Amateur Professional Transplants
I didn't go home after one of my night shifts last week. Instead I stayed at work so I could observe an operation I haven't seen before - because it happens so rarely.
Organ donation.
There are hundreds of people waiting for a suitable organ donor to come up so that they can have a transplant. And not just older people whose organs have failed with age & illness; children who have been born with organ dysfunction or who have developed cancers or diseases. Hundreds all over the country.
If you were to come into hospital critically ill (eg after a serious car accident), the doctors would do everything they could to help you recover. If despite treatment, no recovery was made, and the point was reached where your relatives and the medical teams agreed that nothing more could be done, only then would the possibility of organ donation be discussed. (The doctors will NOT give up on you early).
But most people haven't thought much about what they would want in the event of their sudden death. So more often that not, in appropriate cases family members are asked to reckon what the patient would have wanted, at a time when they are also trying to come to terms with their loved-one's death.
It's an interesting point - think about it yourself. If the worst happens, would you want to donate organs and help other people live, so that some good could come of it?
I would.
If you feel the same, have a serious conversation about it with a parent or friend, and make sure they know your wishes. Or you could go further and join the NHS Organ Donor Register.
The common questions are answered here.
Having seen what happens, and how many people could benefit, I've decided I'm going to donate my organs.
But hopefully not too soon.
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BTW don't think about what would happen if you were to put somebody else's name on your Donor Card. If you died of a brain haemorrhage, your mate Steve would NOT have his kidneys removed - it doesn't work like that.
posted by Suman @ 2:49 PM
18 comments
18 Comments:
This is a very good post-
I did at one time carry a donor card (I lost it years ago!).
I would be more than happy to give my organs and tissues to someone else who can benefit from them when I have passed- what am I going to do with them anyway? I'd be dead!
The only thing I would not be happy to donate would be my eyes.
I'll have to give this some serious thought and discuss it with parents etc.
I'm so pleased you have posted about this- more people should be aware so more people can be given the chance to live.
Just as a side note- this does not leave you free to steal parts of me if i'm ever sparked out in intensive care- that last part was a joke by the way. The rest of this was totally serious.
I thought the new law meant next of kin no longer had to give consent and if the patient carried a donor card/registered that consent was automatic.
Nikki, they only take the cornea, the clear layer at the front of your eye, not the whole eye.
any idea how to donate your body to medical science?
id rather do that than donate separate organs :)
The law changed a few weeks ago. Before, even if you carried a Donor Card, your family still had to give their consent too unless you were also signed up on the official register. But now the law takes into account if you've expressed any wishes (reliably, hence my suggestion of having a serious conversation! I tried to talk to Mum about it last night - took me ages to get her to understand that I wasn't planning on dying in the near future!).
I think you need to be over a certain age to carry a Donor Card anyway.
You can opt in & out as to what you would donate - eg just kidneys, or everything apart from corneas - people feel funny about certain body parts for some reason.
(And no, I don't think you can donate your penis, however proud of it you might be)
As for Medical Science... I don't know. You probably won't be dissected on TV by a mad hat-wearing German though. There IS a shortage of people leaving their bodies for medical students to learn from however - probably a throwback to twenty years ago, when irresponsible students could get away with dropping dead peoples' fingers into strangers' pockets on the Tube. I think the last straw was when someone left an arm hanging off a handrail. Doesn't happen now - spoilsports...
But in any case, it all helps other people. And then the remains are respectfully laid to rest/cremated as usual (as opposed to chucked in a bin).
Regarding corneas-
It may only be a clear layer at the front of the eye- but its MY EYE.
There is just something really un-natural about it. It makes me shiver.
I'm not really sqeamish. Eyes though. Ugh. I love my eyes.
I'm glad your mum got the point eventually Suman. I dread to think how my mum will react when i mention it to her! She gets a bit funny about that stuff.
Nikki, my mother doesn't want me to donate my eyes either (and admittedly I'm tempted to say "Take me eyes, nothing else!")
