Fifty Bogus Reasons for Not Being a Registered Organ Donor

[budman]

Are you trying to tell me that ER Docs or ER staff check the patient's driver's licencse before administering care to the injured?

I'm not sure I buy that. Did you ask any follow-up questions when talking to that ER Doc?

All I am saying is what the then neighbor Doc told me. He was at Stanford.. and new I rode. I did no further questions as I was not into it at the time to bother with it. Can't even remember why it was discussed and it was about 15 years ago too..

I was throwing it out for more info / feedback.. certainly not saying it as a fact.

 

[Map8]

All I am saying is what the then neighbor Doc told me. He was at Stanford.. and new I rode. I did no further questions as I was not into it at the time to bother with it. Can't even remember why it was discussed and it was about 15 years ago too..

I was throwing it out for more info / feedback.. certainly not saying it as a fact.

Odd. One would think that is the kind of statement that demands further questions.

If you are a registered donor, it is more than the sticker on your drivers license. The ER Docs have access to the fact that you are a donor.

What kind of access?

 

[Lovedoc]

To respond to a few comments:

The most informative discussion on the web about organ donation in the US is on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_donation#United_States

Harvesting and distribution of organs is very highly regulated, and is done in a blind (no identity) fashion, so favoritism based upon fame or wealth is functionally impossible. The Wall Street Journal article cited above has been roundly critiqued by many highly qualified people, and with most criticizing its lack of factual accuracy and objectivity.

Google up Kaiser renal transplant scandal for a close-to-home exception. C'mon, attacking the source of criticism?:rolleyes. Like Wiki isn't biased?

The question about allocation of medical resources is valid. However, are you suggesting that someone who has coverage for this through their private health plan, or otherwise, should not be able to have it done? That makes no sense.

Absolutely makes sense. How many people have no coverage because health care premiums are unaffordable? Will Obama's Medicaid expansion fix that? Still federal and state money. I doubt it.

What truly makes most sense is that we figure out ways to both treat "sick kids" and do organ transplants. In fact, many transplants go to children.

Pediatric organs pretty much are required for kids less than 14. Motorcyclists won't help them.

In rough numbers, when you become a donor, a kidneys/heart/liver donation will result in about $2 million in surgical costs and $1 million in aftercare. This will give 4 people 10 years of life each. Colonoscopy screening would give 25 people 10 years for the same money. Plus save money on cancer treatment on the flip side.

Hey, not everybody believes that money has a place in discussing prolonging human life. I hope we have enough money to spend keep spending 20% of our GDP on health care, the percentage is rising every year. We don't have enough now though to provide the cheap and effective treatments to everyone that can prolong and enrich life.

If you happen to think organ donation is something you want to do, great. If you don't, I don't think you should have to justify that.

.

http://www.ustransplant.org/annual_reports/current/113_surv-new_dh.htm

http://publications.milliman.com/research/health-rr/pdfs/2011-us-organ-tissue.pdf

 

[asthmodeus]

If you are a registered donor, it is more than the sticker on your drivers license. The ER Docs have access to the fact that you are a donor.

the only thing an ER/trauma team is trying to do is save your life and they don't care if you have a pink dot on your license and are COMPLETELY separate from the organ harvesting team that will be evaluating your carcass to see if your organs are worth beans to anybody.

they also know that many donors don't have useable organs due to disease.

and if you don't trust doctors intentions, keep in mind that a trauma doctor has an ego bigger than most lawyers, and REALLY does not want you to die under his watch.

 

[MrIncredible]

Trade an eyeball for a kidney?

Hands off the kid, you butcher! :mad

 

[asthmodeus]

Google up Kaiser renal transplant scandal for a close-to-home exception. ]

that whole thing is about them denying patients transplant coverage. what does that have to do with whether one should donate or not?

 

[Clem Kevin]

Seems like everybody who says no is just damn scared. What are you doing riding a motorcycle?

 

[geritol]

I don't know about dying to become an organ donor, but I worked with a living person who donated a kidney to a coworker. Everything was cool, until the recipients insurance company stated that it's "illegal" to pay a person (i.e., medical expenses) for an organ donation, and the donor's insurance company refused to pay, because the procedure was "not medically necessary."

Seeing that unfold caused me to remove my organ donor notation, at my next license renewal.

 

[i_am_the_koi]

In fact, many transplants go to children.
.

