A little about me.........And asking for input..........Are you an organ donor?......

[Wizard]

This is long......................



Well I don't talk much about myself but after posting a little on another thread I thought I would share some things about me, and get your take on transplantation and if your an organ donor or not.


What you feel on the subject.


Please excuse my rotten spelling...............


My dates may be off a little on a few things as I am just babbling a bit here:

I will be 35 at the end of this month. I got sick with kidney failure about late 16 early 17. I had to go on dialysis. I went 4 days a week for 3 1/2 hours at a time.........As a teenage boy that thought I knew everything I did everything wrong.
I was on a fluid restriction of 32 oz a day.......This included ice, water melon, ice cream , jell ...all were fluid.

You see you can't tell a kid this....I thought I was invincible, nothing could take me down......
As a result of not following my Dr orders I would go into Congestive heart failure (too much fluid on my lungs) every two months. This would lead to a min. 2 week hospital stay........
I had bleeding ulcers (2) blood sucked from my belly many times......At one time I was in the hospital in ICU and had a cardiac arrest once......By all rights I should not have made it.....2 years after I finally got a transplant.....A 4 point match (6 the best)

My life started getting back to normal. I worked the whole time and tired to move on. At that time a transplant like that they said would only last about 10 years.

Sooooooooo about 4 years ago maybe 5 I was traveling the USA for work and I was in Beaver Dam KY. when my ankles one day swelled up like tree trunks...........I knew right then and there it was over. The kidney had shut down and I was once again filling up with fluid.
I called back and (by now was married 10 or so years) broke th3e news to my wife.........Kidneys shutting down are normally a sow thing so I finished that week out state and moved to a job in Cleveland Ohio. I knew if
I made it to there I was safe . Cleveland clinic is a awesome place with top Dr's.
I did another week there and then home to PA drinking very little each day.

When I made it back here at home I was right same thing again but this time it wasn't about me it was about me doing things right as I had a wife and two kids that I had to provide for......I couldn't take chances this time......Couldn't do anything wrong......too much at stake.
I did everything right this time around. Not one hospital stay at all. drank only 32 oz a day or less.......did my dialysis treatments.......6 months on the machine and I was transplanted with the 2nd a 6 point match...........The best you can get. Can't be any better. This was about 3 years ago now.
They tell me that this one will last for 20 years so now if it fails I hope then they will have cloned organs.


Whew.............Thank you for hanging in there thru that. My questions are you and organ donor?
For folks not in the US what is your country like.....? I have heard that you are a donor unless you say otherwise....I think the US should be like this but you have to mention it to be one....Many would be if they just knew.
I had a cousin die while I was sick and they tried to donate to me but wrong type....she donated most everything.............You know what 266 life’s were changed from one person....eyes, heart, liver, kidneys, ribs to make jaw bones......unreal!!!!!!!

I am interested in hearing thoughts on this.........any input would be great....

 

[koalabear]

Yes I am. It is on my Drivers Liscense.

 

[Guest]

 

[roxie]

Wow, you have been thru alot! I can't say that I know exactly what it's like but I know what kidney problems are like. Glad to know you are better now.
As much as I'd like to be a donor, I can't, I'm diabetic, altho my family does know that I'd wish my body to go for research at least. I'd like to think I'm contributing something to the world.

 

[Cheyenne]

Yes, I am an organ donor. I should say I WILL be an organ donor, some day.

Did you see the show 60 Minutes on Sunday? It didn't do much for recruiting organ donors. It was all about people who give organs expecting them to go to people who can use them, as charity. Some of the skin people were donating was not going to burn victims as most likely intended. It was being sold to a clinic that did surgery to increase penis size! EWWW! I'm not sure how you avoid donating organs which then become worth thousands of dollars to plastic surgeons, etc. I wish there was a way to make sure that organs donated went to people like you, Wizzie.

 

[tigerjen]

I have been an organ donor since I got my driver's license
renewed the second time around.........can't remember
what year that was.......

I believe that organ donation is a great thing to do.......
provided the organs are in good shape and not affected
by disease........

I will give you this woman's name......she is from CT....
I've heard her speak on organ donation....wonderful
person......her name is Joyce Willig.......try looking her
name up on the web via Google........she is very outspoken
in favor or organ donation.



tigerjen

 

[just pet]

I most definitely am an organ donor... also on my Driver's license... just hope they wait until I'm dead to take my liver... I'm still using it...