I won't though.
Unless I find out i'm adopted...
Hey Suman, just a question as your on the topic of bodies being donated for medical students. Im a 2nd year at brighton and sussex (new med school) and our fantastic anatomy professor is Diana Watt (scottish short lady) and I know she came from imperial so was womdering if she had taught you guys??
Love the music - apparently Adam played at my cousins friends private party last week. Though she is a millionaire - still didnt know you guys did concerts for house parties!! off on a tangent - anything to avoid cranial nerve studying!
take care
dan
What knid of transplant did you see? Kidneys are almost routine, Liver can be tricky, Heart &/or Lung are a pain.
St Marys last year did a Live related Kidney transplant for Robert Winstons Transplant week on BBC, Th camera crew came in on the Wednesday night and set all the cables up, Thursday night they came in and set the cameras/screens/sound equipment up. Friday the anaesthetist cancelled the operation because the recipient had a temperature. The BBC and the surgeon were furious. (Oh how the staff laughed at their attitude) We sent the donor home (His wife) and did the Op the following friday
I am a theatre nurse and I used to work in the liver theatre in the QE, Birmingham until May this year. I went out on retrieval 3 times, 2 of those times to Belfast.
Organ retrieval is a strange operation. Throughout the operation I couldn't help feeling extremely grateful for the patient, and theirs families generosity, having already been involved in many kidney and liver transplants.
I will never forget the dignity and respect these patients are given, and how well the transplant coordinator manages the situation.
We were part of a BBC documentary as well.
I now work in a private hospital in Gloucestershire :-(. Oh by the way Suman, how is the tower block?
Still got my old, crinkly Donor Card and carry it with me everywhere.
And am on DVLA register, too.
And am prepared to donate any bit needed after I've finished with it - including corneas - if it gives someone else a chance to see more clearly, it's got to be better than my corneas rotting with the rest of me! Yay corneas, if they can live on when I've gone.
I applied for my provisional driving licence a few days ago (yeah- I'm a late starter. What can i say?)
And I DID register for the list with the DVLA- (everything apart from corneas).
I don't know why I'm funny about that. The thought of it makes my stomach turn. Ugh.
Ha. Saw this and signed up onto the register. Wonder how they'll react to:
Q: How did you hear about us?
A: Amateur transplants
Incidently, the captcha word verification doesn't seem to work in Firefox. Stupid internets...
Thanks for all your comments folks - there's an update to the story here on the main blog front page
Nikki - totally agree. I'm a card welding organ donor (only in death, please), but I excluded my eyes - not really sure why, whether it is the 'window to the soul' thing or what... Just really freaks me out!
Does it hurt? I'm concerned that no pain killers are given and I might not really be dead when they start chopping me up!
As a nurse that has worked in transplantation and critical care, I applaud you for raising this important issue. The assent of the next of kin is always requested, so it is important to discuss this issue with those nearest and dearest to you. The decision to donate does not affect the management of the patient within the critical care setting. As the critical care doctors are independent of the transplant team (and usually opposed to transplantation anyway, in my experience). If you feel strongly about having the opportunity to offer your loved ones organs for transplant, it is not unreasonable for you to suggest it. Some are not offered the option.
As a transplanted kidney patient I would like to say thanks to all the people on the transplant register. Ihave had my transplant for 21 years this year and have led a normal life since, not haveing to have dialiyisis 3 times a week 6 hours a time feeling terrible all the time. Cant express enough thanks to anyone who donates there organs for transplantion.
thanks again
I would like to thank you for this post, I signed up and keep my donor card in front of my debit card in my wallet now.
I know you don't need to carry the card but I'm proud to be a card holder.
Thank you so much for pointing this out to me and many others.
Should I ever learn to drive (being epileptic but stable it's a little harder to apply for a provisional) I shall let the DVLA know I wish to donate my organs too.
Chris.
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