Posted on 08/26/2006 9:39:03 AM PDT by The Cuban
This morning, I renewed my driver's license. Of course, on the application they asked me if I wanted to donate my organs in the eventuality of my death.
Being an altruist by nature, my first reaction was, why not, it could help somebody. But then a fear crept into my head - what if I was seriously ill, and "they" decided to hasten my as of yet not-inevitable death to harvest my organs?
While my first reaction was that is absurd, I decided to chose "no" given the well grounded fear that in today's society, where life is given no meaning by medical "ethicists", someone could consider my death to be a convenient expedient.
I am angry. I know that by checking "yes", I could have possibly given someone a chance to survive in the future but chose not to do so to save myself.
I am angrier that I had to think in this manner, thanks to the culture of death.
I am angriest, that I am not the only one who has so decided, and that as a result I am convinced that people who could otherwise have been saved have died as a result of an artificially low number of organ donations.
Just another day on the slippery slope.
Your comment is interesting and true I believe. We have a family member who was adamantly opposed to donation of organs until his own brother was in desperate need. As he saw his brother suffering and coming closer and closer to death he became convinced that organ donation was a good thing and even changed his election on his DL to become a donor. Thankfully his brother received the organ and is alive today, three years later.
Sometimes people have to be almost slapped in the face with the reality of what something means before they are able to accept it. I'm almost positive all those on this board who will not, for various reasons, donate an organ will change their tunes very quickly should a family member be facing death. And it does no good to say I'll give to my own family as there is a very good chance you will not be a match.
I'm with Linda on this one. Use whatever you can and dispose of the rest. Cremation is my choice as well, but if you want to toss my carcass out to feed some turkey-buzzards, that's okay. Just don't do it in front of my kids.
Other than that, I'm dead...I won't mind.
LOL, it was UFO day around here. It also had lots of rowdy bikers and hot air balloons.. and was hot.
Catch ya later Stand.. keep FReepin
I'm very sorry for your loss. Having just lost my father-in-law, I'm very aware of what you must be going through.
Exactly-all these people who would rather turn a precious resource into wasted trash because an inmate or Bill Gates' kid might get them. How bitter and spiteful. The reality is that the vast majority of transplant recipents are regular folks, someone's wife, mother, husband, son or daughter. Makes no sense to not save someone's life based on the extremely unlikely chance that you might help someone who you don't think deserves it.
Maybe from now on if a house is on fire we ought to have the firefighters interview all of the occupants and determine whether they meet our "worthy of being saved" criteria or not.
Did you understand my post?
Where 2 or 3 of you are gathered, so shall I be. ~~ Jesus
My faith doesn't tell me to brag about 'good works' or to wear them as a badge or to play 'holier than thou' as some are doing here.
I am not comfortable helping my enemy to survive and continue their evil deeds and the Clintons and their ilk are the enemy.
I've not brought faith into the discussion at all, but since you did, I cannot understand how someone who claims to be a person of faith could argue for letting innocent people die on the off chance that he might help a guilty person. I'm no expert on Christianity but that doesn't sound very Christ-like to me.
"Did you understand my post?"
I read your post, but I am also responding to other posts on this thread who say they won't be listed as donors as well.
The organs come from somewhere, and the come from generous people and generous families who are going through hell.
Even at the worst time in their lives they manage to help someone else.
Anyone who refuses to become a donor, should recognize that fair is fair and refuse to be placed on a list of recipients.
Well, that is an extreme rule for organ donation, but I understand where you are coming from. This, apparently, is a very complicated, interesting and involved issue. (I never expected 310 replies to a vanity!)
I'm just trying to get people to think about how they would react if they found out they needed a new heart.
When you are desperate to live, of course you would want to be put on the list.
But the organs come from somewhere.
It seems hypocritical for people to say "no way" when it comes to donation - but then agree they would happily receive.
Thank you for posting this. NL
I escaped Kalifornia before I ever heard the outcome, if the MSM ever reported it.
No, the patient was critical, but supposedly not beyond hope.
The family learned that Stanford Medical were pumping him full of drugs intended to enhance the organs suitability for transplant, well before he died.
The were skeptical of the MD's claim that the drugs had no effect on his recovery, and that the staff involved were still making "Every effort" to save him.
Maybe it's just me, but I saw a very clear conflict of interest in the "Doctors" behavior.
Either you didn't read my post or you had trouble understanding it. I said:
"If I knew that my donation would save the life of a clinton or some other piece of human debris, I'd refuse to donate too. Like any gift that I give, I too would like some control over who gets any of my organs.
Meaning that if I knew on my death bed that Clinton would get my organs, I'd refuse to donate them.
Do you claim that this is published policy AND actual operational results of the US transplant medical system?, or just the publicity statement.
"Do you claim that this is published policy AND actual operational results of the US transplant medical system?, or just the publicity statement."
The former, overwhelmingly. Are there NO examples of malfeasance? There probably are, none that I know of. Is someone going to claim that abuse of the system is rampant or widespread, and do they have any evidence to back that up?
Heck, I'm sure some Goodwill employees abscond with some of my used clothing, nonetheless, I'm not going to hold it back from the people it will more than likely help, since I DON'T NEED IT anyway. The idea that one shouldn't donate organs because there is some slim possibility that there could be corruption in a tiny percentage of cases is nonsensical. The more organs donated, the smaller the shortages, the less incentive for any type of preferential treatment or corruption.
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