Organ Donation

[plutosblue]

So I feel good today I just registered my organ donation thingy, I plan to give everything but my eyes (Ok I know thats random but the idea of someone poking at my eyes even after I've gone creeps me out!!)

Feel I've done my part for humanity, tried to convince OH but he recons if they know your an organ donor they will let you die to harvest your organs I tried to tell him that isn't the case but hes convinced theres a conspiricy afoot!

So will you donate, if so what? You can register at nhs.co.uk

 

[morri]

We only need a card that says youre prepared to donate your organs so I have it in my wallet

 

[DJ987]

I'm a registered organ donor too, and I'm the same as you I've stated they can have everything apart from my eyes! Glad I'm not the only one, my OH thinks I'm nuts for saying they can have everything but!

 

[amyclaire]

I'm really sorry if I'm being thick about this.. this is for after you pass away, right?
Or is in case someone needs a kidney for example and yours match theirs...? I am pretty dim when it comes to medical stuff (clearly )

Assuming its the after death thing, I would definitely give away all organs - I definitely know what you mean about eyes though, not sure about this...xxxx

 

[amyclaire]

Oh and yes I'm not so dim that I'd think people would give away their heart and eyes or something while they're still alive... xxxx

 

[plutosblue]

Oh bless yeah Amy its after you die, not during your lifetime, that only tends to happen if a loved one needs a kidney and say, your a match and you offer. They aren't just gunna call you up and say "hey your on the list gimme a kidney!"

 

[amyclaire]

hahaha thought so. Good good, they can have my organs then xxxx

 

[plutosblue]

hahaha thought so. Good good, they can have my organs then xxxx

Good for you, just think when you die you help others to live, children, adults, babies. I feel good just thinking about it! They just have to wait for another 70 years

 

[silverbell]

So glad you've did this - well done. It's a wonderful thing you've done.

I have been on the register since I was around 17 I think. They can have anything and everything they want.

I actually think it should be compulsory and that you should just 'opt out' if you feel strongly enough against it. There are more donors needed and it's such a waste, I feel, when perfectly healthy organs cannot be used because that person hasn't registered. There are so many babies, children and people waiting for transplants etc.

If you suddenly found out you needed a transplant or you'll die, you'd expect to receive one. Same as giving blood in that if you were bleeding heavily you would expect the doctors to do something about it and give you blood to help. Yet some people still choose not to get involved.

My husband is actually one of them! He says he really doesn't like the idea of anybody cutting him open and taking bits of him when he's dead. I've tried explaining that the body is just an empty shell at that stage and that he isn't there any more, but he's adamant he won't consider it. He says he knows it's wrong and that he'd expect a donor for me if something were to happen to me, but he can't bring himself to do it. It's one thing about him that I cannot understand, especially as he's such a kind and caring person.

I am also on the bone marrow register in case anybody with leukaemia etc ever needs my bone marrow. Apparently it's a very painful procedure and entails some time off work, but I would do it at the drop of a hat if I could help another person in such a wonderful way.

I gave blood regularly from about 17/18 until I was told I wasn't allowed any more due to my inflammatory bowel disease (taking blood has been vaguely linked to worsening of the disease or something like that). I was gutted and actually cried! I used to feel so damn good whenever I gave blood, especially as I am O-negative - the blood type used in emergencies and that can be given to anybody.

I work at a hospital and a young man had an irreparable brain injury after a road accident recently. He was on the organ donation list and his heart valves were used for 2 sick babies.

I realise it's a very personal choice and I'm not wishing to offend here at all. These are just my personal opinions.

 

[plutosblue]

Awww Silverbell you do so much, you put me to shame.

We have a blood donation thing at work, but everytime they come to do it I have a cold or am recovering from one and they turn me away. Nevermind there is always next time..

Plus I don't know my blood type... but I would love to give blood one day when I pluck up the courage.

 

[mushmouth]

I'm registered to give everything and I giv. Blood...I've tried convincing my hub but he refuses to give anything, in fact he is convinced he will need it all when he is dead....

 

[plutosblue]

I think I'm starting to notice a trend here, us ladies are giving up all the organs whereas the men are snagging them for themselves!

I think we need to slap some sense into them.

 

[EstelSeren]

I've given blood, just the once though as I've been ill or busy the other times they've been in my area. I hated it as I could actually feel every drop of blood that left my body leaving, which was a horrible, horrible sensation! At least it helped something out though! I couldn't give bone marrow though. A bit of discomfort's one thing but I'm not quite selfless enough to go through a hospital appointment, if not stay, and pain for someone else, especially if I don't know them! To be honest, I don't think I could offer a kidney to a family member who needed a transplant either. It's an amazing thing to do but I don't feel tha I'm strong enough to cope with a decsion like that, although I guess I couldn't say for certain unless, God forbid, I'm ever in that situation!

