Well Being and Organ Donation

[ThinkingSapien]

Simple question here.

For those that feel that they should promote well being, life, and minimize suffering it would seem that having that disposition would also translate into being an organ donor at one’s death, registering for the bone marrow registry, and so on. (I would call this “Pro Life” but that has political meaning, so I will call it “Pro Well Being”, or PWB).

Are there any reasons that you can think of other than poor health for why a PWB person would say “No” to being an organ donor or registering for the bone marrow registry?

 

[Alberti_Devoveo]

Religious beliefs might a reason. But as far as I know, there are no religions that reject organ donation outright. Even Jehovah Witnesses accept organ donation, on the condition that the organ is completely & thoroughly cleaned of blood.

 

[MaryandJoseph]

Giving blood?..Yep I have many times

Born Marrow?..Yep, also support this

Organ donations are another subject though.

1)Did the donor agree before s/he died to be a donor? My states wants to give the final
say on donation to the doctors instead of family wishes.

2)Because of the cost of transplants, can only the rich afford such lifesaving measures?
Will most health insurances pay for it?

A relative of my husbands was in a serious accident many years ago, and while she was still very much alive, the hospital staff wanted the mother to sign forms allowing the organs to be donated, she died just a half hour after the forms were signed, leaving the entire family to wonder about the timing.

Our organs are worth millions of dollors AFTER our deaths and in this Godless society we are living in right now, that seems to be the major motivator (I pray always to be wrong on this)

The selfless gift of life from the donor should be honored and the beautiful life that was saved…This is truly one of the greatest gifts that could be given. My objections are with the medical community (not all of course) who view the process in terms of $$$$ and forget that the donor is truly a beloved child of God.

My question! Could I recieve a lifesaving transplant if my medical insurance refuses to pay for it and I am at or just above poverty level(which I am btw)?

 

[ThinkingSapien]

Giving blood?..Yep I have many times

Born Marrow?..Yep, also support this

Okay, I’m with you there.

Organ donations are another subject though.

1)Did the donor agree before s/he died to be a donor? My states wants to give the final
say on donation to the doctors instead of family wishes.

Okay, in my state one can express their intentions when getting a driver’s license renewed. Though surviving family can have a say so too.

2)Because of the cost of transplants, can only the rich afford such lifesaving measures?
Will most health insurances pay for it?

Hmmm…don’t know. I’ve already got a friend that has run into a problem where she may die and the procedure that may save her life is one the insurance companies don’t wan tto pay for. It’s $75,000 to have the procedure done out of pocket.

BTW: Part of the reason she needs this procedure is because there are no compatible bone marrow donors in the national registry. That’s not to say a compatible person doesn’t exists, just that no compatible person exists in the registry. (I’ve been getting people to sign up one by one hoping that eventually a compatible will be found).

A relative of my husbands was in a serious accident many years ago, and while she was still very much alive, the hospital staff wanted the mother to sign forms allowing the organs to be donated, she died just a half hour after the forms were signed, leaving the entire family to wonder about the timing.

That’s actually a concern I have. I didn’t bring it up ahead of time as not to influence the discussion. But I’ve thought about the potential scenario of some one being in a position to save my life or passively letting letting me die. If I die there may be several others that could benefit from my death. My kidneys, liver, and heart could save at least 4 people. I could see some otherwise well intentioned deciding that I should die so that four other people can live as opposed to fighting for my life when I can’t.

So I’ve not yet volunteered as an organ donor. I keep thinking about it, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m signing my own death warrant. That feeling isn’t helped by a certain history that the USA has had on doing medical experiments on people or denying health care to see what happens if a disease goes untreated.

My question! Could I recieve a lifesaving transplant if my medical insurance refuses to pay for it and I am at or just above poverty level(which I am btw)?

I conjecture that you would not be able to receive it in the USA under our current health care system.

 

[cobrasteel]

ThinkingSapien raised some really interesting points in the last post. I’m not in a position to disprove anything that has been said, or allay any fears concerning organ donation in a fighting-for-life scenario. I’ve always been an organ donor, myself, though. I think it’s a selfless act. I’ve always worried in the back of my mind that our bodies are somehow vessels after we die and should remain intact. However, the fact I could save someone’s life after I’m gone outweighs any hesitation towards the deed.

Part of me will always hope that I can be put in the ground in one piece.

 

[Jacob18]

Bone Marrow donation - that seems like it would be painful!

Anyway, in to see what else is said - seems like this thread will be fascinating if it kicks off.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

Bone Marrow donation - that seems like it would be painful!

Anyway, in to see what else is said - seems like this thread will be fascinating if it kicks off.

It can be. There’s more than one method. You are asleep when they take the marrow and when you wake up you might feel sore for a while. On one hand I would prioritize the other person’s life over my personal (temporary) comfort. But in getting people to sign up for the registry I have found it is this expectation of pain that is the #1 deterrent!

Registering is nothing more than getting your cheeks swabbed with cotton. I suspect that if any of them are a match for some one then the knowledge that “we’ve found a human being that really needs your marrow to live” may be stronger than the hypothetical “some where out there is a person that may need your marrow to live” and the pain may be less of a deterrent.

 

[Jacob18]

It can be. There’s more than one method. You are asleep when they take the marrow and when you wake up you might feel sore for a while. On one hand I would prioritize the other person’s life over my personal (temporary) comfort. But in getting people to sign up for the registry I have found it is this expectation of pain that is the #1 deterrent!

Registering is nothing more than getting your cheeks swabbed with cotton. I suspect that if any of them are a match for some one then the knowledge that “we’ve found a human being that really needs your marrow to live” may be stronger than the hypothetical “some where out there is a person that may need your marrow to live” and the pain may be less of a deterrent.

Requested a kit to be entered into the registry. I am highly satisfied and excited - thank you for this thread.

 

[resabrennan]

I just wanted to throw a post in here that I have been on the bone marrow registry since 2009 and a couple weeks ago I was found to be a match for a man a little over 20 years older than myself. This man is a few years younger than my father… he might be a father, a grandfather, a brother, husband, uncle, etc. The point is that this man is something to someone. And I have the chance to help him hang in there for as long as God will allow.

This is amazing and I’m so happy and beyond excited to be part of it. The temporary pain and discomfort I know I will experience is nothing compared to the pain this man and his family are experiencing.

I am praying for this man, his family, and that God will guide us all.
(I am an organ donor as well)