06 August 2007

Are You Feeling Altruistic?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20143806/

Here in our country, when we donate an organ, it goes to the first person on the transplant list in that area. Doesn't matter if it's a convicted child molester, or someone with a drug problem who is going to ruin the organ within six months. Doesn't matter if it's an 85-year-old who we all know is going to die within 10 years anyway.

AND, we're hearing in the news about doctors allegedly hastening the deaths of patients who are listed as organ donors. Actually this confirms something I've been feeling for a long time. It's a conflict of interest when you think about it. I want to stay alive and well for as long as possible. "Dr. Jones," however, may look at my body as up to 40 spare parts and the potential to save or enhance lots of lives, and glory for his hospital. Can you *really* tell me that there is no way EVER ever EVER that certain drugs would not be given to me b/c of the effect they may have on my organs, or the fact that they might make them unuseable altogether? Or that doctors might not do everything they can, knowing that I've signed that little card giving up these body parts after death?

So to my mind, it really doesn't make sense to be an organ donor. And as an organ recipient, you have to be just about too close to death to have a good chance of recovery once you receive the organ. If you get it before you die.

It makes perfect sense for people in poorer countries to sell their organs. They take great risk but earn a good deal of money (for them) that they otherwise would never receive. One would imagine they would be able to say yes or no to the recipient just as birth parents do for adoptions in the US today. The only thing that really bothers me is the use of organs from executed criminals. I mean, how much "consent" do you think the prisoners or their families are really giving? That's just plain creepy. But if my CHILD were going to die, would I say no to travelling to China for an organ? Would I? I have no clue. I'd like to think I would not. But then, if embryonic stem cells somehow magically provided the cure to all cancer, can you say you would never ever take the cure?

I'm interested in everyone's comments. What do you think about all these things? I'm not sure about a lot of them. :]

1 comment:

  1. I guess it's a really personal decision. But, for ME, I am not an organ donor. I feel it's a bio-ethical line that I don't want to cross. Also, I don't think I would receive an organ either.

    The Bible talks about life being in the blood. And to receive someone else's life....well, I don't necessarily agree with that.

    More and more studies are showing that the heart actually THINKS just like the brain. It has electrical impulses that are the same. I've read accounts of people have heart transplants and have their personanality drastically change. No thank you!

    I have decided I am willing, however, to have my body donated to science to be cut up by some medical students. A friend once told me the stats on how there are not enough cadavers for med students. Many graduate without every having actually cut on a body themselves. That's scary!

    So, once I'm good and dead they are welcomed to use it for research.

    Just some thoughts....

    ReplyDelete

Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

Bringing Garbage Home

Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back...