Did you ever wonder about this when they ask you to sign for organ donation?

Question

I went to renew my driver's licence, I didn't want to sign, but she made me feel bad, so I sign it. But I wonder if they'll make harvast organ as a priorior rather concern for victims life. I work in the hospital, they make alot of money to retreval of vital organ from pt in a coma. I
m just wondering if they'll retreve my organs before saving me

Please don't undertand, I'm a good person, I donnate blood and sponsor child. Please answer my question amicable as you can.

it's priority, sorry spell it wrong

I also want to add, I didn't wan to donate my body, because of culture reason, Chinese respect the deceased, let a long cuting it apart

and also do they put the pt in anesthesia before retrieving the organ?

Answer 1

First of all, to be an organ donor is your choice and it should be done voluntarily and willingly. If you feel uncomfortable on signing to be an organ donor just in case, you have your right to apeal to cancel what you have signed. Refusing do be an organ donor will not make you a bad person. It is your right to say "NO" and no one has the right to question your decision.

Anyway, if you feel bad doing that, you may do the following options: Make a living will indicating that you do not wish to be an organ donor . Discuss the issue with your friends and family so that they will be aware of the condition. (Usually your own consent and permission from your next of kin will be required by hospitals before removing the organs at the time of impending death. The statement indicated in your driver's license will then become insufficient as the basis of your informed consent prior to harvesting the organs.

Anyway, to clarify your concern: in case of harvesting donors' organs, I believe it is usually done either in the presence of "brain death" or after the occurence of "cardiac arrest" when the heart stops to function.

"Business aspects" on harvesting organs is not negligible but I truly believe that medical ethics still prevails. If you are in a hopeful situation of revival, I do not think that measures of saving you won't be done. You are a human being after all and your life means just the same as the others who are waiting for an organ to keep their lives. In a hopeless situation and either your brain dies or the heart stops beating, the focus of concern will be then shifted on saving other's lives. They had failed to save you so definitely, saving others will become on top of their next priority.

A certain doctor mentioned: "It's worrisome when you stop thinking of the person who is dying as a patient but rather as a set of organs, and start thinking more about what's best for the patient in the next room waiting for the organs."

I can tell that you got a strong fear of pain more than death. Since, harvesting organs are done when the heart stops beating or brain death, thus it doesn't make sense of being concerned of the pain the organ harvesting processes may incur to your body.

Keeping a person out of pain as much as possible until death is a part of an ethics in medicine. Thus, until the final moments, all measures will be ensured to offer comfort to a person.

I understand how you exactly feel but anyway, check out this link to have more input:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/mar/07032104.html

Answer 2

Hi! Wow. Pressure. No good.

But maybe I can ease your mind a little. Organ donor-ship is revocable at any time. Just make sure your family is informed!

It is hard to give a good answer in such a little space. I feel that my answer will not be a complete as I'd like. So please forgive my inadequacies.

I work at a hospital and have had to discuss with family members the option of organ donor-ship. Generally this discussion is NEVER broached unless a determination is made by two different doctors on staff at the hospital that the patient is unable to be saved, often the patient is "brain dead". This means that there is no electrical activity in your brain. No thoughts, no feelings, no life.

Your body might not have gotten the memo that life was over and your heart might keep beating or your lungs might try to breathe. Often, people are placed on machines to keep them breathing or their heart beating until the doctor's can tell the family that the patient is not going to ever be the same.

If it is ok with you and your family, then the doctor will notify the organ donor center that organs are available. The doctor that helps your family make the decision to donate or not is RARELY involved in the organ harvesting process. That means that he gets no compensation from the organ people, the hospital or anyone else. The doctor that helps your family does not make any money.

There is never a charge for organ donation. But I can't tell you the number of lives that you could save and the positive impact you can have on someone else's life.

Please look at the website below for more information before making your decision. And no matter what you decide~ It is the right choice for you! So don't feel bad!

