after Ive finished with them

me either doggie...but they can have all of me even my (.) (.)'s
they are not fake so you could use the skin for burns patients ..
I could end up with my boob's on someones back or face

doggie said...

I dont think anyone would want mine after Ive finished with them

Looking at some of your posts I can imagine you wearing out your organ

superlizard said...

i'm registered, but what happens if you get into clinical death state and they take your organs...

You die?


The main worry is you may be on death's door after an accident and the doctors start pressuring the spouse/parents/kids/significant other to carve you up to save other people. The time needed to extract, treat and then courier the organs probably means tight timetables.

Where there is life there is hope though in most of these cases the prognosis is probably hopeless. So in these situations some medicos may have agendas that don't have your survival as the main priority but organ transplants.

So its the interpretation and the grey areas that are an issue. Often it won't be a case of black or white, dead or alive.

I have family members walking around with parts from other peoples bodies.

It's a miracle that it can even be done.

I never even thought about ticking that box to say yes, as long as they don't disfigure my corpse for the rock and roll party that will be my funeral I really don't think I'll be needing them.

P.S Do you think if they took say a left kidney that would affect my balance when I am getting shacked at the great reef peak in the sky?

superlizard said...

i didn't think they actually need family permission if your license states "organ donor" ..? I thought they were free to cut you up right on the spot...

Far as I know..you can tick the "I donate my organ" box...
but if the family says no...I think they override the ticked box..
but not 100% sure

Little Jon said...

GPA said...
Good on you for raising this matter though. I have been registered for years... I can't see why you wouldn't - you won't need them when you're dead!

Some people don't like to donate because of religious beliefs but they don't seem to mind when they need one

Same with blood donations - plenty don't bother to donate (1hr every 3 months), but all happy to accept transfusion when they or their kids are on the operating table (religios beliefs aside).

GypsyDrifter said...

GPA said...

Little Jon said...

GPA said...
Good on you for raising this matter though. I have been registered for years... I can't see why you wouldn't - you won't need them when you're dead!

Some people don't like to donate because of religious beliefs but they don't seem to mind when they need one

Same with blood donations - plenty don't bother to donate (1hr every 3 months), but all happy to accept transfusion when they or their kids are on the operating table (religios beliefs aside).

Yes but! Then there are people like me who would love to donate and do our bit but can't

Same - My wife's made 75 donations tho' - so 'we' do our bit...

Good on you for raising organ donation, I've been thinking about posting info on this topic for some time.

I have had a double lung transplant 7 years ago. Thanks to my donor and his/her family. I am a very lucky person to be alive.

Organs are given to recipients on a basis of need and the most suitable match between donor and recipient (blood groups and other stuff which I don't understand) and as Gysydrifter and CMC mentioned some people just can't donate.

I believe the only real way to significantly increase the donor rate is to have an opt out system, where everyone is considered a donor unless they decide to opt out, this would take apethy out of the equation and would allow the people who feel strongly about not donating (religion etc) to make their wishes known. Some european countries have this.

@ SuperLizard donors are brain dead before organ donation is discussed, when the donor is declared brain dead, his/her organs are kept alive artificially, while dicussions with the family is happening.
I sail with a doctor at my local, so if you read this A maybe you could give us your insight (thanks)

Ticking the yes box on a licence is not enough. You need to be on the Australian Organ Donor Register ( google it ) its run by medicare.
You also need to discuss it with your family and make your wishes known to them.
Your family will have the final say, whether you wish to donate or not.

@ Mobydisc doctors, nurses and all the other people involved in the transplant process are a lot more caring and ethical than you might think. Only on B**** USA medical tv shows will you see things like you mentioned happen. The doctors treating the potential donor are not the same doctors treating the needing recipient, in fact they may be on different sides or different ends of the country.

@ CMC yes it is a miracle, I hope your family members are doing well.
like others I cannot donate, the red cross said because of my transplant and something to do with the poms and their mad cows.
donate both kidneys - balance problem solved

@ GPA thanks to your wife and the many others like her who give blood.
I needed blood during my operation.

about me - born with lung disease cystic fibrosis, lived mostly normal life, went to school, got a trade, started windsurfing approx 25 years ago, lungs started to complain about life, gave up windsurfing, got sicker needed oxygen to walk/sleep etc, had transplant, started windsurfing, started work, had family, gave up work to become mr mum, still windsurf occasionally, swim couple k in pool occasionally, gym,bike etc all occasionally, will start work again when boys go to school.


Organ donation is good - you never know when you or a family member or a friend may need it. - spread the word - check out website donate life

Thanks to all the donors and their families.

GPA said...

^^^

Thanks for your 'reply' post Lungs.... I went to a CF fundraising night last week - a work colleague's 3yo daughter has it quite bad... his wife and three others are doing a 1/2 marathon across the great wall of china to raise awareness and funds for a PhD student to take up CF research. The speakers were quite informative, and like most people, I had no real idea about CF.

Seems that there is a real strong CF community over here doing some good work.

Good footer note in your profile

Sorry to here about your colleagues daughter, the disease is so diverse that it has such extremities, from very sick people who are always in and out of hospital to people like me, who spent virtually no time in hospital untill very late in life.
Teach her to surf/swim when she's old enough, it would be one of the best types of physio for her.
Nearly 30 years ago I met a cf physio from Perth, she gave me a pep mask for my physio (which she brought back from europe) it was experimental at the time, but the technique is now widespread, so yes the cf community over there are definitely doing good work.