Blood & Organ Donation

[SPman]

Organ donor and used to donate blood. Now I'm a bit slack and have a Psychlogical hangup about it (I think) - had a bad reaction to one session!

I dont think the medical services are as bad as that Monty Python sketch about organ donors in "The meaning of Life" - where they came to get the guys liver when he was doing the dishes or something......

[bluninja]

I'm not however an organ donor by choice, I thought cannibalism was illegal anyway. If we are really prepared to extend human lives by using cast off meat, then what's the problem with cross species donation? or GE modified animals that produce 'human' organs? There would be a predictable, available supply, without waiting for people to die.

I have no problem with donating from myself those things that can be replaced, or that I can survive without...though it seems that being a mad cow pom I can't donate blood in NZ.

BTW are you really dead when your body parts are alive and working in other bodies? Do you cease to exist when your bio computer shuts down permanently? If people have souls, at what point does the soul become freed from it's mortal existance? Maybe it's a shot at physical immortality of sorts.

I guess to have a debate you need an opposing view...

TTFN

 

[Sharkey]

I gave blood once. I don't like needles, so it took along time to get the guts, and then half way through the room started spinning, and I began giggling like a 13 year old, and then the nurse pulled the needle out. That was 7 years ago, and I've been too scared to go back. I had accupuncture once, and that almost made me faint. I still feel nausous thinking about it. What a blouse.

I am a parts donor though. So are my folks and sister, so hopefully our wishes should be followed through.

I am a Christian and have no religious problem with the idea giving bits of me away once I'm dead. In terms of bluninja's comments, I believe the spirit is freed from the physical body when God wants it to be so, and if He wants it freed then you're physically dead, and if He doesn't then you're not, and there is nothing much anyone can do about it.

That should put the cat amongst the pigeons.

[bluninja]

Thanks Sharkey....interesting that within some groups calling themselves christians there are those that won't accept blood donations (Jehovahs Witnesses) because of their take on a certain scripture that says it's wrong to drink blood; and the reason that christians historically were buried was because of scripture that said (aproximately) that on judgement day all the dead would rise. Please don't take this as an attack, it's merely an observation to show how religous beliefs can be different within the (nominally) same group.

If one were truly to believe that our death is pre-ordained and there is nothing we can do to alter that time; then medicine, science, blood and organ donation would seem an irrelevence. The time our spirit/soul spends in the physical world is but a moment compared to eternity...what's an extra few days/months/years of physical life against eternity.

I respect anyone's choice to donate (or not). As part of my choice not to donate organs the flipside is that I also choose not to be a recipient. I hope never to be in the position of requiring someone else's body parts (as would most people), but at least I won't be filling space on an ever lengthening queue.

TTFN

 

[Sharkey]

I certainly do not take your comments as an attack. You are dead right that there is lots of interpretation about certain aspects of the bible. BTW, most Christians would say that Jehovahs Witnesses are NOT Christian.

Don't take my comemnts about preordainment as meaning we should be fatalistic and take things lying down. God gave us brains to develop safe and hygenic surgical practices, and the ability to perform transplants. Therefore I don't have a problem using such facilities should the need arise.

[bluninja]

Sharkey, those same brains also produce cloning, nuclear weapons, biological weapons, and GE. Just because things are scientifically possible does not mean that we should accept and use the resulting technology.

I guess I have some hangups with preordination and fatalism. Both to me mean that I do not have a true choice. If my life, choices, and actions are preordained then however I act is according to a script no matter what my perceptions of my reality might be. Poor old Judas Escariot; he got pretty hammered on his pre-ordination.

As a christian you may say that JWs aren't christian, but that is they way they are described in many 'factual' texts available in the public library....their origins being based on a medieval christian movement.

I wonder, if transplants weren't possible...or illegal, would there be more drive and resources put towards finding cures than there is presently. Whilst many people are accepting of organ transplant, at what point are transplants unacceptable? If a brain transplant were possible, would it be ok to donate a whole body?

TTFN

 

[Marmoot]

I wish I have the gut....I hate needles. And, to top it off, I have low blood pressure. I really wish I can donate and face the needle tho'....