 

[Tremolo]

Wizard, I am sorry to hear about your history, I am glad to hear you are healthy now.

I am an organ donor. In Ontario you get an organ donor card with your drivers license. I signed mine, which means I can donate.

I am not sure though, but unless you tell your family about it, they can go to court to over turn the little card.

I think it should be you have to sign NOT to be an organ donor.

Hope things go well in the future for you.

Tremolo

 

[Ice Cold]

I think for some there is a hesitation to donate. A program on the other night talked about donating organs. Instead of going directly to the hospital, they were going to tissue banks. The tissue banks were instead selling them to places outside the hospitals in some cases causing a shortage.

I found this very disturbing, to think that some one may be dying and have need of an organ, one is available but yet the person isn't getting it.

I think that if one is available, it should go to those in the greatest need, not who pays the higest price.

 

[Wizard]

Yes, I am an organ donor. I should say I WILL be an organ donor, some day.

Did you see the show 60 Minutes on Sunday? It didn't do much for recruiting organ donors. It was all about people who give organs expecting them to go to people who can use them, as charity. Some of the skin people were donating was not going to burn victims as most likely intended. It was being sold to a clinic that did surgery to increase penis size! EWWW! I'm not sure how you avoid donating organs which then become worth thousands of dollars to plastic surgeons, etc. I wish there was a way to make sure that organs donated went to people like you, Wizzie.

I didn't catch that one but unfortantly that can happen.........For some of the old folks around here back in the early 80's while I was on the waiting list there was alot of talk about the Arabs paying off the Dr. here to mover there loved one up the list.....Right after it was broke wide open................The Fucking phone rang........I was called.......Made me wonder how long I was at the top of the list before getting called.....Could I have been there for months or years while others got organ cause they paied someone off..............??????

But I'm here now..................

 

[Wizard]

I also think if someone that wants to sell there organ then they should be alowed.

I also think prisoners on death row should not have a choice.............More wasted organs..............

 

[Allexus_TN]

I am, and not only is it on my driver's license, but my family knows and respects my wishes. Anything they can use I want them to take. My next step will be to donate my brain to the Harvard Brain Bank for research.

However, a family member has told me that having it on your driver's license is not that great of an idea. Many hospitals will look at that, then not try as hard to save you. They figure, why save one life, when the organs can save 5 or 6? This family memeber works at a hospital, and has seen this happen. I hope that not all are that way.

Organ donation is still an excellent idea.

 

[Silverlily]

both organ and bone marrow

 

[RhumbRunner13]

Allexus......

....."I am, and not only is it on my driver's license, but my family knows and respects my wishes. Anything they can use I want them to take. My next step will be to donate my brain to the Harvard Brain Bank for research. "



I'm relatively sure it will be labeled Abby Normal!

Just couldn't resist! My bad.

RhumbRunner

 

[sigh]

am i a donor? you bet

my body is yours, love...but not until i'm finished with it...deal?

 

[MissTaken]

Yes, I am an organ donor.

You already took a piece of my heart, wiz.

What else do you need?

 

[Cibo]

Yes I am an oragn donor. Hell, what use would I have for them when I'm dead? But in all seriousiness, if I could ever save 266 people by myself, than that would make me and my family truley happy. God forbid that something bad happens to me where I need a transplant, that someone will be able to save my life by being a donor.

 

[Georgia Girl]

I am a donor in all ways.

A couple of years ago my right knee was reconstructed using donor tissue and bone. I'm pleased to say no problems at all.

Dawn

 

[MechaBlade]

I'm giving everything. You should've posted a poll.

 

[Feelin' Naughty]

I am a donor. They can take anything usable after I'm gone, and a pint of my blood about every six weeks while I'm still around.

 

[Wizard]

It is great to see everyone post in favor of donation..........The key has always been trying to get the word out.......

Thanks everyone.....

Unreal 266 can be touched..............

 

[bluespoke]

Another donor here, organ and body.

I'm protecting my own interests as I only have one kidney left!

 

[lovetoread]

I have been one since I turned 18.

 

[Rambling Rose]

Me too, Wiz.

 

[kotori]

yeah, me too. and everyone knows it and my feelings about it, so there should question or hesitation on the part of my immediate family.