Donor organs

[Rheghead]

How do you feel about the new proposed rules regarding organ donation where you will now have to express a desire not to have your organs available for donation rather than the present rules where you have to expressly opt into the scheme. The shift of assumption is going to be one of 'opt in' rather than 'opt out'.

[Jeid]

As long as nobody gets my eyes, I'd be glad to make a difference to someone elses life.

[squidge]

They can have whatever bits of me they want after i am dead - no use to me then.

If an opt out system means that more people get the improvements in their qulaity of life then im all for it

[rockchick]

As long as nobody gets my eyes, I'd be glad to make a difference to someone elses life.

Why not your eyes? Do you have them earmarked (no pun intended) for something else?

[Jeid]

Not at all... just kinda freaks me out that someone would have my eyes. Doesn't bother me if they have my hearts or liver or anything else. Just not my eyes. Its a personal preference thing.

[Moby]

I am absolutely the same Jeid - I thought is was only me that was a bit funny about the eyes. I just couldn't cope with the possibility of looking into a dead relatives eyes...I know theres little chance of that happening but hey there's nothing queerer than folk.

[BMcGillivray]

Not at all... just kinda freaks me out that someone would have my eyes. Doesn't bother me if they have my hearts or liver or anything else. Just not my eyes. Its a personal preference thing.

I kinda agree here... afterall... Eyes are the window to the soul.

[kc]

Its funny you say that Jeid, I am the same, I carry a donor card but hate the thought of my eyes bieng removed! dont mind anything else being used, but I suppose I wont know any difference once i am gone!

[moncur]

What happens to those who have had a serious medical condition which may spread (cancer for instance?) will their organs be used aswell?

[paris]

My best friend died 4 yrs ago and her parents donated all her organs. when i went to see her in the funeral directors i was expecting her to have holes where her eyes had been but they had put in artificial ones. I often think of how many peoples life's she has changed. jan x

[Jeid]

I'm pretty sure everything gets checked before it gets used. If someone had aids, they wouldn't use their organs(I'm assuming here).

[Jeid]

I often think of how many peoples life's she has changed. jan x

It's great to think that in death, someone can make such a huge difference to someone else's life.

[flash]

Strange one that, I had it marked on my doner card that I didn't want my eyes used either. Didn't know so many of us felt the same way.

[Bobinovich]

I'm quite happy for anyone to have my healthy organs when I'm gone but, as my own kidneys are in the final throws of packing up themselves, will be most grateful for the new rules when it comes time for me to go onto dialysis or get a transplant myself.

[Fluff]

the eyes are one of the least donated organs, but it could make such a huge differnce to someones life. your family will never know who recived them either.

did you know you can donate your bones and skin too!

[pultneytooner]

How do you feel about the new proposed rules regarding organ donation where you will now have to express a desire not to have your organs available for donation rather than the present rules where you have to expressly opt into the scheme. The shift of assumption is going to be one of 'opt in' rather than 'opt out'.

I thought by the news today that they meant the families of a deceased person wont be able to stop hospitals from taking organs from a deceased person that carried a donor card?:confused

[porshiepoo]

The whole 'eyes' thing freaks me too....... But no where near so much as that dancing baby of Pultneytooners! lol.

I don't have an organ donor card although I don't mind the thought of my organs being donated.
I understand what people say about donating eyes, I think I'd have to refuse that part. Don't know what it is about it though!!!

[changilass]

I thought by the news today that they meant the families of a deceased person wont be able to stop hospitals from taking organs from a deceased person that carried a donor card?:confused


That's the way I interpreted it too.

I have carried a donor card for years, I used to put my sister down as she promised to carrry out my wishes (parents were against it), now hubby is next of kin, we have had long discussions about this and have both agreed to do what the other wants.

As far as I am concerned, they can use any bits that are of use, it's not as if the bits are going be any use to me when I'm dead.

[Moira]

The whole 'eyes' thing freaks me too....... But no where near so much as that dancing baby of Pultneytooners! lol.

I don't have an organ donor card although I don't mind the thought of my organs being donated.
I understand what people say about donating eyes, I think I'd have to refuse that part. Don't know what it is about it though!!!

You'll maybe not have to worry about it Porshie, when the authorities "take the eyes out of you" if your speeding misdemeanours catch up with you :lol:

[DrSzin]

I just love the idea of someone else seeing out of my eyes after I'm dead and gone. I think it would be fantastic. That thought has really made my day. :D

[dirdyweeker]

If I thought other people would benefit from my death then all MY family would surely benefit too from knowing that.
I have been fully behind organ donation for many years.

[The Angel Of Death]

Take everything apart from the eyes (there the gateway to the soul)

i am not going to need them and they only things to get benifit out of them if i keep em are the worms

[Whitewater]

I feel that after I die most of my bits and pieces will be too old to be of much use to anybody, but I guess that if they can help someone improve their quality of life I have no objection.

