The Gift of Life
Don't think of organ
donations as giving up part of yourself to keep a total stranger alive. It's
really a total stranger giving up almost all of themselves to keep part of you
alive.
~Author Unknown
What is the Gift of Life? To some, it is an extreme
sacrifice for a family of a life lost that is laced with terrible grief. To
others, it is an answer to prayer… life at the end of the tunnel…a second
chance. The bittersweet miracle of the Gift of Life is that someone had to die
in order to be a donor and help someone else.
Did you know that there is a difference between Organ donation and
Tissue donation? But right now, if you were asked the question…Would you be a
donor or would your family members want to be a donor? What would your response
be? ”YES… ABSOLUTELY!!!”, “I don’t
know.”, “I’m not sure, maybe?”, ”HELL NO!!!”, “I don’t think so.” “Let me think
about that…”
Whatever your response
is, it doesn’t negate the fact that organ and tissue donation does help people,
it saves lives, and it is the most priceless GIFT there is to give another human being. When the donation is
successful, life is grand for the recipient. The surviving family does get some
satisfaction knowing that they helped someone else and in some ways keeps the
person alive.
James had been
suffering from a major organ failure. The only way he could live would be to
receive an organ transplant. He was dying…and there was absolutely nothing he
could do about it. He was desperate and very sick. Knowing his name was on the list was terrifying for him, yet he remained
hopeful that someday he would get a one last chance, to have a chance at
living. Then he got a call…
Faith had been
working late all week. She just wanted to get home and spend some time with her fiance. With no plans for the weekend, and not wanting any, she was looking
forward to some serious “down time’. She never made it home. Then her parents
got a call…
There are a number
of different scenarios that determine what or how organ & tissue gifts are
given. In Faith’s case, because she was not married, her parents made the
decision to donate her organs and tissue. (You can imagine how difficult this situation is for them) James
received the donation he so desperately needed to sustain his life. Faith
ultimately continued to live on through the life of James. James continued to
live his life, because of Faith.
There is a process
involved on both sides of the donation. Of course there’s paperwork to do,
decisions to be made, emotions to deal with… and just because you say you want
to be a donor, doesn’t mean at the time of your passing you will be. The circumstances of your life at the time of
death will ultimately dictate the results whether a person can or can’t a
person be a donor.
TIME and timing are
of the essence when donations are procured.
Where you die and how long you are deceased when found will also be a
deciding factor as well. Your medical condition, history and social behaviors
are carefully considered. The final decision basically rests with a person’s
individual circumstances.
Organs like the
heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys cannot be given unless you are on life support
and in a hospital setting. Tissues like skin, eyes, cornea, heart valve and
ligaments, can be donated for a limited period of time after your death and are
procured at a funeral home or hospital.
Having a donor heart
symbol on your driver’s license means you are giving your permission to gift or
use your organs/tissue. Again, it does not guarantee the outcome.
You can also change
your mind either way (before your death of course) about being a donor. Change
your license and make sure whatever you
choose, you inform the people in your life that will be notified when you die,
so they know how to respond appropriately.
Funeral home care
centers are where restoration is done. The main objective for the Mortician is
to make the deceased look as natural as possible. So if someone wants a traditional funeral
service where the body is viewed by the public, the public would probably never
know the deceased was a donor. Fulfilling the wishes of someone at their death
if they chose donation in their life, is comforting for the surviving family, and
is also a way to celebrate the deceased’s life.
I write to you today
because you really need to consider the question. Hospitals will ask a person’s
next of kin to make a decision on behalf of the deceased if they have no
previous instructions. That’s a tough deal if no one knows how someone felt
about it. Everyone needs to understand fully what it takes to be a donor, and
what it takes to receive a donation.
There are countless
resources on the internet to educate you about the process. If you have questions about the position your
religion or church has regarding Organ or Tissue donation, please check with
the appropriate clergy to clear up any concerns you may have.
There are no costs
involved for the family of the deceased when a donation has been accepted. I could go on & on…the Gift of Life is so special and so are
the families that choose to give.
I would be remiss if
I didn’t give a huge thank you as well for the fine folks who procure the
donation from the deceased. Because of the time factor they have to get to the
donation very quickly. Sometimes in the middle of the night, jump in their car
or fly to a location to get the tissue so that someone can get better. We don’t
think about them, or at least you never hear of anyone talking about these
soldiers. Without them, the process would not happen.
Be well friend and best to you in the coming year.
PS…Anatomical or
full body donation is another subject all together. Please contact me if you
would like more information on the process and who to contact.
