Is it horrible I don't want to donate my organs?

[Anonymous]

It's your body, you get to decide -- but I think you should (obviously) realize that you're going to be dead and at that point your body is of no use to you any more. I understand the squeam/squick factor, but you really have to accept that *you* will be gone and your body is just matter at that point.

Whether or not various pieces/parts could help others live better lives, and whether they'd be acceptable to transplant teams, there are many other valuable purposes your body could serve once you're dead. For example, medical students need bodies for anatomy classes. There are tissue banks that can use your tissue for research. In Mary Roach's fantastic book Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers, she talks about bodies on forensic body farms, so criminal investigators can be trained. She also mentioned the use of human cadavers as crash test dummies.

There are so many great uses for human cadavers that can save lives and benefit countless others. In my view it's a shame not to be generous in whatever way you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How's your face? Great article today about the medical advances in facial donations. Maybe not life-saving, it's certainly life-changing for the recipients who've been victims to horrendous tragedy.

Another point no one's mentioned: even old diseased bodies are needed as cadavers in all medical schools. Think about it. (And read Stiff if you have the stomach for it).

+1 If my organs were not good for transplant, I would donate my body to science in some other way.

And definitely read "Stiff." Interesting and darkly hilarious.

The whole cadaver thing I really hadn't thought about before reading Stiff (a book DD had to read for an AP Biology project). Of course medical schools need bodies. You don't want to be your surgeon's first cut, right?

[Anonymous]

I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

Would you allow your organs to be donated to someone who was repeatedly raped and molested as a child, physically abused and later neglected by their family, and then maybe developed an alcohol or drug addiction to help cope with their shitty, awful upbringing?

As a blood donor, I sometimes wonder where my blood is going. Is it the child who got hit by a drunk driver, or the person drunk behind the wheel? I will never know. It's not my responsibility to break down the choices of others, or who is worthy. I hope that I can help someone live a cleaner, healthier life going forward. That's all. I'd rather help some, than none.

[Anonymous]

Actually, there may be a use for your damaged organs. There is always someone worse off than you, and in many cases your organs could extend their life.

My father was brain dead but remained on life support another 36 hours so we could donate his organs. It was absolutely gut-wrenching keeping him 'alive' like that after he'd been declared dead. At the same time, the organ donation team could not have been kinder and reminded us many times that we could refuse at any point. We were under zero pressure. They offered grief counseling, support groups, and stayed by our side through the whole process all while furiously working to find matches for his organs. All this was in a state where organ donation is pretty rare. Obviously each medical team will be different, but our experience was as positive as it could be given the circumstances. They are not vultures, they are saving lives. It is a great comfort to know that my dad can live on in someone else. I've also had an uncle die while waiting on a transplant list for an organ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

How about to a medical school or research facility? You're sure to be dead cold before they take you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

Would you allow your organs to be donated to someone who was repeatedly raped and molested as a child, physically abused and later neglected by their family, and then maybe developed an alcohol or drug addiction to help cope with their shitty, awful upbringing?

As a blood donor, I sometimes wonder where my blood is going. Is it the child who got hit by a drunk driver, or the person drunk behind the wheel? I will never know. It's not my responsibility to break down the choices of others, or who is worthy. I hope that I can help someone live a cleaner, healthier life going forward. That's all. I'd rather help some, than none.

Actually the system does account for this. Priority is given to patients who are expected to have the best chance of recovery. So the kid who was hit by a car is far above the 65 year old alcoholic who still drinks and has no intention of stopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

Would you allow your organs to be donated to someone who was repeatedly raped and molested as a child, physically abused and later neglected by their family, and then maybe developed an alcohol or drug addiction to help cope with their shitty, awful upbringing?

As a blood donor, I sometimes wonder where my blood is going. Is it the child who got hit by a drunk driver, or the person drunk behind the wheel? I will never know. It's not my responsibility to break down the choices of others, or who is worthy. I hope that I can help someone live a cleaner, healthier life going forward. That's all. I'd rather help some, than none.

Actually the system does account for this. Priority is given to patients who are expected to have the best chance of recovery. So the kid who was hit by a car is far above the 65 year old alcoholic who still drinks and has no intention of stopping.

I know someone who was a former alcoholic who received a liver transplant. He had to be sober for a good while before they proceeded with the transplant. I don't think you can be accepted if you still drink.

[Anonymous]

OP no matter how damaged your body, you can donate to be a cadaver which is so helpful for the medical students.

But I think, hey, it's your body, and therefore your choice.

I don't really get why you posted in the first place--you want people to say you're horrible or not for your fear of donating your organs? Why? So strange to post this.

Finally, and most importantly for you, OP, congrats that you are getting your estate planning done. Remember you can always change your mind. So do whatever it takes to get it done, and if that means not being an organ donor, then fine--just get it done. My DH and I were stopped in the process because we couldn't agree on guardians if we both died--finally I picked my brother/SIL under the guise that we could change it, just to keep the process going. And you know, the funny thing is THAT ended up being the only thing we've had to change--my SIL got mentally unstable, and we changed to my DH's brother/SIL.

But we got it done, then got it changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

But if your heart ends up with a drug addict, that frees up a heart to go to someone who you deem to be more "deserving".

I can't imagine letting my body rot in the ground and bringing other people down with me, by depriving them of organs, because I don't like alcoholics.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, OP, but it's hard to imagine anything more selfish than refusing to give something you literally have no further use for and won't miss in order to save someone's life. You don't sound like a very good person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then there's this: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/patient-wakes-doctors-remove-organs/story?id=19609438

It may be crazy, but I just don't fully trust that the doctors have my best interest in mind when they so desperately need my organs to help others.

Did you read the article? It's exceedingly rare. Literally, a one in a million chance of you dying unnecessarily, versus the virtual certainty that you would be saving someone else's life.

"Still, the nightmare is "exceedingly rare," Wijdicks said. The American Academy of Neurology guidelines consist of about 25 tests for doctors to perform to be absolutely sure a patient won't get better, he said.

"When that is done, there should be no errors made," Wijdicks said. "

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

So. Much. Ignorance.

Addicts don't get organs. If they've been sober for a certain amount of time, ok, but if they are actively drinking or using drugs they will not be allowed on the list.

So in your effort to spite those who drink or abuse drugs you will only be denying someone's mother/father/sibling/child/friend of organs.

Its your choice, but check your rationalizations you use to try to feel like a better person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think organ donation should be a 2-way street. If you're not willing to sign up as an organ donor, then you shouldn't be allowed to receive a transplant.

Completely agree. If you won't donate then you and your children should not be able to accept organs. Think about that. How would you feel if your child needed an organ transplant and no one wanted to donate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no intention of donating my organs. I've already told my family and it is on my license. Maybe if I could restrict my organs from going to alcoholics or drug addicts or people who don't take care of themselves. But since I can't, my organs won't go to anybody.

So. Much. Ignorance.

Addicts don't get organs. If they've been sober for a certain amount of time, ok, but if they are actively drinking or using drugs they will not be allowed on the list.

So in your effort to spite those who drink or abuse drugs you will only be denying someone's mother/father/sibling/child/friend of organs.

Its your choice, but check your rationalizations you use to try to feel like a better person.

Ignorance...and judgement. I can't imaging going around looking for the "your fault" in every little thing. PPP must be one angry human.