And, in respect to give a check mark on donating in license, I'm just afraid the LTSA will mark you up and will lurk around the corner when they need organs, then ram you when you pass by. Of course, as I have said previously....I'm just a paranoid.

And, on the light of religion, here's a Catholic point of view: God knows all do not mean he pre-ordains everything. Hence the word "free-will". Since, the concept of love cannot be forced, and you cannot love someone unless you have the choice to hate as well, then humans are given free-will to choose his own future. It's a whole complex concept (and mumbo-jumbo to some), hence we call it the mystery of faith. In short sentence: human brain is not large enough to understand, the same as a dog will not be able to understand a trigonometric equation no matter how long it tries to learn.
But anyway, I hope that gives some idea on why there is evil and there are humans that choose to do bad (inventing GE, etc) instead of good. It's because it is not preordained. God knows the future, but he will not allow himself to prevent the bad from happening, otherwise the whole concept of freewill would be negated, and so is the concept of love.

Oh, yeah. Jehova's Witness is not a taken as Christian. In fact, they do not believe Christ is God.

Sorry for hijacking the thread a little bit, slim.

P.S.
I have a feeling I will get some flame.....

[Sharkey]

You know, it really is interesting that someone's family has the ability to override a clearly stated intention. If you have ticked the donor box then what right do other people have to override that. In all other respects a dirvers licence is a leagal document.

[Slim]

Sharkey - it's not really, when you consider that it's a spur-of-the-moment tick of a box, without any real psychological or official check that you're in the right state of mind to be making that kind of decision. Especially if you made that decision when you were 15, as I did.

I'm not going to partake in the religious debate, because it all seems illogical to me, but I'm surprised that we haven't had any input from the Maori point of view yet.

[Gixxer]

Originally posted by Slim
any input from the Maori point of view yet.

Sorry slim I have been busy. interesting thread but.

1st thing 1st, I thought Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the son of god not God?

I used to give blood when I was at high school I just got too lazy.

As for donating my organs, yeah all for it, just have not got around to doing anything about it yet, the missus knows I want to donate and I know she will respect my wishes.

had this debate with my family who disagreed with me.told them that if something I have can help some young maori child who is suffering, then they are welcome to it.. might get put in some kid that becomes an all  black, that would be cool.

[wari]

This must be a sign ... I went for a walk and saw the blood donor bus down the road ... and now this thread ... sooo you get coffee and a bikie eh ?

[Slim]

Originally posted by wari
This must be a sign ... I went for a walk and saw the blood donor bus down the road ... and now this thread ... sooo you get coffee and a bikie eh ?

Did I not tell you that I was psychic too???

You can have a cuppa tea, a coffee or orange juice and as many bikkies as you can get down yer gob.

[duckman]

Just out of interest - Can anybody tell me how long blood will last. does it need to be stored under certain conditions i.e. cold, vaccuum. ??

Can you give blood and get it stored for your own use ??

Please don't flame me for being selfish (as I do give blood), but as a rider, and therefore high risk individual, I was wondering about putting some red aside for my own use.

[Sharkey]

Originally posted by Slim
Sharkey - it's not really, when you consider that it's a spur-of-the-moment tick of a box, without any real psychological or official check that you're in the right state of mind to be making that kind of decision. Especially if you made that decision when you were 15, as I did.

Fair point. But it does seem to me that many of us here feel pretty strongly about the issue. And in terms of the psychological issue, are family members who are likely to be slightly incoherent with grief in a better psychological state to make these sorts of decisions?

And Gixxer, Jesus made it pretty clear to the Jews that he was God in the flesh. Believing that fact is basically the crux of Christianity. The trinity is very confusing, and I find the whole concept numbs my brain.

[Coldkiwi]

perhaps the only solid answer on organ donation is to talk about it openly with your family and let them know your wishes... or give someone power of attorney.

I agree with sharkey. Jesus was God's Son but was also God incarnate on earth, and yeah, its a mind bender... leaves the intricacies of the plot in matrix for dead!