It's been almost three years since my Mom became an organ donor.
However, I have always wondered a couple of things and I've asked several nurses but no one knows.
#1 Right before taking her to for removal, I am sure that the nurse poured a dark liquid into a tube that was already going into the mouth. She was on a vent, but I don't remember any more tubing. WHAT was the liquid and WHY was it used and WHERE was it going? Maybe iodine, I don't know.
This has bothered me over the past three years. I guess not knowing makes me feel less involved.
#2, I cannot find anything about organ removal on the net, and I would feel like a weirdo asking CORE. I really want to know if they took her off the vent and let her die , or did they remove organs while on the vent?
If anyone can find out the answers for me, please tell me. The unknown is not comforting to me. I only recently found out about "how" her corneas were removed, and it bothered me at first, but I feel much better knowing.
Like I said, knowledge of what happened makes me feel more involved, or in control..I'm not sure, but I need answers.
Barely 55, my Mom woke up on December 26 and had a massive aneurysm, leading to her brain death. I guess with that coming up, it's really weighing on me.
What is it called when the doctor performing the surgery writes down all the details of a surgery. I've read reports of common surgery, so I wonder if one of those was typed up.
Every single one of you helped me so much. I have new terms/words to find definition for, new ideas to help me in my search, and support because now it's just me and my children. Very lonely feeling, so thank you.
I do know that her kidneys, liver and heart valve were able to be used. The heart valve, as I was notified in a letter from CORE, went to a baby boy. If I remember correctly, it seems the valve was given to the recipient a few months after her death.
Her corneas were transplanted to one person each. It is a tremendous feeling to know that her corneas are still viewing the world, and allowing someone else to enjoy clear sight. Maybe that sounds weird.
I don't understand the delay in the heart valve either, but I hope that little boy is doing well.
I can tell you that I often see valves and parts of vessels grafted into infants months, sometimes years after the date on the donor forms. Don't know why, but it's fairly standard.
Prayers and hugs to you, Daisy. I lost my brother Oct. 31, 2008; he was brain dead and the family waited til I flew in before extubation. I have some questions, as you do. However, my brother wasn't an organ donor, but my dad, who had POA consented to an autopsy. I am wondering how long before autopsy results, and how do we find out...
Be that as it may...I will continue to keep you in my prayers. As others said, thank you for your gift. And think happy thoughts of your mom this Christmas.
I can tell you that I often see valves and parts of vessels grafted into infants months, sometimes years after the date on the donor forms. Don't know why, but it's fairly standard.
The more vascular an organ is the faster it has to be transplanted. So Heart/Lung > Liver/Pancreas > Kidney. Corneas and heart valves are essentially avascular. You can preserve corneas in a solution for a period of time (not sure exactly how long). For cornea surgery they essentially schedule you for day surgery from my understanding. Heart valves can be cryogenically frozen (like bone or tendon) and given at any time. The go more by size and type than anything else if I remember. So it would be perfectly normal to have it in storage until someone needed it.
After your responses, I felt encouraged to write to CORE and say exactly what was on my mind. I had such a bad experience with the CORE representitive, that they "donated" a certain amount to the funeral home to try to make it up to me. The CORE rep. was deceptive on a few points during the couple of days at the hospital.
So, thanks and if anyone finds out about that dark liquid, I'm still hopint to find out.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
DaisyChains... As the parent of an organ transplant recipient, and as a critical care nurse who cares for both donors and recipients, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity at a time of profound grief and confusion. It's completely normal for you to have questions now that the fog has lifted. It's good that you're able to contact the Organ Procurement Organization that handled the details of your mother's donations and have your questions answered. There will be some details they won't share with you, but you should feel some closure afterward.
Just for informational purposes, I can tell you a few things about medical records as they're dealt with at my hospital. Once a donor has been identified and consents are signed, the chart that has documented that patient's care is closed and a new one is opened with an anonymous medical record name and corresponding chart number. An example of this would be "AAA-twentysix 11111-2222 MR# 88872456 HOPE". The first aprt is the patient's new "name" followed by the universal livetime identifier (that indicates who is now paying for care), the medical record number and "Human Organ Procurement and Exchange" as the attending. All subsequent documentation of care is maintained in this new chart. Any specimens obtained for matching purposes, for monitoring organ function and any other reason will be carried out using this new chart number. The forms that go with the organ to the recipient's hospital are cross-referenced to this chart number as well. There is no direct link to the donor that can be followed up later so as to maintain anonymity. The only difficulty we have is when we have both donor and recipient on our unit at the same time; there are no laws against that here. So confidentiality has a high priority.
You might think anonymity isn't really necessary, but from my perspective, it saddens me enough to know that 20 years ago, a 5 year old lost his or her life and my child was given an incredible gift, without knowing that child's name or the details of that life. It's easier to imagine a faceless family grieving their loss than to have a mental image of an identifiable mother, father, big brother... For the donor's family not knowing the recipient makes it easier to imagine the recipient living a long,healthy and happy life; the details of the person's course after transplant can remain nebulous and if the transplant was not the success that all hoped for, the donor family need never know and have to face the horrible loss again.
DaisyChains
18 Posts
Every single one of you helped me so much. I have new terms/words to find definition for, new ideas to help me in my search, and support because now it's just me and my children. Very lonely feeling, so thank you.
I do know that her kidneys, liver and heart valve were able to be used. The heart valve, as I was notified in a letter from CORE, went to a baby boy. If I remember correctly, it seems the valve was given to the recipient a few months after her death.
Her corneas were transplanted to one person each. It is a tremendous feeling to know that her corneas are still viewing the world, and allowing someone else to enjoy clear sight. Maybe that sounds weird.
I don't understand the delay in the heart valve either, but I hope that little boy is doing well.
:redbeathe Thank you, thank you, thank you. :redbeathe