If those on death row don't need them first :rolleyes

 

[KnifeySpoony]

A few comments:

1. The dot means nothing. It can easily be overridden by family wishes, etc.

2. The dot means nothing. Treating physicians don't ever see it.

3. The dot means nothing. Physicians will save a life when possible. They are not vultures waiting to steal your stuff.

4. When it becomes apparent that a person is brain dead (or heading towards it), the possibility of organ donation is considered. This is not in the ER. This happens in the ICU, after the pt has been stabilized.

5. Once the patient has been declared brain dead, and if the patient had requested to be a donor and made that very clear in some way (advance directive, discussions with family, etc... again, the dot means nothing) AND the family is OK with it, then the organ donation people are called. There is a donor network and "care" of the braindead patient is handed over to them. These people are the vultures!! But they are not the physicians taking care of sick patients.

 

[drabot]

Hmm...euthanasia when a vegetable is bonus but to help someone who always has their hand out, no go. If it was 'for the cancer kids' it'd be for them, and not for the folks who fucked their shit up and want a temporary extension while continuing the ordeal for their survivors. The OP may be championing a good anecdote, but i don't see similar being the norm.
Exploring options:

At your request, your name has been removed from the Donate Life California Registry, effective 08/23/2012 08:56:38 PM. This means your name no longer appears on the database of people who wish to donate their organs and/or tissue upon their death.

Until you receive a new driver's license or identification card, the pink dot will remain on your card -- but it is a symbol only and has no bearing on your donor status. The pink dot is never used to identify someone as a legal organ or tissue donor. Should you desire to have the pink dot removed from your driver's license or identification card before it comes up for renewal again, you must contact the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Please note, if you registered as a donor more than once (i.e. signed up both online and through the DMV) you will need to remove all records in order to properly remove your donor registration. If you need assistance with a search of your record, you may contact us at 866.797.2366.

If at some point in the future, you change your mind and wish to once again sign up on the Donate Life California Registry, simply go to: http://www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org/. Each donor has the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation and another 50 lives through tissue donation.

Thank you.

Donate Life California

 

[Burning1]

I registered as a donor the moment I got my M2.

 

[thedub]

A few comments:

1. The dot means nothing. It can easily be overridden by family wishes, etc.

Yes, and many people don't understand that. If you have not discussed your desire to donate with your family, then you are NOT an organ donor, despite what you told the DMV or DLC.

 

[b534202]

Who chooses who gets what? Do relatives have first priority?

 

[Lovedoc]

Yes, and many people don't understand that. If you have not discussed your desire to donate with your family, then you are NOT an organ donor, despite what you told the DMV or DLC.

Yes, no matter what you have in writing, your family can rewrite the whole script when you can't talk. Your youngest of 8 children, the one who just got out of Folsom, the one who's driving your car and sleeping in your house, that child can cow the doctors into submission for fear of the lawyers and postpone your death with dignity forever.

 

[sksksks]

Some of us would rather not get parted out when dead.

 

[matt fe2o3]

I have always had this unfounded fear that if I was a donor they wouldn't try as hard to keep me alive so they can get my organs. I know that's not the case.

Ask Sgt. Dominguez's wife.... Organ harvesters standing by, tons of pressure for her to pull the plug....guess what, she balked and he recovered....

Total body parts for profit rip off. Legalized murder.

I need to get off the list. You may too.

I met an organ harvester who had one too many beers a year or two ago. Sick fucking guy who was happy as hell to have you killed so he could make a buck.

Fuck that shit. :thumbdown

 

[MrIncredible]

Some of us would rather not get parted out when dead.

Everyone gets parted out, one way or another.

 

[TheRiddler]

I don't know about dying to become an organ donor, but I worked with a living person who donated a kidney to a coworker. Everything was cool, until the recipients insurance company stated that it's "illegal" to pay a person (i.e., medical expenses) for an organ donation, and the donor's insurance company refused to pay, because the procedure was "not medically necessary."

Seeing that unfold caused me to remove my organ donor notation, at my next license renewal.

That doesn't even...just...what? Apples to oranges.

 

[lam@barf]

The one thing that is absolutely yours for your entire life is your body. Nothing else. No one else is responsible for maintaining it or will die for not doing so. Decisions about it's state and disposition are all inherently and intensely personal decisions.

There are people that say they will support a person's right to make those choices. Some of those same people will then harass or pressure the one choosing when the result isn't what those 'supporters' wanted.

I find those 'supporters' behaviour amusing, horrifying and more reprehensible than that of the people that will just come right out with statements about controlling the behaviour of others.