Who in the US is an organ doner here?
 

I am not, as you may guess, which is why I started the thread. Why? Because I think the program is messed up in my opinion. 2 Major problems:

1. They charge you as the dead person the cost for the proceedure to remove your organs. This is not a big deal or anything if you just died, but it becomes a big deal for your family who must now pay your bill because you were being kind enough to donate in the first place!!!

2. Because of what I already suspected - they do not take your organs when you are pronouced dead - ie brain dead. They go into you simply if your heart stops which makes sure you are dead - and I am sure less life saving measure are implemented on organ doners!!! According to a hospital, you are not dead until your brain dies since at that point, there is basically no chance of revival. However, if you are an organ doner, they do not bother to wait till you are clinically dead before they cut into you and take your organs. If you were not dead before, I guess you can for sure say that you are dead after they take your heart!! :-?

-S

Read this if you don't believe me - http://www.playfuls.com/news_005593_...Harvested.html

Not to forget that viable organs are worth big money. A donors family ought to be getting some of that instead of having to pay.

A novel concept. The families should sue the hospital for the cost of the organ - do bad it says 'donation' on the drivers license though.

-S

PS. One more thing that I don't like is the conflict of interest - the people who are pronoucing you dead are the very same people that want the organ. That is like asking a real estate agent about where the housing market is going. A very dumb idea.

I do not like the facts that you have stated in regards to the US Donor system although for many I can see it will not be a problem.

Is Organ Donations in the US voluntary?

At the moment in the UK there is a petition that every UK resident should be a doner unless they 'Opt Out'. This I do not like.

As for the specifics of 'How you are pronounced dead' etc, I'm not sure where the UK stands on this. Although, you are only pronounced dead after verification by 2 specialists who are independant to the transplant team.

I wouldn't trust 'em. :shifty:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5993/grail03ku5.jpg

Yes - it's an opt in thing here in the US - they ask you when you renew your drivers license. Quite frankly, I don't plan on being a doner unless things like what I mention are fixed.

-S

Sounds bad. Here in the UK there are no charges, and also there is no direct financial value in the organs - you can't buy them. I suppose they're of value to the medical service but that's more of a hidden cost that I don't really understand.

Personally I have a donor card that allows them to take anything other than my eyes or my skin - for some reason that makes me feel uneasy. (I also carry a donner card so that someone can benefit from my kebab after my death.)

My wifes niece had a baby and the father shook the baby resulting in it's death...he is in prision now btw...but the heart was a miracle for another baby in New York which saved it's life as well as I think she donated the lungs or some othe major organ which also saved that baby.Heres the baby now...http://www.columbiasurgery.org/news/...by_jordan.html

was a terrible time there for my wifes niece....but she made a tough decision to do what she did.I am a donor.

At the bottom of this page is my wifes niece with her babe Breanna..
http://www.jordanzane.com/Breanna.html

Nobody can touch me for at least 72 hours after I've been pronounced clinically dead. I've came up with this time period by myself but I wonder if I should extend it. Don't trust the system at all.

I'm legally barred from giving blood, yet I managed to get an organ donor card at home. I canceled as soon as i got it, explained why. Didnt give me too much confidence in the system.....

very tough decision you wifes niece had to make , a fine president of a nation she will be:up: ,

I'm a donar and have been for years. Subman can you post more indepth info regarding the donor's estate paying for the donation?

I'll have to find that. That is old news. What I was posting here is new news - but news that I already expected.

-S

The estate issue is new to me. I guess that makes it news.
As far as when the harvesting is done the time B4 calling death is not that important to me. Iv'e never been one to want to live forever. When I was very young and thinking about old age, I always thought 40 was old and that it was a very long way off. I'm living on my childhood idea of borrowed time.

THis may actually not be going on anymore. I'll continue to look, but several states are saying the payment stops at the moment of death. Dunno if this is country wide.

-S