What I did find wierd was a news item several months ago where a French woman made headlines by having a face transplant (maybe I picked it up wrong and it was only a partial transplant). I don't think I would like my relatives to meet my face walking down the street, that I think would be rather scary.

[changilass]

I feel that after I die most of my bits and pieces will be too old to be of much use to anybody, but I guess that if they can help someone improve their quality of life I have no objection.

What I did find wierd was a news item several months ago where a French woman made headlines by having a face transplant (maybe I picked it up wrong and it was only a partial transplant). I don't think I would like my relatives to meet my face walking down the street, that I think would be rather scary.



By the time the face has been put over the bone structure of the recipient it would be very unlikely to look anything like you, so I don't see this as a problem. Are we all not supposed to have a double somewhere anyway?

[willowbankbear]

The doctors can use any part of me they want, but I smoked for 13 years so I would doubt that they`d want my lungs somehow. Dont think my hair would be of much use either:Razz

[George Brims]

Aye and they can have any bit of me they want, but I sincerely doubt the liver is going to be much use to anyone.

[ginajade]

I do carry a donor card and am willing to allow any bit of me, be used. However I can no longer donate blood due to a having had a blood transfusion a few years ago, so if they won't take my blood, I oubt they will use my organs. I wonder how many blood donors and organ donors have been lost through these new rules. I'm sure I don't have CJD though I'm sure some people might call me a mad ***

[brokencross]

When I listened to the news item, it said the law change was for England, Wales and Northern Ireland so I don't know what happens in Scotland.

[pultneytooner]

The whole 'eyes' thing freaks me too....... But no where near so much as that dancing baby of Pultneytooners! lol.


Aw, the poor thing though he was being cute not skeery.[lol]

[cuddlepop]

I've got that thing about the eyes too.They can have everything else but them.

[colmac]

I am in favour of this 100%. I would like to think that my organs can give someone else a better quality of life after I cease to need them. I have stipulated ONLY internal organs though! When you agree to being a total donor, there isn't much left of you for your family to bury.

[mccaugm]

I would want any part of me donated although I too am a little spooked by the eye thing too.
I would hope if the worst happened that my family would agree to my organs etc being donated. I have told them this as I feel your wishes should be expressed in advance. These are not issues easily discussed but they really should be as death is a part of life.

[Rheghead]

Aye and they can have any bit of me they want, but I sincerely doubt the liver is going to be much use to anyone.

Do the Americans have a similar donor scheme to the UK or are they their usual strange religiously uptight on such matters?:confused

[canuck]

I voted even though I am not part of the UK system. In Canada we have had donor cards for years. They come with our drivers license renewals.

rich may have more information to add to this subject from a North American context.

[Naefearjustbeer]

I just love the idea of someone else seeing out of my eyes after I'm dead and gone. I think it would be fantastic. That thought has really made my day. :D

I have always been against the donation of eyes but your comment may just of changed my mind. I will have to mull it over for a while :D

[Kingetter]

Why quibble about any body parts? it isn't your soul they're taking.

[Rheghead]

The results are interesting because I've heard a doctor saying that only 20% of us have donor cards.

[Fran]

I'm quite happy for anyone to have my healthy organs when I'm gone but, as my own kidneys are in the final throws of packing up themselves, will be most grateful for the new rules when it comes time for me to go onto dialysis or get a transplant myself.


I fully agree with you Bobinovich. We desperately need donors for hearts and kidneys....and other bits. I know of 4 people in caithness who have had kidney transplants. But did you know that there is a drastic shortage of coloured people donating thier organs, which prevents coloured people in Scotland from getting a kidney transplant.
We have a wonderful dialysis unit in wick if the time comes when you have to go there. Are you a member of the Caithness kidney dialysis support group?

[connieb19]

I fully agree with you Bobinovich. We desperately need donors for hearts and kidneys....and other bits. I know of 4 people in caithness who have had kidney transplants. But did you know that there is a drastic shortage of coloured people donating thier organs, which prevents coloured people in Scotland from getting a kidney transplant.
We have a wonderful dialysis unit in wick if the time comes when you have to go there. Are you a member of the Caithness kidney dialysis support group?
Can a coloured person only donate to another coloured person?

[Fran]

Unfortunately yes. A couloured person, eg indian, can only receive a kidney from another coloured person. I beleive it is the same for a white person.

[connieb19]

Unfortunately yes. A couloured person, eg indian, can only receive a kidney from another coloured person. I beleive it is the same for a white person.
I never knew that, I wonder why that is?

[Rheghead]

What happens in the case of someone who is of mixed race? Do they get a choice? Or do they have to wait to get a mixed race kidney?:confused

[Fran]

I never knew that, I wonder why that is?
It's to do with the type of body tissue and blood vessels etc which dont match with white doners. I beleive in some countries people actually sell their organs. there is quite a lot of "live" transplants now. I know of a wife who has passed all the tests etc and has been told she is an ideal match for her husband, and will shortly be in hospital together with her husband so that he can have one of her kidneys.