Answer 3

From my experience with organ and tissue donation, even if you mark on your driver's license that you want to be a donor, it is ultimately your families decision because your next of kin has to sign the release form. Hopefully your family will carry out your wishes and do what you wanted. Sometimes the subject of organ donation never comes up in conversation so the drivers license is one way of making your wishes known.
Please don't let the person at the DMV make you feel guilty and say you want to be an organ donor if you really don't. It is a very personal decision and as you said, you have some cultural beliefs tied to your decision. If you do want to be an organ donor, let your family know exactly what you do or don't want to donate.
The hospital and doctor's priority is always saving a victim's life if possible. In my experience, the subject of harvesting organs is never even considered or discussed until after a death has occurred. It is unethical and illegal to take someone's life for their organs. If a pt. is in a coma, there are alot of factors to be considered before they remove life support and the doctor's will do everything they can to save the patient if that is what the patient and the family want.
If organ's are donated after death, it is done in a very respectful, careful and humane way. Anesthesia is not used, because the person is no longer living, but it is usually done in an operating room and the organs are carefully removed. You could still have an open casket funeral if that is what you wanted because they are very careful and discreet.
Organ donation is a very personal decision. It can save many lives, but it is not for everyone. Decide what is right for you, them make sure your family knows your wishes.

Answer 4

If you really don't want to donate then don't, it is up to you. Who cares what the girl at the DMV thinks. Go back and change it!

I have taken care of a number of patients over the years that were brain dead. Let me just say that the patient's well being comes first. It is the patient's or family members choice to donate the organs.

I took care of a teenager who was brain dead. His parents chose not to donate his organs. His family felt that this was the rignt decision because it is what he would of wanted. So he was taken off life support...and died with his organs intact.

The subject of organ donation was not broached until he was declared brain dead. There are a series of tests that determine and verify this. Unless a doc is a quack he is not gonna take your organs for monetary gain or because he has another patient who needs them (there was a recent case like this, he crossed so many lines, but I have never seen this).

On the other side, I have taken care of patients who have received organs. Let me just say a failed organ transplant can be a MISERABLE way to die. Some organ transplants are almost routine, like kidney transplants. Others, like small bowell, liver, and lungs are often rife with complications. It is not all that uncommon for a liver patient to have gone thru rejecting 2-3 livers before his inevitable demise.

I, for one, will not be donating my liver or lungs. But I would be open to heart, cornea, and kidney. At this point I am not a donor because in my state you can't specify. It is a personal decision, but remember...the burden of this decision is often left up to family members to give approval!

Answer 5

Medical staff have no idea whether or not you have signed up to be an organ donor when they are trying to revive you. Also the medical staff dealing with you will not be anyone who has anything to do with the transplant list. Only after you are brain dead will staff approach your family to ask if they will give permission to donate organs or tissue. In many countries, such as New Zealand and Britain, hospitals do not make any money from organ donation and it is illegal to do so.

Answer 6

You have the option of revoking the organ donation. Given as you have both personal and culteral concerns, this is what I would do. You must feel comfortable with your decision. Also I don't know if it remains so today, but years ago, the family was charged a fee when they removed the donars organs and sometimes that bill could be quite extensive. While I would maybe consider donating my organs, I am not wealthy and could not afford to have my small estate go to medical costs for removal of my organs.

Answer 7

While there are horror stories of hospitals harvesting organs from patients who can be saved, they are mostly stories. It probably does happen once in a great while, but it's not the norm.
According to organ donor policies it doesn't really matter what your license says. Your organs are only donated if your next of kin gives the okay. As a result it is very important for your family to know your exact stance on organ donation.

Answer 8

That's silly. What difference would it make to the doctors if you live, or somebody else does. It sounds like one of those dumb urban legends that people make up to scare others. You must be pronounced dead before they can begin harvesting organs... and if you are in a coma, your family decided whether to pull the plug or not.
What concerns me is how they ask for organ donations with your driver's liscence... creepy.

Answer 9

I also have wondered about that. I am signed up as an organ donor on my license. I think that the many people that are waiting for organs should be helped. Also I feel that if I help someone even as I am dying that I am doing good. I respect your cultural reasons, and you should do as you believe.

Answer 10

I never thought about it before but their jobs are to save lives. If you are in an ER from say a car accident....the ER doctor's #1 priority is to save your life then and now because the ER is based on what is going on right in front of them. What they have to do to make sure you survive that very moment. Usually they probably don't know that your a donor yet and they have to follow certain guide lines to declare you dead. Think of all the lawsuits that would come up if your theory were what really goes on all the time...scary