Are you an organ donor? If so when did you decide?

Yes. When I got my learners license. If I have no use for them any more, they should go to someone who needs them.

I am..

I never really decided. When I was asked I thought it was a good thing. I don’t think I would have ever thought I wouldn’t do it.

*note :: don’t bother with the liver.

I’ve always been an organ donor. It has never made sense to me to not be an organ donor. My body is just a shell and when I die, I won’t be needing it, so why not give my parts to someone who can benefit from them? I’ve heard the argument that doctors are slower to resuscitate a donor than other patients, but I really don’t believe that. Even if it were true, who cares? If I’m at a point where I’m dying or would have no quality of life even if I were kept alive, pull the freaking plug and donate my organs to someone who has a fair shot. I feel very strongly about this and if my family doesn’t donate my organs, I’m coming back to haunt them!

Yes organ donor, bone marrow donor and blood donor (but not sperm that always struck me as a bit weird).

I’m not gonna need the stuff anymore.

P.S. I just realized you’re back, @GAMBIT!

Yup, I think it’s neat to be able to help others in this way.

YES I decided as soon as I was old enough to understand what it was all about.

Yep. I don’t remember when I decided, just seems like I’ve always been.

Yep, not sure how long. Pretty much as long as I’ve had my driver’s license.

When I moved to NYC after college and got my first NY State ID is when, for me. If there’s any good parts to use, then have them, is what I say.

Yes. I have been one since I got my license. Like others, I feel that I have no use for them when I am dead and if my death helps save someone else’s life, then even better. And to clarify the myth about doctors being slow to resuscitate donors, a physicians job is to save lives first and foremost. If s/he can save YOUR life, s/he will try that first instead of thinking “Wellll if she dies, he can get a new liver!” That would kind of go against the “do no harm” part of the Hippocratic Oath.

PS – Welcome back Gambit!

Absolutely. It was never a question for me.

I had a teacher who used to wear a pin that said “Don’t take your organs to heaven… heaven knows we need them here.”

Yes. I desided for real when my mom got a heart-transplant, but I think I would have been a donor anyway.

- Don’t take you organs to heaven; Heaven knows we need them here!

Yes. I think I was born with this opinion… since I don’t remember ever not being one. To drive the message home, my biological father died while on a transplant list waiting for kidneys. And I have kidney disease. The life you save could be someone you know.

I wonder if anyone is reading this who isn’t a donor but doesn’t want to admit it? What are the reasons someone wouldn’t donate?

I have been an organ donor since I got my driver’s license. I was an idealistic teenager, as many are, but I have had no reason to change my mind since then. Far too many of my friends have benefited from someone else’s organs for me to deny the use of mine once I die.

I am not a blood donor because I had a form of hepatitis called “mono hepatitis” and although it isn’t one of the “bad” forms of hepatitis no one wants to take a chance.

I am not a marrow donor either, because try as I might I weigh too much.

I am not a sperm donor because I am female. I suppose I could be an egg donor, but they didn’t work for me so I suspect the chance of them not working for someone else might be high (we adopted children because of that). And then there is that whole weight thing again.

YES! From the start, as I’d like someone to make a use of my body when I’ve moved on from it!

Yes. I am a donor of my organs for transplantation only, though. I see the benefit of using them for medical research, but I prefer that they go to someone who needs them to live. If I die of old age that’s another question, then they can use them for whatever.

I respect people who don’t want to be a donor. I think it’s unfortunate, but it’s a personal decision, and I don’t think it should be seen as unaltruistic or close minded.

It used to say Organ Donor on my license, but I changed it. I’ll leave it up to my family. I doubt they would donate though.

Yes. Full body. I signed up when I got my motorcycle. I hope they never get the chance to collect.

@Lupin – I hope you wear full protective gear because motorcycle accidents do tend to be severe. That is why some people call them “donorcycles.”

@Darwin Thanks! I’m usually covered. I have the Kawasaki H1E, 2 stroke triple, from 1974. They called it the “Widow Maker”. Bell Star LTD II brain bucket.
I worked as a medic on the volunteer ambulance for 7 years so I’ve seen the mess.

@Lupin – A friend of mine was knocked off his Yamaha by a neighbor lady driving a huge Suburban. Fortunately he was in full leathers and had a full face helmet on. Even so, it took over a year for him to recover. He saved the helmet and shows it to kids so they can see what would have happened to his head if he hadn’t been wearing it.

Now he rides a bright yellow Honda Goldwing so people will see him. We joke that he is actually driving a two-wheeled car. His wife still rides her Yamaha Virago.

yes!
when I die, they can have at it, and recycle all my bits that will be of any use as far as I’m concerned…

Yes I am an organ donor, ever since I got my license. I can’t donate blood (which is unfortunate since I’m O+) because you have to wait a year after your last tattoo.

Yes, Blood, Plasma, organs, whatever else they can harvest.

Yes I am. I have been for so many years I can’t remember. Everyone in our family is a donor. It’s just the right thing to do.

Not sure what they can use of me, now. That’s a question I need to ask!

I’ve always been a donor. I could never imagine not being one and my family agrees.

As a side note, I had a marrow donation. My father – for a short period of time, was on a transplant list. If you’ve never been on that side of the fence, it’s maddening. I know you aren’t supposed to spend the days hoping for the donor, life is supposed to move on, but when you life depends on it, that’s all you can think of…will someone save me today?

My father was on the list, very short term. It was determined that he had such a small chance of survival, he would not be eligible. Just the process to get to that point, is overwhelming. The cost is astounding and it leaves you emotionally drained.

Organ donation is the easiest way to save a life.

I am a whole body donor, and I have been ever since I found out I could put the pink dot on my driver’s license.

Always have been, always will be.

Californians, I urge you to join the California donor registry to ensure your wishes to donate are respected, should it come to that. The pink dot isn’t always sufficient.

@nikipedia Thanks for the reminder. I am registered with them and my own doctor.

Yes, I’ve been a donor since I got my driver’s license.
Once I’m deceased I have no need for my organs. I’d rather them go to someone who needs them to live, than keep them when I die.
I’ve specified that I’m a donor with the DMV (pink sticker), with my doctor, and with our family lawyer.

I was just discussing this with a girl at work the other night and she said she’s scared to get the donor sticker on her license. She thinks if she had a bad accident that they would go ahead and let her die so they could harvest her organs! People think up some really weird shit…that line of thought had never entered my mind.

I am a donor. If I croak they can have what they need.

Drivers License discount FTW.

I have a 1/2 inch diameter orange day-glow sticker attached to the back of my black motorcycle helmet that states I am a full donor. The stickers were sent by the DMV. I guess New York didn’t want to miss the chance of harvesting while everything is still fresh. That’s ok with me.

Yes I am a whole body donor-it’s not much of a body but I’d much rather know it went to helping someone else it would be the best thing I have ever done in my whole Life.

Yes, I signed up as soon as I became of age