Life Goes On: Organ Donation Thread

[Bewitchingstorm]

I've donated my brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation - after I'm finished with it naturally!

These folks are doing amazing research and they need lots of donor brains (concussed and otherwise) to keep doing it. When I read their study and saw the photographs of Aaron Hernandez's brain, I wanted to cry. His brain looked like a wilted, rotten cauliflower. If you ever wonder why [some] football players and professional athletes make millions.... that's why - and it's still not enough to compensate for destroying the single most important organ in your body.

https://concussionfoundation.org/get...earch-registry

I worry about my son. Growing up, he was an Adventurer par excellence and suffered eight diagnosed concussions between the ages of 5-18 years (mostly sports-related), and a ninth when he was 24 (auto accident). After he became a father, he stopped extreme sports, but he's still very active. He is forty-three now, and over the past few years, has begun to show symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Of course, it can't be diagnosed without a brain autopsy, but his doctor is concerned about the possibility based on his documented history of concussions. When he was young, we didn't know anything about the brain. We thought brain damage could never be reversed because we didn't understand the neuro-plasticity of the brain. If I knew then, what I know now, I would never have allowed him to start playing competitive contact sports at the age of six. Football, soccer, wrestling.... for 19 years, this guy was banging his head around on a weekly basis since he was SIX YEARS OLD! Ugh, it sickens me to think about it.

It is terrible to think about the damage that could have been caused to your son's brain engaging in sports all those years. The Foundation itself is doing tremendous work...such a great cause.

[puzzld]

It is terrible to think about the damage that could have been caused to your son's brain engaging in sports all those years. The Foundation itself is doing tremendous work...such a great cause.

It really is tragic. A cousin of mine had a couple of concussions as a child and teen and I'm convinced that the damage done led to his suicide. I used to love football. Can't watch it now.

Good for you donating your brain KT.

[Bewitchingstorm]

It really is tragic. A cousin of mine had a couple of concussions as a child and teen and I'm convinced that the damage done led to his suicide. I used to love football. Can't watch it now.

Good for you donating your brain KT.

Very sad about your cousin, Puzz.

[Boston Babe 73]

This made my day:

[Bewitchingstorm]

This made my day:

I that.

[raisedbywolves]

I am a HUGE proponent of organ donation, but I'm beginning to feel like profits over people are driving some of these coordinators.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-w...urgery-9033966

In 2022, Danella Gallegos, a 38-year-old homeless woman, fell into a coma following an unspecified medical emergency at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Doctors informed her family that she was unlikely to recover, leading them to agree to organ donation through New Mexico Donor Services, The New York Times reported.

As preparations for the organ retrieval surgery began, Ms Gallegos' family noticed tears in her eyes, which donation coordinators dismissed as mere reflexes. On the day of the procedure, one of her sisters observed movement, and a doctor asked Ms Gallegos to blink, which she did, indicating she was still alive. Despite this, coordinators allegedly pressured hospital staff to proceed, suggesting morphine to reduce movement.

Fortunately, the doctors refused and stopped the surgery, a decision that saved Ms Gallegos' life as she went on to make a full recovery.

A similar case happened in Kentucky in October 2021, involving Thomas 'TJ' Hoover II. After a drug overdose, Mr Hoover was declared brain dead and scheduled for organ donation. However, a staff member noticed him thrashing and crying visibly before the operation. Despite showing signs of life, Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) allegedly pushed to proceed, which the company denied. Like Ms Gallegos, Mr Hoover eventually recovered and now lives with his sister.
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Misty Hawkins, 42, was another case where life support was removed before organ removal. However, when doctors operated, they found her heart still beating. Unfortunately, Ms Hawkins didn't survive.

[Bewitchingstorm]

It is sickening to think that healthcare professionals are so careless like this.

[Angiebla]

New thing on my list of billions to be afraid of.

[Boston Babe 73]

I agree RBW and nothing makes me MORE ANGRY than assholes like this that give people the reason to not agree to be a donor. They're literally doing exactly what the propaganda against organ donation puts out there. That they will let you die so that they can harvest your organs. Basically, they figured that a homeless woman was less valuable than whoever they were going to give these organs to. There's a special place in hell for people like that.

[raisedbywolves]

I agree RBW and nothing makes me MORE ANGRY than assholes like this that give people the reason to not agree to be a donor. They're literally doing exactly what the propaganda against organ donation puts out there. That they will let you die so that they can harvest your organs. Basically, they figured that a homeless woman was less valuable than whoever they were going to give these organs to. There's a special place in hell for people like that.

Yeah, two of the three (not sure about the other case, didn't see anything else on it) were people that I am sure the coordinator thought wouldn't be missed, a homeless person and a drug addict.

Organ donation is super important! I wish we could do like Singapore (I think that's where it happens) where when you turn 21 you sign up to be a donor and if you refuse you basically always stay at the bottom of the list if you need an organ yourself. I hate that these greedy coordinators are hurting the cause.

[Boston Babe 73]

They just changed the system here in Ireland that you're automatically an organ donor unless you opt out. People were freaking out and saying they were "LOSING OUR BODILY AUTONOMY!!!!!!". Bitch, tell that to a brain dead, pregnant woman in Georgia about how you're losing the rights over your own body because this ain't it.

EVEN IF you don't opt out, they still have to get permission from your family here in order to harvest so it's far from having your rights taken away. With the amount of time some people spent on Facebook complaining about the new protocol, they could have gone on to the site and opted out at least a thousand times over :eye roll:

[raisedbywolves]

If you can donate now would be a good time to think about doing it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74gze89783o

A blood supply shortage in the US has reached a "crisis" level, according to the American Red Cross, which says it is the second time in its 150-year history that levels have been this low.

Factors including wildfires and extreme heat have combined to create the current situation, Dr Courtney Lawrence, who works with the American Red Cross, told the BBC.

Supplies of every blood type are currently needed, but especially O positive.

Lawrence said hospitals they have spoken to believe the crisis could have some impact on routine operations and some have considered "whether they may need to divert patients to other trauma centres if they cannot keep enough blood on their shelves to be able to support emergencies".

She stressed that a combination of factors led to an existing shortage worsening to crisis level.

High temperatures in the US this summer have meant people are more selective about when they venture outside and some facilities that intended to have blood drives have not been able to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for them, Lawrence said.

[Bewitchingstorm]

If you can donate now would be a good time to think about doing it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74gze89783o

I wish I could, but with my blood disorder, I cannot.