re: Are you an Organ Donor?

I am and am thankful to the young man who's liver gave my father an extra 7 years.

Absolutely. Close buddy of mine had a disease that took out his liver at 28 years old. If not for organ donors he'd be dead.

My dad was a paramedic for 30+ years and swore up and down he'd never be an organ donor and wouldn't let us (his kids) be one either.

He never gave a concise reason and usually kind of skirted around the answer, but I'll take his word for it.

I am

In September I donated stem cells through DKMS
I signed up in 2010 & had forgotten about it until I received a phone call.
They said I was a potential match for someone & asked if I would be interested in going further.

They set up blood work at a local lab & 2 weeks later they confirmed I was a match.
The next step was a full physical & more blood work.
Once I completed that I was shipped 4 sets of injections that help your body produce more stem cells. This is the point of no return, when you begin the shots the patient begins preparing for the transplant. They let you know clearly if the patient prepares & you back out they will more than likely die (they have no immune system).

I started the shots on a Thursday & donated on a Monday. It can take from 4-8 hours, after they get started they test a sample to see how the injection worked, the better it works the less time it takes to donate. My numbers were very high so I was there right at 4 hours.

I never felt like what I was doing was a big deal, but I will admit it was pretty cool to see them package my donation in an Igloo cooler & hand it off to the transport team.

There is a lot more to it, I was not compensated but travel, meals & vitamins were taken care of, they also take out a life insurance policy as well as short term & long term disability in the event any complications related to the donation.

I know some details about the person I donated to, I will not know if the transplant worked unless they agree to let me know & that is typically done 9 months after donation.

I have no regrets about having done it & recommend everyone sign up for the registry.

TL;DR
Donating stem cells was a great experience & more people should sign up.

I am but should't my family get a cut of the money the hospital makes on my organs.

Have been for decades now. I'm getting ready to hit 66 in a few weeks, but my eyes, kidneys, liver, heart are still in good order as per the blood work results and Dr. visits I've had.

I plan on being cremated when I die, so what's the use burning up organs that can possibly be used to give someone else a better quality of life.

Just seems like the right thing to do really.

No. My organs could end up in a pedophile or a Democrat. Since they seem to love each other then frick no.

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Are you an Organ Donor?

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No, but I did give away a piano once....

I am currently an organ donor, but i am having second thoughts. I think the doctors may be quicker to throw in the towel and let someone die if they're an organ donor to harvest their organs.

thoughts?