Well, I don't smoke, I never smoked weed, I'm 60 years old, have diabetes, arthritis, etc. and I signed the back of my non-drivers license so I am officially a donor (when the time comes that is).

I have also read (and I wish someone can clarify this for me), that IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU SIGN THE BACK OF THE CARD INDICATING THAT YOU ARE A DONOR.

They can only use your organs IF THE NEXT OF KIN gives permision??

Is this true?

I mean, why sign the back of the card, if the parents, the spouse, etc, is going to say "oh no, don't disturb the body". You DO know that this is the usual first reaction when they doctors come and tell you "we can use the heart, kidneys, etc. etc."

So is it true that it depends solely on the permission of the next of kin??

Or is it the case that once you sign on the back, it's a done deal!!!!

My son once told me "I would never donate anything".

I told him "don't be so cocky, you've never done anything for anyone in your life, and you better believe that once you leave this earth, I'm donating your entire body to science".

I'd do it too!!! Believe me on that one.

Thank you AMN for starting this thread. As many of you know, organ donation is my passion. Heck, Angels don't need kidneys or livers or hearts etc... I can tell you firsthand, that my darling son was ill for 15 yrs. He was losing a battle, was already near blind and donation saved his life. Not me~ it was God guiding the surgeon's.

I do believe it is a choice only YOU can make. As far as what the protocol or rules are, I think different states have their own views on the subject of organ donation. In IL, they changed it to what your DR Lic. says, but tell your closest relative etc that those are your wishes if you want to be a donor. When distraught, a family member cannot always think or do what the donor wanted, due to high emotions...*understandable*.

I also know that people w/MS can donate organs. The rules used to be very strict, but the Nat Org Reg has lightened up and now "living" strangers can be a match. It's all in the blood/tissue type matching.

Do you know that if you want to be a living donar that you will not get billed for it?
It goes through the recipient's ins. At least that's how it used to be.

*getting off soapbox* I would never ever condemn anyone for not wanting to donate after death, but I know firsthand how a life can change.

Please know that I am not preaching ..... I'm just a very grateful Mom.

I do not have any organs to donate at this time. I do, however, have a gently used piano I would consider giving to a worthy recipient.

Yep, they can have my organs, but they gotta wait until I don't need them anymore!

Okay, on blood donation.

From the American Red Cross:
http://www.redcross.org/services/bio...0_557_,00.html


"Chronic Illnesses
Most chronic illnesses are acceptable as long as you feel well, the condition is under good control, you have an adequate hemoglobin level and your temperature is normal when you come to donate, and you meet all other eligibility requirements."

Please do visit this link, there is a long list of conditions and circumstances that each individual should review before donating (or attempting to donate) their blood. It's our responsibility to know what is and is not acceptable.

Did you know that you should NOT donate blood within a year of getting a new tattoo?

I have it stipulated in my living will that I will donate whatever is usable to whomever needs it. My kids know this, too.

I hope that my organs can be used to help someone. I think it's a great way to celebrate your life and a great way for the family that's left to have something positive to hold onto.

I found that out several years ago when I tried to donate blood for my co-workers newborn. I was the only match in the lab I worked at and they wanted someone they knew. I was denied because of my surgery less than a year prior to donating. They said I may have received blood during the surgery without my knowledge. The tattoo thing is due to hepatitis and other blood born diseases that could present themselves at a later time.

I am sitting here pondering this whole mj thing now. Jim smokes to relieve his clonus. It's sad when a person chooses a drug that works better than a major narcotic, yet will be refused life because it's illegal. I wonder if methadone or any legal drugs are a deciding factor as well? If not, what makes those class of drugs Ok and mj not? I guess I better start my research.

be sure to give your dr's copies of living wills or any notorized statement you have about donating. this does take stress off the family and the dr's for having to ask.

if it's your choice, you should stipulate that anything not useable for donation, to be donated to science./research.

NO! That's NOT the only reason why! It's because weed use increases the rate of rejection.

"Many doctors agree that using marijuana — smoking it, especially — is out of the question post-transplant. The drugs patients take to help their bodies accept a new organ increase the risk of aspergillosis, a frequently fatal infection caused by a common mold found in marijuana and tobacco. . . . "
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/hea...ana-and-o.html

Like I said at the beginning of this thread, let's please avoid the moral, ethical debates and concentrate on what is factual and supportable information. We have a lot of unanswered questions. Thanks for understanding.

I understand that. What I am asking and pondering about is the use of other legal narcotics and do they also cause an increased rate of rejection as well? For example, methadone. It's a very powerful pain reliever, yet is also used to help heroin users get off heroin. That's what I want to research so I am well versed if the subject comes up. If it's a mold thing than the use of other narcotics may be Ok. If Jim can donate organs would the use of other narcotics be the deciding factor as well? I guess it's more out of curiosity than anything else.

Dig in and let us know what, when, who, where, etc. This will help us all to better understand the process and its restrictions.

So far, I have not been able to locate what I'd consider an authoritative remark on weed. There's plenty of lay-opinion out there, not much from established scientists (that I've yet seen).

Let's keep looking.

Thanks!


Man, I'm really striking out here, I'm searching for an index or database where we can type in specific meds to discover whether they interfere with organ donation. Nada so far. On Monday, I'll call an old friend who is a retired nephorologist and founder of our local kidney transplant system. He'll know how to help me find that data (I think).


Here's a great Myths vs. Facts sheet from the UNOS:
http://www.unos.org/resources/factsheets.asp?fs=7

No, dm, it turns out that imaginary royalty will not provide you any advantage in this department.