****** Please take care before reading. Speaking of Death *****************





I've been an organ donor for years. I'll tell the story about how something I'd never considered alot gave me the awareness to make this decision.

My daughter's little 15 yr old friend was given an additional three years to make it to her 18th b'day through donations of liver and kidney. She was able to drive her first car, and go to homecoming, graduate high school. She lost her fight and would've lived much longer with her donated liver had her kidneys not failed. She had a kidney transplant, but her body had already been through so much. She asked us all to donate considering she lived so much longer to do things she'd dreamed of and we might be able to do that for another. We all agreed. This was very hard on my little girl, and I became a donor from that moment on.

There are more that we can donate outside of organs, I believe (i.e. skin). They have even performed the third successful hand replacement surgery.

Regarding someone not old enough or who hasn't marked it, they'll ask the next of kin. My father hadn't marked it on his license and 30 mins after his passing I recieved a call from someone asking permission to remove his corneas. I was stunned, and felt a number of things, but agreed. With children, I believe they do the same...asking the next of kin (parent, guardian, etc.)

The gifts given to Theresa, allowed us more time with the that precious soul on this earth. Moreover, it gave the parents of an only child more time with their baby. My daughter stayed with her night and day at home as she declined then was with her up until her passing. I was there for my daughter. She was in the same hospital where she had the transplant surgeries and I remember her mother and father asking everyone there to become donors if they weren't as they showed the pictures of her in her first car, with her horse, at Homecoming, her first ride in a plane with her best friend to Colorado (alone! how exciting at 16!), her graduation from high school with a standing ovation and not a dry eye in the house, etc...explaining that those pictures representing that beautiful child wouldn't have been there without organ donations...

KD

become a bone marrow donor. you can give the gift of life now. this is especially important for minorities. there are less minorities on the donor lists.

all it takes is a simple blood test to get on the list. that way they can test to see if there is a match now....or one in the future.

KD Thanks so much for sharing such a bittersweet experience . Heart touching and filled with lessons of life. inspiring to have here ...to come back to read.

Curious exellent fact that I did not know or think about. I will research bone marrow donor .

It is really good to see people talking about this subject here when I bring it up to people/friends in person not many care to talk .

Now I wonder about medical equipment can that be donated to another? like a battery ?

it sure can!! people are always in need. crutches, canes, wheelchairs...basically anything.

we have the classified section here on nt. but you can call your local county hospital....senior center....most charities. even the vfw...or any veteran association.

Silly ha ..I should of said medical equipment thats implanted like a battery for pace maker or my neuro stim happy zapper I have . but the answer from you is great , Love the infromation here ,
and just visited the creative corner ,
Neuro Talk is a helpful place and all the mods + admin Thanks for all the time and energy and most of all caring . .

now you REALLY go tme curious
o'm going to have to find out if they can donate internal medical devices....hmmm even hip replacements?

You're welcome. This is a really good thread.

Both of my daughters regularly "give blood" and my oldest has considered donating marrow but had some physical problems which put her decision off.

Some might think this a morbid, or sad, discussion...I think just discussing it is giving a gift! What if someone reads this right before they go to get their license renewed or something and for the first time says, "yes" or even makes an informed decision not to and explains to their family their wishes and why. With my father I didn't know. It would've been alot easier on me to know his preference.

KD

I have also put myself on the Organ Donation register here in the UK, I also carry a donor card with me wherever I go.
I would want to help someone live after my death.

Tracy x

great Tracy that they do the same over the pond even better you are a donor Right on ! ! !
KD I almost want to move this post to where it will get more reads so I receive more replies . I really want to know about implanted medical things and if they get trashed or if they can be reused . I know of 2 others who have neuro stim like me for facial T.N.pain so far as I know I am the olny one who has not had to have mine taken out at all. Adjusted yes but not taken out ever. so I wonder what ifs ???? like what if something happened to me and the neuro stim could help one of those and they just trashed it without considering? do others with knee implants and stuff wonder the same thing ? what if hummmmmm? ha ha
maybe I will post this question in another room here at neurotalk or you can move it if you know of a better place.

Burntmarmallow,

Do you want to start a thread in CFF asking this question, then linking to this thread here as well?

I think that would be more than appropriate. If you decide to and need any help, let me know, k?

KD