Organ donation

[Baz]

The funeral thread got me thinking about organ donation.

Is it true when an organ is donated - there is no charge for the organ itself to the recipient? Just the procedure?

Another question.....if the transplanted organ is not donated - how much do they typically run?

How much for a heart?

How much for a kidney?

How much for a [insert organ here] ?

[URY914]

Some organs are sold according to size.

[dennis in se pa]

Good point to bring up. A person donates their organ and the doctor and hospital charges could still run over $100,000. So why can't the family of the deceased get 10-20k? People are getting SUPER RICH off of other people's generosity! Like "Not for Profit" hospitals. Where does the money go? We have a not for profit hospital around my area that charges 2-4 times as much as other hospitals. Where does the money go? Investors? Doctors? I won't go there any more. A good hospital medical service wise, but the billing office SUCKS!

[Racerbvd]

You don't even want to know how they take the skin

[DaveE]

I received a kidney from my daughter. Went in on a Sunday night, released that Thursday. The bill was $96,000.

But I'm alive and very well 4 years later...


My daughter didn't get anything.

[pavulon]

You don't want to know about any of the harvesting. I've seen it first-hand and won't watch anymore. Donating organs would be a tough decision for me on several levels.

[widgeon13]

I don't mind the concept of organ donation but don't like the idea of declaring it on a driver's license. Too much dealing going on today.

[12own911]

I am a donor and if it saves a life then the money does not matter in the end. A life is saved.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by 12own911

I am a donor and if it saves a life then the money does not matter in the end. A life is saved.

Yep, not like I'll be able to spend it, I'll be dead...

[widgeon13]

The question I have is, "Do the doctors work as hard to save someone who is a donor?" It's a fine line. Perhaps I have read too many Robin Cook books but I don't trust them to make the call.

[Baz]

OK as to what happens after you are dead - we are not there yet- so back to the original question - how much do they charge for organs?

Anyone know?

What about donated blood? Do recipients still get charged for something which is donated?

It's not about what happens after you are dead. It's about the whole program and how it works....

How would you feel if you gave your church a clothing donation and they sold it to a needy family when you wanted it to go to them for free. If this is after you are dead - does it still matter to you how it is handled?

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

The question I have is, "Do the doctors work as hard to save someone who is a donor?" It's a fine line. Perhaps I have read too many Robin Cook books but I don't trust them to make the call.

I say they do, as a "Loss" is still a "Loss" and Doctors don't want a bunch of checks in the L column..

[Burkie61]

A seven year-old boy from California, Nicholas Green, was killed by highway robbers in 1994 while vacationing in Italy with his family. His parents agreed to donate his organs and corneas, which went to seven Italians waiting for transplants. Reg and Maggie Green spoke openly to the media, with no bitterness, about their loss and decision. The world took the story--and the Greens--to its heart. Organ donations in Italy have quadrupled since Nicholas was killed so that thousands of people are alive who would have died.

For me and my family (many of whom work in health care), it's a no-brainer. To me, there is no downside.

[pavulon]

As for working as hard to save a potential donor, the answer is yes they do work as hard to save them...most anonnymous donors are victims of tragic situations. People working the ICUs understand that anyone could be in a tragic situation...nobody is immune so all imagine themselves in the same situation.

I'm thankful people donate. I worry about many of the recipients.

[Geronimo '74]

I doubt I have any organs suitable for donating... The recipient might be worse off than before...

[svandamme]

If money is charged for it, it will cause corruption. Fact.

Corruption in terms of organs means they will kill people for it.
Prisoners, convicts, homeless, children , family.

You can say a lot about mankind, but the basic fact is we're animals.
And If there is money to be made at the expense of somebody else, then that money WILL be made.

Hell, some will steal babies by cutting them out of the womb of their still living mothers.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by pavulon

You don't want to know about any of the harvesting. I've seen it first-hand and won't watch anymore. Donating organs would be a tough decision for me on several levels.

I flew medivac for years and 70% of it was transplant missions, usually heart, lung or liver. My wife was on the transplant team and one of the people who harvested the organs. Sad thing was that pretty often (this was in Germany) they would return to the jet in 30-45 minutes (normal was several hours) with no organ. Reason? They would open the chest of the patient and could tell within minutes that the person smoked cigarettes and they will not take ANY organ from smokers. Worse thing was that two people on the transplant team were also smokers... my ex-wife included.

The fun part of this was watching a heart transplant in person. Did this one night/morning with my wife on one side and good friend (head doctor) on the other. Was standing within inches of the patient for several hours while they removed the old organ and replaced it with the new one. Very few things in life compare to seeing this in person...

BTW, before anyone asks, have been a "organ donor" for years. Simply cannot see any reason not to do this. After I pass I have no need for them and it would save so many lives...

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by pavulon

As for working as hard to save a potential donor, the answer is yes they do work as hard to save them...most anonnymous donors are victims of tragic situations. People working the ICUs understand that anyone could be in a tragic situation...nobody is immune so all imagine themselves in the same situation.

I'm thankful people donate. I worry about many of the recipients.

We found that the majority of the donors were motorcycle riders. Their wearing a helmet would keep them alive yet in many cases brain dead, so they were not going to ever get any better. Once taken off of the machines they had passed within minutes and then was when the organs were harvested.

Had to laugh. In my previous post I mentioned being in the OR watching a heart transplant. My copilot who was also there asked the head doctor where they got most of the donor organs. The doctor casually said "oh they are motorcycle riders." Miles turned white and you could really see it under his scrubs and mask and the doctor asked why? Miles then replied "well, the captain and myself just rode our motorcycles to the airport to do this transplant mission!" The doctor camly replied while stitching up the organ "we will be seeing you then!"

[BRPORSCHE]

Why did I read this as Orgasm donating?

[Joe Bob]

I like organs, it's accordians that need to be donated.....