Thread: Organ donation (NSW)

Originally Posted by akelly

I listened to this being canvased on 702 yesterday. There was a caller whose 9YO son had been killed (didn't say how) and the family dontated his organs. His heart wrenching story of his sons chest still rising and falling as they 'harvested' his organs, still beating heart last, had me crying in the car. This family is obviously still suffering from the impact of the process. ... "

Adam

No doubt about it, it's a very traumatic process, I can not think of anything worse than having to consent in that situation.

The staff would not have taken the decision to request the organs lightly, but they would have been sure of the outcome for the donor. Yes we could have likely kept the body functioning on a machine for days, weeks or even years, maybe even removed the machines and kept the body alive on a drip, but their child would never come back and they would be left living a broken life with a broken child existing in a twilight zone not alive, not responding but not dead, but with the previously viable organs themselves dying as well.

It is far better for the child or family member to have died quickly, as their brain (and soul) had died and help the lives of other families loved ones, than prolongue the grieving and waste the organs.

Just my opinion.

Diana

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

You are entitled to your opinion.

But you could not be any farther from the truth!

Accepting that I have only worked in health for 37 years and 95% of that time was in the emergency department or intensive care, so my experience may not be very accurate. However in that insignificant period of time, I have never witnessed the behaviour you speak of.

By the time you get old, your organs may not be much use!

By the sound of it - by the time he gets old, he will have unfortunately....

- Wasted a lot of perfectly good oxygen
- Probably procreated another generation of rocket scientists.

Looking at the history of his posts I'd suggest a troll has escaped from under the bridge

Originally Posted by Tombie

By the sound of it - by the time he gets old, he will have unfortunately....

... "

Rather unfair of you Tombie! We are all entitled to our opinions however mistaken.

Firstly, John and others who have been affected by a lack of donors, my thoughts are with you over your losses.

I am torn over the issue.
Logically, I know I won't need my bits.
Morally, I feel obliged to help others that can be helped.
I am 80% there.

My issues are these:
The Financial burden placed on recipients (family). If I am to donate my loved ones organs and allow greater damage them than has occured, why can't the surgeons donate their time or part of it?
Obviously, there are a limited number of surgeons available on a given shift, but I feel for the recipient families and the ensuing financial burden (little compared to losing their loved one, I know).

As we saw in the media recently, the potential (small though it may be) for a truly un-deserving individual to receive that which I have devoted my life to protecting.
Recidivist addicts, violent criminals etc. that have the public pay for the procedure and then continue to waste theirs, and others natural gifts!
Have a transplant qualification criteria.

I truly want to rationalise these concerns and wish to discuss and be educated where applicable.
Note: Education does not include a big stick! If you take offence at my thoughts, I am sorry that has happened. I am asking for assistance to make choices for ALL of my Family.
Thanks in advance.
Dave.

Originally Posted by akelly

I listened to this being canvased on 702 yesterday. There was a caller whose 9YO son had been killed (didn't say how) and the family dontated his organs. ...........

Cheers,

Adam

The situation for a child may well need to be considered differently, but it seems to me that it is extremely disrespectful to the one you love, if this person is an adult (or even for that matter a teenager!), who has specifically stated that their organs should be available, to then ignore this wish for your own emotional benefit.

I should point out that, as noted in the first post in this thread, I have seen this question for both sides. In my view, the really heart-wrenching decision is to turn off life support - compared to this decision, organ donation is relatively minor.

John

Originally Posted by Barefoot Dave

Firstly, John and others who have been affected ..."
"...
My issues are these:
The Financial burden placed on recipients (family). If I am to donate my loved ones organs and allow greater damage them than has occured, why can't the surgeons donate their time or part of it?
Obviously, there are a limited number of surgeons available on a given shift, but I feel for the recipient families and the ensuing financial burden (little compared to losing their loved one, I know).
..."

Dave

Under medicare the surgeons only get their sessional fees from the hospital for the harvesting, just like blood donations there is no charge for the organ only the costs involved are charged to Medicare and the state health system. If your job was as an electrician and one day you did a job for the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, would you expect to be paid?

If you are in a health fund, you are charged for the surgery to you and the care/treatment following, the same as if you had a knee reconstruction etc.

If you don't have health insurance and are a Medicare eligible patient, there is no charge.

A vastly different system to that in other places like the USA.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Dave

Under medicare the surgeons only get their sessional fees from the hospital for the harvesting, just like blood donations there is no charge for the organ only the costs involved are charged to Medicare and the state health system. If your job was as an electrician and one day you did a job for the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, would you expect to be paid?

If you are in a health fund, you are charged for the surgery to you and the care/treatment following, the same as if you had a knee reconstruction etc.

If you don't have health insurance and are a Medicare eligible patient, there is no charge.

A vastly different system to that in other places like the USA.

Diana, Thanks. This was what I was hoping to learn, but is not talked about generally.
Just leaves me to inflate the Altruism and deflate the moral outrage, I think.
Cheers, Dave.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Rather unfair of you Tombie! We are all entitled to our opinions however mistaken.

Maybe... But really...

How anyone with an ounce of intelligence could come out with that, or even have that thought process is a HUGE concern in modern society.

And note, this guy is the bloke who wants to swap Jaguars for Sigmas with Playstations in them...

I'm still betting....