Holy crap - Dick Cheney had a heart transplant!

[Anonymous]

Walter Payton died on the transplant list. Just FYI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realize people are skeptical about this, but trust me on this one. There is no way to "jump the line" in organ donation, unless you have a family donor. It just doesn't work that way. The article I saw said that Cheney was on the list for 20 months. Been VP has nothing to do with anything.

Trust me on this... What exactly are your credentials or area of expertise that gives you the knowledge that you can't "jump the line"?

Do tell.

I am a transplant recipient and active in the transplant community.

I respect your self imposed credentials but I am in the belief that money can buy anything, and I am fairly certain, despite your disagreement, that Cheney and his doctors were able to finagle this so he was guaranteed a heart.

You have a "belief", I have experience. Call that "self-imposed credentials" if you will, but you have no experience with this process. Believe all you want, but it doesn't make it true.

Pardonnez-moi, I do have experience in this ring as well. Why would you assume I had no experience with transplants?

Experiences differ, my friend. My experience shows me the system can be manipulated. My FIL and grandmother both have had transplants. FTR, I doubt you are privy to the actual decision making process beyond

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd have to google for the articles but they are in the process of changing things about who gets picked in what order also. For example, they don't want a 20yo heart to go to an elderly recipient.

As another person in the transplant community, I can tell you it is a very complex process. And while I can see why you'd think he would use power and influence to get a heart, he has also had problems that started in his thirties. He's had a very long time to get on the list, and to wait. The matching process is also difficult, so it is not like they are going to just hand him a heart - they'd want a good match to come in.

I say this as someone who cannot stand the man and think he is vile as a person, but also as someone who knows the agony of this situation. It's a tough call but as I thought about it last night I could only hope that it didn't make people not sign their donor cards. We really need donors in this country, particularly minority ones. Any form of bad publicity is a difficult thing to see.

They already do this.

[Anonymous]

Experiences differ, my friend. My experience shows me the system can be manipulated. My FIL and grandmother both have had transplants. FTR, I doubt you are privy to the actual decision making process beyond

Ok, then, be specific. Did you pay for those or what? Anon board, you realize.

[Anonymous]

My thought this person is lying. Someone who has been through this

[Anonymous]

I do not like Dick Cheney's political beliefs but so what. The man waited almost two years on the transplant list and this fact was never disseminated to the media and I don't believe he was jumped to the head of the line. Most of you are truly mean, mean spirited, hateful and hate filled when talking about him. He is a child of God who doesn't give a damn about his politics. I hope he makes it through without any complications.

[Anonymous]

Are his heart problems due to lifestyle choices or genetics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GW isn't even that bad; I honestly think his heart might have been in the right place, even if the execution was awful.

I agree about GW's heart.

http://www.youtube.com/v/nauLgZISozs

[Anonymous]

The typical way rich people 'jump the line' in transplants is by getting on the waiting list at hospitals across the U.S. If they can afford to hop on a last-minute flight to arrive there in time for the donor organ, then it's a way to work the system (a la Steve Jobs), since not everyone can afford to do that.

The other thing that I think likely happened is that he accepted an extended criteria donor. When organs are available, they are from real people, with various health problems. Not all organs are Grade A Angus, if you get my point. If there was a 68 yo donor with a perfectly good heart, genetic match, and compatible blood type who died, say, in a car accident, his doctors could call him up and say 'look, it's not the best, but no one else on the list above you wants it, so will you take it?'

[Anonymous]

20:30, you are misinformed about how the process works. Here's a brief summary:

http://www.organtransplants.org/understanding/unos/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not like Dick Cheney's political beliefs but so what. The man waited almost two years on the transplant list and this fact was never disseminated to the media and I don't believe he was jumped to the head of the line. Most of you are truly mean, mean spirited, hateful and hate filled when talking about him. He is a child of God who doesn't give a damn about his politics. I hope he makes it through without any complications.

No, he is not. He is Darth Vader, the devil's henchman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I need to put an asterisk next to the donor symbol on my driver's license...

Lol! me too:

* my organs can go to anyone with the exception of tea party members, sarah palin, rick santorum, or any other 2012 republican candidate. Plus Rush Limbaugh.

I totally agree!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I realize people are skeptical about this, but trust me on this one. There is no way to "jump the line" in organ donation, unless you have a family donor. It just doesn't work that way. The article I saw said that Cheney was on the list for 20 months. Been VP has nothing to do with anything.

I know someone who has been on the list for 27 months. Try telling his wife and young daughter that there is no way to "jump the line"...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not like Dick Cheney's political beliefs but so what. The man waited almost two years on the transplant list and this fact was never disseminated to the media and I don't believe he was jumped to the head of the line. Most of you are truly mean, mean spirited, hateful and hate filled when talking about him. He is a child of God who doesn't give a damn about his politics. I hope he makes it through without any complications.

No, he is not. He is Darth Vader, the devil's henchman.

I always thought of him more like this:

[Anonymous]

Good. Everyone needs one.