Reasons why people don't sign Organ Donor cards...?

[effinxmandy]

So, the other day my boyfriend and I were driving and somehow the topic of organ donation came up.

He was surprised to hear that I was an organ donor, and I was just as surprised to hear that he wasn't! It's funny that you still learn stuff about someone, even years after being together! 

Anyways...

He told me he wasn't a donor because he was afraid that certain hospitals are "shady" and that if you have signed an organ donor card, they won't try as hard to save your life or will withhold information about treatments, ect. if he ever falls seriously ill.

I completely respect his decision, it's his body, his organs, and he sees them as "his" and shouldn't have to be judged by not wanting to hand them out, even after he's dead, but I was just wondering what other reasons/myths you've heard about why people don't donate.

I think he also mentioned something about religion, and some people don't donate because they believe they won't get into Heaven if they aren't "whole"? But what about people with amputations, they aren't whole either!

Just wondering what you've heard, Cheers!

[paris]

Reassure him that the team of doctors trying to save someone is not the same team who work with organ donation.  UNOS has strick guidelines and they have no influenze over the emergency room doctors.  Again, it is each individuals right to donate or not.  Always good to have those conversations.   

[Rerun]

Ask him if he needed a kidney would he take it?

Myself, I was an organ donor NOT knowing that six years later I'd be waiting on a list myself.

I honestly would not have taken a kidney had I been against organ donation. 

Another myth is that rich and powerful people get kidneys before an average person.

Not true!  (BS  I think it is true!!!)   

[Des]

I have heard someone say : they wouldn't want my body anyway. I smoke and drank and ain't too healthy.

wrong...!!!!!!!!

They can use your corneas, bone and even skin if the organs aren't so healthy... just my 5c

[peleroja]

I'm an organ donor.  Like I tell people, "My kidneys may be shot, but other parts of me are excellent!" 

[dwcrawford]

I signed up years ago from the Dept of Motor Vehicles in conjunction with a driving license.  Is that still available.  I think a lot of people just don't think about doing it so something like that would be a big help.  Also the hospital always asks when you sign in but its  already been done for me. 

By the way, I did  sign up years ago when I still had lots of pretty good parts.  What could they use today?  I figure I'm pretty big so get me to the burn unit first for extra skin.  And maybe they could use some things for experimentation.  I could be the "don't do this" example for students.

[KICKSTART]

I think some people are just plain lazy about it. Over here there has been talk of an opt out rather than a sign up (so everyone is automatically a donor, with the option to opt out) and the amount of people that were up in arms about this, saying they didnt want to do it. Whats the big deal? they even said they would do the opt out on line, so these people didnt even have to get off their  . I dont think it will ever happen , would it be a bad thing if it did?

[dwcrawford]

I think the OPT Out option idea is excellent.  I really don't think those with religious beliefs should  be pressured but I think most people just spend most of their life in a fog not realizing things they can do to help.  Would you sign out/or in with SSN or what?  Any political activist feel like taking that to their congressman? 

[YLGuy]

From Donate Life:

Learn the facts

Despite continuing efforts at public education, misconceptions and inaccuracies about donation persist. Learn these facts to help you better understand organ, eye and tissue donation:

Fact: Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race, or medical history.

Fact: All major religions in the United States support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of love and generosity toward others.

Fact: If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ, eye and tissue donation can only be considered after you are deceased.

Fact: When you are on the waiting list for an organ, what really counts is the severity of your illness, time spent waiting, blood type, and other important medical information, not your financial status or celebrity status.

Fact: An open casket funeral is possible for organ, eye and tissue donors. Through the entire donation process the body is treated with care, respect and dignity.

Fact: There is no cost to the donor or their family for organ or tissue donation.

Fact: Signing a donor card and a driver's license with an "organ donor" designation may not satisfy your state's requirements to become a donor. Be certain to take the necessary steps to be a donor and ensure that your family understands your wishes.
Register now!

Note: California still has the organ donation option.  Even though I had still signed up at Donate Life years before ESRD.

[Prayformiracle]

I am an organ donor but yes I have heard people say "if you are in an accident, they wont try hard to revive you if they know you are a donor"  BS!

[kimcanada]

Rerun, you said it... I would bet my last dollar that 99% OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T "BELIEVE" IN ORGAN Donation would "believe" in it if their kidneys went belly up...

[billybags]

I signed up last week.

[Razman]

I really don't think those with religious beliefs should be pressured

There is not one religion that states that you cannot donate.  When someone says that I then ask them if that means that they won't accept an organ!  They can't give an answer.

Maybe there should be a card that says this person will not donate therefore they cannot get one.  Lets see how fast people would change!  Just my  2 cents !

[willowtreewren]

Spain has an opt-out program and has one of the highest rates of transplantation in the world.

I am all for an opt-out program.

And I have been an organ donor since I turned 18, never knowing that I was married to someone who would eventually need a kidney.

Maybe there should be a card that says this person will not donate therefore they cannot get one.  Lets see how fast people would change!  Just my  2 cents !

I like that sentiment! 

Aleta

[girliekick]

I signed up to be an organ donor as soon as I could, Now that I need a kidney I am glad it was something I thought about when I believed I was healthy.  I too thought that the rest of my organs were still good, till just recently I found out that I have lupus. So now I am considering donating my body to science when I bite the dust.  Gonna have to look into it, cause I don't know where to began.

