Organ donation - 2 questions

Same here in France, Juragran, but I am too old for blood donation anyway. I am not sure yet what the situation will be in New Zealand.

I am not allowed to be either an organ donor, or a blood donor, here in Switzerland. Because of CJD in the UK when I lived here in the 80s and 90s.
But I am still an organ donor in the UK.

Can you still be an organ donor if you have been treated for cancer? I was most upset to be rejected as a blood donor after my cancer treatment about 20 years ago. I had been a donor for many years and suddenly they didn't want any more of mine

Indeed, wonderful.

sook - what an inspiring story. Your son must be a very special person.

All prospective organ recipients have to be on the UK transplant list. Fitness is monitored my DH was suspended from the list several times because of health issues. After 5 years he was told he had only a 14% chance of receiving a suitable kidney. He was absolutely devastated and became very depressed this was when our son stepped in. Even then the process took nearly 2 years due again to other health issues and poor co ordination with the transplant team.

Both DH and DS were interviewed by a psychiatrist regarding DS willingness to donate his kidney, how both might cope if the transplant was unsuccessful. Family photographs had to be produced if he needed convincing after seeing them I would have been amazed as the love they share as father and son shines out.

Just prior to the transplant DS was given 2 options should his kidney after it had been removed prove to be unsuitable for his Dad. 1) He could give permission for it to go to another suitable recipient or 2) It could be binned. Yes binned! I remember him being very upset at that.

Everyone has the right to their own opinion I would just say that mine is be very grateful that you don't need a transplant For there but for the grace of god go you and I".

JessM Oh dear. How have I shocked you now? I thought I was just being a) logical about moral judgements in a clinical situation and b) the usual stroppy.

absent

That must be an awful disappointment when that happens jeni.

granjura Considerations about liver transplants and heavy drinkers, for example, are appropriate because the latter affects the efficacy of the former. Moral judgements about people should never be the preserve of doctors.

I am quite happy to donate any bits of me that might possibly be useful to someone but I can't help feeling that my body is more like a mausoleum than a temple. I just object to being pressured by self-righteous prigs in government. I am pretty sure I would have given up smoking two or three years ago if I hadn't felt bullied about it.

Too much should be

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My thoughts exactly jeni

Doesn't that preserve them?

Nana - no good if they are 'pickled' lol

Happy for all my bits to be recycled

If you are 'elderly' ie us! They will only give you a kidney from a doner of the same age! Or did!

absent - the will to survive, the will to fight for getting better (exercise, etc), the will to give up alcohol and smoking (remember George Best and how a liver was totally wasted on him and could have gone to somebody else) - etc, are just as important factors as a good match. So is the age of the patient, if they have children, etc. It is naive to think that these factors are not taken into account.

And age should be part of this too. I would NOT want to benefit from an organ knowing that another person did not, who had a life in front of them and children to see growing up. Surely?

They call 3people in to prep them for each kidney while they decide which is the best match. If someone is more at risk without it than the others then that person gets it. At least that was how they did it when my DH was waiting for one.
I should imagine the hypothetical situation outlined would hardly ever if ever happen.
I remember one occasion when oh was called in for a possible transplant the kidney from Glasgow didn't xmatch with anyone called in. The rumour went round the nearest match was with a bottle of malt. It was St. Andrews night!

Seriously though, it is very stressful to be called in, prepped and wait for up to 10hours only to be sent home at the end. Luckily this only happened twice to us. It was third time lucky.

I agree, absent.

I don't think it should be up to a doctor/psychologist to decide if someone is "right" for a transplant, apart from clinical need and a biological match.

There is a huge shortage of donor organs out there, and people are dying, day in, day out - because of this.

A difficult issue and decision, I know. But if both have the same chances of survival, the same family and psychological profile - the same everything.
How do doctors decide?

I made the point as i think it would be a deciding factor in more people putting themselves on the register, and talking to their relatives about their wishes. My OH and children (adults) know that I want them to VOLUNTEER immediately to the medical staff- so no time is wasted which would put a safe transplantation at risk.

I just don't get it, that some people would be happy for themselves or their loved ones to receive an organ from a donor, and not see the essential need for organs, and therefore not volunteer by carrying the card and ask relatives to volunteer.

Yes to 1

No to 2

I agree - I have no answers!

No! How would you do it? There probably isn't any right way.