Thursday Thirteen 2.16.06

Thirteen Things about MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION

        Transplantation is the act of surgically removing an organ from one person and placing it into another person. Transplantation occurs because the recipient's organ has failed or has been damaged through illness or injury.

        1. Myth: If emergency room doctors know you’re an organ donor, they won’t work as hard to save you.
Fact: If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ donation can only be considered if you die and after your family has been consulted.   The medical staff trying to save lives is completely separate from the transplant team. Donation takes place and transplant surgeons are called in only after all efforts to save a life have been exhausted and death is imminent or has been declared.

2. Myth: When you’re waiting for a transplant, your financial status or celebrity status is as important as your medical status.
Fact: The computerized matching system does not select recipients based on fame or wealth. Organs are matched by blood and tissue typing, organ size, medical urgency, waiting time, and geographic location.

3. Myth: Having "organ donor" noted on your driver's license or carrying a donor card is all you have to do to become a donor.
Fact: While a signed donor card and a driver's license with an "organ donor" designation are legal documents, organ and tissue donation is always discussed with family members prior to the donation. To ensure that your family understands your wishes, it is important that you share your decision to donate LIFE.

4. Myth: I am 60 years old. I am too old to be a donor.
Fact: People of all ages may be organ and tissue donors. Physical condition, not age, is important. Please sign a donor card; physicians will decide whether your organs and tissues can be transplanted.

5. Myth: My family will be charged for donating my organs.
Fact: There is no cost to the donor's family or estate for organ and tissue donation. Funeral costs remain the responsibility of the family.

         6. Myth: People can recover from brain death.
Fact: People can recover from comas, but not brain death. Coma and brain death are not the same. Brain death is final.

7. Myth: Minorities should refuse to donate because organ distribution discriminates by race.
Fact: Organs are matched by factors, including blood and tissue typing, which can vary by race. Patients are more likely to find matches among donors of their same race or ethnicity.

8. Myth: Organs are sold, with enormous profits going to the medical community.
Fact: Federal law prohibits buying and selling organs in the U.S. Violators are punishable by prison sentences and fines.

9. More than 88,000 men, women and children currently await life-saving transplants.

10. Every 12 minutes another name is added to the national transplant waiting list.

        11. An average of 17 people die each day from the lack of available organs for transplant.

        12. In 2004, there were 7,150 deceased organ donors and 6,990 living organ donors resulting in 27,028 organ transplants.

        13. Approximately 1,000,000 tissue transplants are
        performed annually. 

Don’t let myths and rumors keep you from saving lives.
Please, learn the facts.

Related info:
Annika will be returning to the liver list.
Kajsa continues to wait for a kidney.

For more information about transplantation, donation and other associated issues, please feel free to peruse the links in the left side bar. 
Thank  you.Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Shelli, Uisce, Mama B, Jen, Dariana, Lynda

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday.  Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged!  If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments.  It’s easy, and fun!  Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well!  I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Comments

[Miriam]

I hate to admit this, but when I first met Todd a few years back (and hadn't a clue, whether false or true, about organ donation) I was totally shocked when I saw that organ donor card and whatever was written on his license. It upset me to think he would die, and I pretty much never thought past that point. Up until 6 months ago the idea still creeped me out, and I used to always joke with him that he should change it, but I had to accept it because it was his choice.

BUT - when I started reading blogs like yours and Moreena's, it suddenly hit me. DUH. How could I not have seen the purpose, how could I have been so dumb. Of course I'm going to be devastated if I lose him but having an organ donated won't change anything - in fact it'll help! Cycle of life and all of that. It took me a while to realize something so simple but I'm glad I did.

[Uisce]

Wow, that's a lot of really excellent information! Thanks for sharing that! My 13 are up!

[Mama B]

Great facts about organ donations!!

[Rowan]

Miriam:
I'm glad that it clicked for you. That's part of why I talk about it. Often times, people have never given thought one to such things. If I can help one person to recycle their organs after death, I've, in fact, helped many people. That's part of what keeps me from feeling uncomfortable about sounding like a broken record.

Uisce:
I'm glad you liked it. I'll come over and check your 13.

Mama B:
Thank you for the kudos.

[Jen]

YES!!! Great List! Davin and I are donors, and EVERYONE knows it, and I wouldn't think twice about letting another child have my child's organs if it came to that. Anything anyone can use to sustain life.

I know there are some groups with religious objections, but I think so many folks just don't think about it and then it's too late.

Way to get the word out!

[Rowan]

Jen:

Thank you.

I don't understand how anyone can use religion as an excuse not to be a donor.