I am pro Opt out Program, and Pro  donation education
Girl

[cariad]

I read one excuse on the Internet once, and I wish I were making this up but I'm not, where a woman said she would not donate her organs after death because she might accidentally save a child molestor. I don't know how someone living with that level of paranoia even functions in society.

I know that I would have been an organ donor in a minute if I had not been ill. I am still convinced that I will be able to be a live liver donor one day. My liver is in perfect shape.

[willowtreewren]

Bad move, Cariad. My daughter will need a liver transplant, so I may bump you off for yours. You better delete that you are an organ donor for your own safety!! 

 

I figure that I'm not going to need anything after I'm gone, so whatever can be used, should be used.

[Chris]

I'm still deciding on what to do. Most of my body is short organwise due to diabetic complications. The main concern is I don't want my body to go to science or be up on a students table all naked. I want to at least have dignity by staying clothed. I know my bones can be used even though they re not in the best of health, lungs, and skin. Heart not the best, kidneys shot, bladder not the best, and so on. I would be an extended criteria donor for sure. As long as an open casket can be done  is good. I loaned out one medical book that had pictures and description on how the retrieve bones from a donor and prep the body for an open casket funeral so no one could tell.

When I ask questions to two organizations I get two different answers or they do not know of an answer. So I have lots to think about.

Tried donating blood, but not allowed to even do that.

[Hanify]

I've been a donor for years, but I doubt they'd use anything now cos of the myeloma.  The thing they often need the most is skin - sounds gross but there it is.  Skin is the best healer for a burns victim, and often the burns victim themselves doesn't have any spare, so they'll take it off a donor and put in on.  What a fabulous gift to be able to recycle yourself eh  I think they should bring the opt out thing in here too.  even though my licence says donor, my husband/partner/family could still disagree at the time and not allow it.  So we have to try to educate people to put donor on their licence but also to talk to their families about it.

[girliekick]

Recycle your self I like that.

If you have something systemic should you have organ donor taken off your card. Just wondering if you got in a car wreck away from your normal hosp. and that was the only form of identifycation, couldn't they hospital waist time (and money) testing your for things?  And if you are a recipient and said person in car wreck had had cancer many yrs ago?  I know there are high risk cadaver organs? is this possible.

Just lettin my imagination go
Girl

[Hanify]

Good question.  I might ask the donor people that one.

[Chris]

Recycle your self I like that.

If you have something systemic should you have organ donor taken off your card. Just wondering if you got in a car wreck away from your normal hosp. and that was the only form of identifycation, couldn't they hospital waist time (and money) testing your for things?  And if you are a recipient and said person in car wreck had had cancer many yrs ago?  I know there are high risk cadaver organs? is this possible.

Just lettin my imagination go
Girl

For organ transplants, there are many test done that do not take to long to do due to time constraints. Things like HIV take longer. Even if your local hospital had your record, they would stiill have to perform these test as per requirement for organ donation, at leaste here in the states. They need to check as much as possible for your current health status.

[cariad]

Bad move, Cariad. My daughter will need a liver transplant, so I may bump you off for yours. You better delete that you are an organ donor for your own safety!! 

 

I figure that I'm not going to need anything after I'm gone, so whatever can be used, should be used.

Whoa, put the weapons and Wisconsin map down, Aleta, I said live donor! Live!   

I was thinking if the transplant and clinical trial I am doing works, I would bring up the idea of live liver donation to the transplant team a few years down the road. Of course, I fully expect to be told I am insane and/or that I know nothing about medicine (both mostly true ) but if I don't lose my nerve, I can at least inquire. Of course, your daughter would only be welcome to half of my liver in this scenario.

If she wants the whole thing, she would have to.... uh, wait a minute, never mind! 

[YLGuy]

I'm still deciding on what to do. Most of my body is short organwise due to diabetic complications. The main concern is I don't want my body to go to science or be up on a students table all naked. I want to at least have dignity by staying clothed. I know my bones can be used even though they re not in the best of health, lungs, and skin. Heart not the best, kidneys shot, bladder not the best, and so on. I would be an extended criteria donor for sure. As long as an open casket can be done  is good. I loaned out one medical book that had pictures and description on how the retrieve bones from a donor and prep the body for an open casket funeral so no one could tell.

When I ask questions to two organizations I get two different answers or they do not know of an answer. So I have lots to think about.

Tried donating blood, but not allowed to even do that.

I was able to specify at donate life:


   
   

UPDATE MY DONOR LIMITATIONS
   
I do NOT give consent for the following Organs to be donated: (check all that apply)
   Heart
   Kidneys
   Liver
   Lungs
   Pancreas
   Pancreas for islet cells
   Small bowel intestine
   For Research*
I do NOT give consent for the following Tissues to be donated: (check all that apply)
   Bones
   Eyes/Corneas
   Heart valves
   Pericardium
   Skin grafts
   Soft tissue (including ligaments, tendons, blood vessels)
   Vertebral bodies
   For Research*
Other Limitations: (check all that apply)
   My gift of skin may be used for life-saving and reconstructive purposes only
   My gift of tissues may be donated only to non-profit organizations
   My gift of tissues may be used in the United States only

No more excuses!

[LightLizard]

another reason might be that when people are in reasonablly good health, they do everything they can to avoid thinking about their mortality.
a condition like kidney failure forces you to face that, and many other life -threatening conditions, too. but many do not face life-threatening illness themselves and so have the luxury of lving in denial when it comes to their own death.