[seizeacure]

I to am a Organ Donor but I have to warn people that even if they have signed their license and let their family know their wishes the individual hospital the patient dies in becomes an issue. Here is my experience. The law in IL says that all accidental death patients families must be asked if they would like to donate but this law is often ignored. My husband died several years ago from complications from a car accident. While he was on the way to the hospital after cardiac arrest I advised the ambulance attendants that he was an organ donor and he should be put on a ventilator in order to harvest the organs. When I got to the hospital I advised the ER staff of the same thing. After he was pronounced dead the staff told me they would let me say good bye after they disconnected all the machines. I told them again not to do that because he needed to be kept on the machines until they harvested the organs, especially the lungs. They told me I would have to sign some forms. I waited over 2 hours for the forms and they never came. When they told me this was a mistake and I could go home I did. 4 hours after that the coroner called and said he had found his license and it said he was an organ donor at that time the only organ still able to be harvested were his cornias. When I contacted the hospital to complain they said since they did not do transplants they did not take the time to save the organs. This is ridiculous because ROBI (Regional Organ Bank of Illinois) would have come in and done the harvesting of the organs for them. I feel like my husband died twice because of the actions of this hospital.

[Burntmarshmallow]

seiz... I am sorry to hear you and your family having to go threw that. hugs for you. sharing your point of view is so good of you thanks... it makes me and others too i hope think.
I now wonder since I travel what happens in other states . There is no cost to the family of the one donating where I live in fl. but is it the same in every state nation wide or is it state by state?
seiz. your view point is sad but also needed I appreciate your post and wish things went diffrent that day. Many blessings.

[Lara]

Hi seizeacure,
What a shocking thing to happen. I'm very sorry that this happened and I'm so sorry for your loss. This is not the first time I've heard of something such as this happening unfortunately.
Take care there,
Lara

[heyjude5050]

I am so sorry that the hospital put you through that. It sounds more like plain laziness than anything else.
There is a lot involved in keeping a patient breathing until the procurement crew(s) can get there.
I live in a small city in northern Michigan and the crews had to come from quite a distance. The donor was in the intensive care unit for at least 2 days before everything could be arranged.
This requires keeping all the organs they can functioning well, keeping body temperature up and a plethora of other medical issues.
Sounds to me that this hospital just either wasn't educated enough on organ donation or they just didn't want to be bothered.
This is just my take, for I don't know all the facts, but I do know the the Gift of Life is ready 24/7 to retreive these life saving organs and they are much needed.
I am sorry that your husbands wishes were not unfilled. but you did everything you could to make it happen. I am sure he knows how hard you tried.
I hope you let the hospital know just what you posted.............that you felt like you lost him twice. Sometimes they need a wake-up to make then realize how their actions affect others.
It could be one of their love ones some day and i am sure they would not want to go through what you did.
God bless you and I am so sorry about your loss.
Judy