What is playing on the iPod? Champagne by Cavo
As of 12:08 p.m. December 5, 2009, 105,198 people were on a waiting list for organ donation.
Statistically speaking, there are not half that many people living in the county where I live.
Of these people, there is an infinitesimally small amount who will actually live to receive a transplant. People die on the waiting list every single day.
I have known three people who have received liver transplants, two who have received heart transplants and one bone marrow recipient. Out of those six people, one is no longer with us. The odds of the transplant recipients versus the odds of the people on that damned waiting list are staggering.
This topic is my soapbox. Healthy people die every single day. There are car wrecks and head wounds that happen everywhere (I mention those because those are the leading two causes of death that lead to organ viability). If I offend anyone by my personal crusade, do not expect an apology. Try being one of those people waiting on a selfless act by a grieving family, or try watching someone you love be one of those people, then throw stones. Do not take a religious or moral high road on this topic if you do not have first hand knowledge of what it is like to walk a mile in someone's shoes who understands.
The solution is simple. Sign your donor card and talk to your family. Let your loved ones know your wishes. My husband used to valiantly defend his decision to not be an organ donor before I was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (currently in the early stages) which will eventually necessitate transplant. Life tends to bite you in the ass whether you want it to or not.
I try to be witty in my blog but on this subject, I find myself to be rather low on humor. Just think about it and for the love of all that is holy, let your loved ones know your wishes, regardless of what they may be. At the end of the day, families make the final decision for organ donation which is why letting them know is so important.
Do not let the impassioned rantings of a blogger make your decision for you, become informed on the subject. http://www.unos.org/ is a great place to start. Check it out.
Until next time.
Dear AWJTPW,
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best in treatment and recovery from your condition. You, your family, your friends, and your readers are all welcome to learn more about what actual living donors have to say about this a Living Donors Online! http://www,livingdonorsonline.org/ . They are resources and open discussion forums there for donors, donor candidates, recipients, recipient candidates, family, friends, transplant professionals, the media, and the general public. Do, please, join the conversation with the thousands there who really do understand.-John
Typos, sorry: the link is http://www.livingdonorsonline.org/ and it's "There are resources" not "They are." Moving too fast.-J
ReplyDeleteJohn - thanks for the link and the wishes. I am fortunate enough to be in the very early stages with a lot of promising research in the works. I also love to share information. Again, thanks for the link.
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