Understanding Organ Donation

I signed up as a organ donor some years back..it's one of those things that I decided to do ..just for the sake of doing :P After all it's just a pledge...it's not like I'm going to die in the next day or so.  However, about one in two people that I've spoken to about this matter have not or have not decided to sign up.  Somehow there is a mental barrier ..in a way.

Why?  Come on..we won't feel a thing when we are dead.  Well..it's kind of scary to imagine that we will be a kidney-less or lung-less ghost :D  I'm guilty too..cos I refused to pledge my bones, skin or eyes...as I didn't want my corpse to be without eye balls, skin or...bone-less.

lol.  ok..I was an idiot.  It doesn't work that way. 

The surgery will be done in the operating theatre just like live patient and will be treated with respect. Only the surgery scar will be visible. All surgery cut will be sewn carefully and perfectly.

Cotton balls will be placed in the eye brackets (for eye / cornea doantion I suppose) and it will be sewn just like a normal eye surgery.

For bone donation, a fake bone will be replaced in return of the donated bone so there will be no physical deformation can be seen.

Procurement process is to be done in three to eight hours depending on the numbers of tissue and organ that need to be removed form the donor. After the procurement process is complete, the corpse will be return in its best condition possible to the family at the hospital’s mortuary.

Ahem..I could have call them now..to change my pledge..but ..I ...still have some reservations.  Ok..I just made the call! And requested to change my registration data to state that I'm willing todonate all my organs and tissues.  So..my 'future' corpse will be :

kidney-less

heart-less

liver-less

lungs-less

eyes-less

bones-less

skin-less

I'm being silly again.  It's not that simple.  It's not as simple as simply transferring all organs to the respective recipients. 

Only an organ that is functioning properly and is free from cancer, HIV positive, syphilis, Hepatitis B and C is eligible for organ transplant. Because of that, numerous tests will be conducted to both the donor and the patient just to make sure that the organ is working properly and compatible with the patient before it is being transplanted.

Secondly it depends on how one ...dies.  For instance, just an example..if I were to have a major car accident..has a massive head injury..and ..is officially declared Brain Dead...most of my organs are eligible for for 'harvesting' provided they are all healthy and in good condition. .

Brain dead patients do not have any response and cannot breathe on their own. The heart beats because the ventilator is pushing in the oxygen. Before time the patient is relying on the ventilation and medication to supply blood to all the organs, which will later fail, and in the end even with assistance, the heart will eventually stop.

In other words, why waste? The organs will fail sooner or later. 


What about other death causes? Read on.
For those who died a natural death, only tissue can be donated like the eye corneas, heart valve, bone and skin.  Those who died the naturally at home can only donate eye’s cornea.

It's complicated, I know.  I've been mulling over this post for a few days..trying to undertand all the information.  FYI, most facts here were taken from www.agiftoflife.gov.my/eng/


Here are some statistics from the same site as of 1st March 2010:

Registered Organ Donor = 139,193 people

Only 283 organ donation cases recorded

From the number, 20 cases include donation of multiple organs and tissues.
1340 successful kidney transplant cases (Living donation & Cadaveric) in 2009.
≥10,000 patients is currently in the waiting list for a kidney transplant.
7 patients are still waiting for heart transplant while 12 patients for lung transplant.


So..it's Not a matter of how many had signed up.  I've signed up..but I'm not dead yet. So as the other 139,192 people who had also signed up.   But signing up is the first step.  It's about giving Hope.  It's about increasing the Chances. 

Now I sound as if I'm hoping for all donors to die very soon.  That's not what I meant!   You people are intelligent enough to understand the logic right??

Obtain a form to Sign Up as an Organ Donor HERE
A donor card will be sent to you and you are required to fill in and sign the card. This card must be kept together with your Identification Card (I/C) at all time. - so that if something happens to us..medical officers are aware that we are potential organ donors.


MOST IMPORTANTLY:
Tell your family about your decision to be a registered pledger so that your wish of donating your organ will be fulfilled. This will also make it easier for your family to allow your organ to be donated when and if the time comes. I've not done so...not sure how my father will react..my big brother who reads this space..should know though. right big bro?  I shall leave this mater in your good hands..in the event if I die before any of you ; P