Ok, I know that organ donation has been discussed here more than once, but I couldn't find anything that addressed my particular question/issue........so here goes.
In this year's presidential election, many of the exit polls showed that people voted based on their "family/moral values." It seems they (not me!) voted for Bush because they felt he stood for those values, especially in regards to gay marriage, abortion, etc. I was very distraught after the election because I hear these people talking but I don't see these people taking moral action! Organ donation is just one of the areas that angers me.
How can the majority of this country stand on such moral high-ground and then show such PATHETIC organ donation numbers? People are dying because they can't get an organ when there are plenty available, but they get buried with the patient! How can you proclaim to be such a good person with such high moral values when you aren't even willing to donate your or your family's organs in the event of their death? I really don't see that as being a whole lot less than murder.
I'm not even a nurse yet, so I'm not right in the middle of this yet, but I do dread it! Anyway, this is just something that disturbs me deeply and I wanted to get your take on it, especially those of you, if any, that are not willing to donate. I'd like an explanation!
I would love to donate my organs/blood; Unfortunately, mine are not acceptable for transplant.
In addition, my family would not permit organ donation post morten due to religious observance. And the family has the last say. (And no, they will not be convinced otherwise)
Very few people die in such a way that many usable organs are viable, barring skin, bone, eyes, or kidneys. But then I am an oncology nurse.
What aggravates the fool out of me, is the number of healthy people that pony up to donate blood directly to a family member. But they will not donate randomly. They get aggravated when tell them that their relative needs blood now, and it takes several days/weeks to clear their blood for a relative. But will they donate to refill that bank for the next person's immediate need knowing that someone did it for their family? Nooooo!!!!!
That and the healthy ones that say, "Oh, I donated ONCE!!! Their family member (or they after an accident) will be getting several 6 packs of random donor platelets, and 3-6 units of PRBCs. And they figure that the one donation should cover it.
That is the most erroneous statement I've ever heard. You have absolutely no basis to make such a statment and makes about as much sense as me claiming that Kerry supporters, who are notoriously hipocrites, would be the ones most likely to NOT donate but be the first in line to TAKE a donation.
And besides, organ donation and one's feelings about crime & punishment, gay marriage, etc are two unrelated things.
Is anyone aware that more African Americans die due to lack of organ availability than caucasians? Very few blacks are organ donors, and that is a fact! In our area, we have had special bone marrow and kidney drives specifically asking for black people to be tested, since they are the best match for a black person waiting to recieve an organ/bone marrow. I believe that at least over 80% of blacks voted for Kerry.
And by the way, that's a pretty dangerous assumption. There are many cultures and religions that don't believe in organ donation, yet that does not make them immoral.
Not everyone believes as you do.
Actually, in the Judeo-Christian world that we live in, here in the US, there are NOT many cultures and religions that don't believe in organ donation. In the 80's and 90's I attended many national Critical Care conferences that included distinguished panels of rabbis, priests, and ministers of many denominations that all agreed that there is no scriptural teaching that forbids cadaveric organ donation, and much moral and ethical writing to support it.
That doesn't require anyone to donate. But I would hope that those who would not donate, also choose not to receive. JMHO
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:chuckle
begalli
1,277 Posts
This I agree with. There's nothing that separates people more than when politics (or religion) are interjected into questions like this.