I'm not on the organ donation register but I don't actually care what they do with my body when I'm dead and don't need it anymore. If my death could help someone else live then that's great! I've talked about it with my fiance and we've agreed that, even if we don't get around to registering, should the worst happen to either of us we would give the go ahead for the organs to be used if they are needed as next of kin. The thing is I think both of us are putting it off as we're not intending to die in a situation where our organs could be of use and that's why we both think that having an opt out system would be better than the current opt in. People don't like thinking about their death, even less so about their death whilst in a healthy enough state for their organs to be useful so perhaps wouldn't consider putting their organs up for donation as they're convinced they're going to die when they're very old, possibly very ill, and so their organs would be useless. People who feel very strongly against organ donation would be far more likely to opt out than people who don't mind are to opt in and so there would be an awful lot more people on the donor list than there are now, simply because I don't think that many people think about it or actually feel very strongly either way.

Beca :wave:

 

[xsophiexleax]

I'm on the organ donation list I've said they can take everything apart from my eyes (just seems weird to me!) and my heart, I don't know why but I really want my heart to stay with me even though I'm dead.
I can't remember who said it now (sorry!) but I agree with the idea that it should be compulsory and if you don't want to do it or don't want certain parts taken then you can opt out. There's such a shortage in organs for transplants & it'd make such a huge difference

 

[moomin_troll]

im a donar they can have it all apart from my heart

 

[Ley]

I've been carrying round a donor card since I was 12 years old. Then when I was old enough I officially registered and it's marked on my drivers licence too.
I have also been donating blood since I was 17 and am on the bone marrow donor list (have yet to be called for it though).
I would urge anyone and everyone to sign up for this. My mum nearly died when she lost 6 pints of blood after an operation and she had to have several transfusions, without that donated blood she wouldn't be here.
Also my Cousin died of cystic fibrosis, he lived to be one of the oldest in the country with the disease (34) but he could have lived longer if a donor lung had been found.

 

[L005]

I'm registered to be an organ donor too and they can have it all. My dad had an eye disease that was causing him to go blind so last year he had corneal transplants done from donor eyes and now he has great eyesight! So after that I decided my eyes could go to someone too (I totally understand that this is a personal decision and don't mean to pressure anyone into giving everything it is totally up to you and giving anything at all can make such a huge difference!). I can't give blood though, I pass out when I get needles so it doesn't work very well lol! My OH can't give blood either (even though he used to all the time) because he lived in France in the 80's so they think he may carry Mad Cow Disease lol! I think that is such a waste as he gave so regularly and definately has never had signs/symptoms of MCD!

 

[plutosblue]

Awww man that sucks L005.

I'm not squeemish but the last time I went and got blood taken I could hear the blood squirting in the pot I had to tell the poor nurse I thought I was going to throw up on her! Luckily I had a lie down and I was ok but the world went all fuzzy and white!

I will give blood one day

 

[Kess]

I told my parents as a teenager I want to donate, and my OH knows too. I'd like something good to come of it if I died in that sort of situation. I also used to give blood, but can't at the moment because of the meds I'm on. I'll be off them later this year, so I will give again.

Does anyone know what the rules are on giving blood when pregnant/TTC/breastfeeding?

 

[Tulip]

I'm on the organ donor and bone marrow donor register. Organwise, they can have what they want. I've been called for secondary bloods for bone marrow patients a couple of times, but I haven't been the closest match yet. I was gutted both times - it would feel SO good knowing I had essentially given someone an immune system and a life.

As for blood, I was really good, but was always borderline weight-wise and slipped under the minimum weight for a while. I soon recovered when I got pregnant! But since we lost Rubes I haven't got round to going (I now weigh 10lb more than pre-pregnancy!) and now intend to do so on my week off - thanks for the push, Plutos!

As for blood donation in pregnancy, the Blood Service say "You should not give blood if you are pregnant or you are a woman who has had a baby in the last 9 months."

ETA: I agree with everything SilverBell has said. Several years ago I met a lady called Emily who has Cystic Fibrosis. She was in desperate need of a double lung transplant and was getting pushed most of the way round a 5km fun run course in her wheelchair, breathing oxygen through a nasal tube. Watching her walk the final 100m was amazing and heartbreaking. The following year she got her transplant... almost died... and is now a Married Lady with a proper job and an incredible campaigner for Organ Donation. Sadly her fellow campaigner Jess who received her lungs over Christmas was just too weak by the time she got her transplant and she passed away in the new year aged just 20. Just think if we had an opt-out system, she would likely have got her lungs while she was still strong RIP Jess - you were so brave.

xx