Prior to Kajsa's diagnosis, I listed, but was always a bit leary. I had this weird irrational fear that it would hurt...even after death.
I know, I know - but I don't walk over sidewalk grates either.

[Shelli]

I was stunned by some of the myths that people believe. Except for number 3. I assumed that if it said donor on my card, that meant that it was automatic. I will make sure my family knows about my wishes. Also, the facts that you have listed are shocking. Way to go with the post. As you know, my 13 is all about Annika.

[Nancy]

This was a great list for you to post. I admit I could not read the whole thing. My sister was killed in a car accident and we donated her organs.

After 13 years it still hurts. I am glad we able to help some people you were ill.

I am an organ doner.

[rodney roe]

North Carolina has an agency that is sanctioned by the legislature that investigates every death with the purpose of approaching the NOK about organ donation. There are some automatic grounds for rejection, like death due to cancer, but every hospital chart has a form stating that the agency was contacted and the patient either qualifies or doesn't. I wonder if other states have a similar process. Miriams reaction to death of a loved one is pretty typical. "If they can die then I can die" "Hold it don't go there". It gets easier to accept with age, probably because you get slammed in the face with the inevitability of death as friencs and family 'pass on'. Good blog!

[sarah]

wow, why didn't I ever think to do something like this! Really, great list. Prayers for Kajsa.

[Rowan]

Nancy:
I am very sorry about your sister. It is so hard to lose one that you love. I am glad the knowledge that her passing helped others has comforted you.

It is sometimes quite dificult for me to deal with the vampiric nature by which our family defines our hopes and dreams.

rodney roe:
All transplant regions have similar protocals. UNOS is kind of the big brain of it all. In fact, we are not told anything about a potential donor. Everything advocates for them first. I am glad that these things are set up. Otherwise I'd be dragging people in off the street.

Miriam's reaction is not only typical, but understandable. Death, transplant, and even altruism are all hard concepts to wrap one's mind around. It takes reflection. And it takes time.

Sarah:
I should've known you'd chime in here. Thank you - for for both the compliment and the prayers.

[Dariana]

What a very interesting list with lots of things we all need to know. Hey, thanks for visiting Almost An Angel and I have replied to your comment at my blog. I found the term "Pagan Humanist" fascinating!

Brightest Blessings!

Dari

[Rowan]

Back at you Dari.

I'm glad you were fascinated by my verbal juxtaposition. I'll check over at your place to see your response.

Thanks for swinging by, and for the good words on the list.

[Jen]

About religion being a barrier to donation, I figure I don't want to tell someone else how to worship and I don't want them telling me. We all do weird things that make no sense to anyone else while on our quest for a relationship with God.

But, my point was, that that is a relatively low number (ie people with religious prohibitions), and if everyone else seriously considered donation we'd have the problem totally knocked. It's really hard to think of all of the people going into the grave with their organs just because they really never gave it any thought, or their families weren't sure, or whatnot. That was all :-)

I made a special link to your post today! Thanks again for putting it together.

[Rowan]

I completely agree.

Thank you for the link. I would love for as many people as possible to be able to see these. Even if they were to think the rest of my blog garbage, let them take in this post.

You never know when someone might have an "Ahah!" moment.

[Natalie]

I just renewed my license last week.. and have done the paperwork to be an organ donor. Great TT! :)

[Rowan]

Good for you, Natalie!

[trinity13]

I'm proud to say that I'm am signed up to be an organ donor!!!

[Rowan]

Thank you, trinity13.

[Lynda]

My sister died of cancer in October 2005, and she was a donor. I don't know what they were able to use since she had non-smoking related lung cancer.

I have been a donor for as long as I had my license. I never gave it a second thought.

My husband grew up in a religion (initials JW) that would not allow organ donation, and he has had many medical problems, so he chooses not to be a donor. If it came down to it, I don't think I could say no if the doctor asked me. Religiously, I think the reason was that your body becomes unpure if you take other people's blood or organs. Not that I agree, just that is their reasoning.

I don't know if you will read this anymore, but I am going to link as well.

[Rowan]

Lynda:
Thank you for sharing. I am sorry to hear about your sister. I read briefly about her on your blog when I stopped by.
Interesting about the JWs. I never knew what the reasoning was. I suppose that makes sense. Not that I could possibly agree. But it is always nice to know why people have the beliefs that they do.
I hope that your husband's medical issues do not have too much impact upon his life. I am sorry if they do. I know that can be a pretty big drag.
I will try to stop by your place whenever I have a chance..life, you know.
But I do want to thank you for taking time to respond...and of course for being recycleable. ;-)