Organ donation after death: thoughts and experiences?

They’ll grab onto anything they can get their hands on to make a buck 😁
Anyway, if you ask me, the US is leading the pack globally when it comes to donor numbers and how many of these surgeries actually go through.

I think I’d definitely give it away, mostly because I wouldn't really need it anymore at that point, and it might actually save someone's life.

Chloe Roberts2 said:Look, as far as my own opinion goes, I’d be a donor, and even if I decided against it, I’d just go ahead and sign the formal refusal. The real headache starts when doctors begin questioning parents or relatives—brothers, sisters, you name it—about what they actually want to do with someone else's organs, even if that person carried a donor card and made their wishes crystal clear.
Then, predictably, the parents just say, "No way."

I heard this one story about a woman in a hospital who was undergoing her tenth surgery, and apparently, they harvested a kidney from her because they were short on supply, though I didn't hear it firsthand and can't really vouch for the details.

Yeah, right. And then they probably smuggled it across the border to some wealthy guy in Mexico for a transplant...😂

Charles Murphy6 said:I actually keep a donor card right in my wallet, along with all my husband's contact information. It’s really just a precaution because certain members of my family wouldn't exactly be thrilled about my choices, so I figured I might as well have everything laid out clearly in writing 😛
. I’m fully planning on living a long, healthy life, obviously, but just in case things take an unexpected turn, that card is tucked away in my wallet for good measure.

It's the same story over here, except I'm also a blood donor—twenty-three times now. I've had my donor card since October 2005, and I'm still standing. No one has come after me for some wealthy guy in a suit yet.

Of course they would.

I don't even need them, but for some people, this would be a total game changer.🙂

Only if they give me a written guarantee that the recipient won't be hit with an installation fee.

Without that in writing, it’s just a total money pit.

Yeah, some people could certainly use them!

Once someone passes away from natural causes, I don't see much point in using their organs.
What good is an organ from a 100-year-old man to a twenty-something? It doesn't make sense.
Everything just decays and withers away.

The only real cases would be accidents—falls, drownings, or physical assaults. That’s when it matters.

Personally, I doubt they’d find anything usable on me. My liver is shot from too much bourbon and spicy food, plus I smoke. The only thing left working is my heart.

And maybe some other parts.😁

But hey, if I die prematurely, why not let them salvage whatever they can? If it saves a life, fine by me.
I won't be around anyway, so they can do whatever they want with what's left. Let them distribute it, cremate me, or bury me. It doesn't matter.
😳

For sure. I’m planning on being cremated, so it feels like such a waste to let all my lovely, perfectly preserved organs just turn into ash. Who knows, maybe someone out there might actually find a use for them...

Honestly, when I kick the bucket, I’m not handing my organs over to just anyone. The only people getting them are my boyfriend and my immediate family.

If there was actually a clause in a "legal contract" where I could officially name who gets my organs right now, I’d be all over it. I'd sign that paper in a heartbeat just to make sure nobody else touches them.

I have zero interest in letting my body parts become pawns in some medical power play meant to "save" billionaire crooks. We all know those corporate sharks are always at the top of the transplant list anyway.

Michael Morgan5 said:Only if they give me a written guarantee that the recipient won't be hit with an installation fee.

Without that in writing, it’s just a total money pit.

That's a valid point.
If the organ market wasn't strictly a playground for the wealthy, things might actually work. As it stands, it feels like some people have a right to live while everyone else is left to rot simply because they can't afford the entry fee.😢

Honestly, I’d probably just donate my entire body to a medical school if I could, but then my family wouldn't have anything to visit at the cemetery, and I think that would be way too heavy for them to deal with. So, for now, I’m sticking to just being an organ donor.

If there really is something waiting for us on the other side, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna need our eyes, liver, lungs, and maybe even our brains up there. I'd give it all up—whether it's to save someone's life or just to help med students learn through study.

Justin Anderson21 said:Honestly, I’d probably just donate my entire body to a medical school if I could, but then my family wouldn't have anything to visit at the cemetery, and I think that would be way too heavy for them to deal with. So, for now, I’m sticking to just being an organ donor.

If there really is something waiting for us on the other side, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna need our eyes, liver, lungs, and maybe even our brains up there. I'd give it all up—whether it's to save someone's life or just to help med students learn through study.

How exactly do you plan on donating a brain?🤔

You don't donate brains.

And you can't donate arms and legs.

I mean, sure, if I could actually save someone... though I'm pretty sure my old neighbor would just say, "Just let me die in peace already!" :-D

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Chloe Roberts2 said:Look, as far as my own opinion goes, I’d be a donor, and even if I decided against it, I’d just go ahead and sign the formal refusal. The real headache starts when doctors begin questioning parents or relatives—brothers, sisters, you name it—about what they actually want to do with someone else's organs, even if that person carried a donor card and made their wishes crystal clear.
Then, predictably, the parents just say, "No way."

I heard this one story about a woman in a hospital who was undergoing her tenth surgery, and apparently, they harvested a kidney from her because they were short on supply, though I didn't hear it firsthand and can't really vouch for the details.

Yeah, there was even a case where someone’s leg got amputated because a patient needed one. Look, I'm 100% sure I heard this from a nurse friend of a friend whose sister works at a diner right down the street from the hospital.

OT
Honestly? I'd be down. I've mentioned it to my family and they're totally fine with it. On the flip side, I'd never donate my entire body to science (you know, for those med students to practice their cuts and all that). The whole idea kind of creeps me out, and I'd still prefer to be buried somewhere a bit more dignified.
As for how useful my organs actually are... that's a different story, but I figure at least a few parts would still be good to go 🙂.

Of course I would. If they can harvest absolutely anything that might help someone—kidneys, skin, you name it—then let them take it all. The rest of me can burn for all I care.

I’ll make sure to include it in my will, just so there's zero chance anyone tries to contest my decision to donate my organs to those in need. Post-mortem, obviously.

Of course I would, honestly. A few years back, right before I had to undergo surgery, they handed me one of those donor registration cards and I signed it, giving my consent to donate my organs after I pass away.
To be perfectly blunt, I don't really dwell on whether I'll end up helping someone—though I suspect I will—but the truth is, I did it mostly out of this lingering fear that I might not wake up... and let's face it, we all know those cases exist.
And given how much of a mess my health is right now, it’s not like I’m expecting to pull through easily...😁

I mean, obviously I’d donate. Why wouldn't you want to help someone out?
I'm finally gonna get a donor card sorted. Been planning on doing this forever but just kept putting it off. Where can I actually go to look into this? Who even issues those things?