My roommate had a heart - lung, and kidney transplant all before the age of 18...first one was at age of 13

That weirds me out, too.

Let me clarify some misinformation posted here regarding cystic fibrosis and lung transplants.

First, when you are on the transplant list and have CF, you receive two lungs. One wouldn't do anything because the CF would simply jump from the old lung to the new lung and infect the new lung.

Also, when you're "up" for a transplant, because organs are so hard to get, you basically have about ONE YEAR to live if you didn't get the lungs.

Also, the 60% survival rate is for a 5 year life span. And about 80% for the first year.

After that, you could and probably will have complications, like lymphoma, infection, etc.

The good news about lung transplants with CF patients is you are somewhat "cured" of the CF and the bacteria B. cepacia which is a HUGE problem in CF patients, but after 5 years often times you are almost back to square one.

So, what is the odds that makes a person worthy of a transplant? 100% survival rate for a certain number of years? Or maybe 90%, 80% 70%? No one knows how long they have on this earth - even the perfectly healthy. 5 years is a lot of time so someone facing death - ask any cancer patient.

Regardless as to how dismal the odds are, people deserve a chance at life. I agree with honeychile, its scary to think that the extention of your life or the level of care you may receive is dependant upon some statistical parameters.

I guess if life insurance companies can do it, who says health care companies can't. :(

i'm an organ donor. i won't be needing them anymore when i'm dead, so someone might as well put them to good use.

i'm also an organ donor because in Kentucky, Ashley Judd has a poster or a carboard cut out of herself in courthouses and state buildings promoting organ donation. she's so pretty, i was like, "sure, ashley judd."

Thank you, JennRN. Doctors most certainly will not stop trying to save you if you are an organ donor. My mom worked for five years at our state's donor services organization and went to the schools to educate kids on organ donation. She dispelled that myth constantly.

I am an organ donor, but not a tissue donor (eyes, bones, etc). I've known organ donors and organ recipients and I am a firm believer that it's one of the best choices you can make, if you so choose.

Due to my eye problems lately, I might need a cornea transplant. In order for me to have that procedure, someone healthy would have to die and donate his or her corneas. It makes me sad just thinking about that. It is more of a quality of life situation for me rather than something necessary for my life like a lung or liver.

My doctors and I are doing everything to preserve my corneas and avoid a transplant. We won't know for certain how my corneas will fare from all these treatments. They might repair themselves, but it could take until June 2007 to know for sure.

it's not about being in vegetative state.

only when you are brain dead will they harvest. this means that your body cannot function...no heartbeat, no breathing, no nothing. doesn't mean you are just in a coma or have brain damage. terry schiavo was not brain dead, there was severe brain damage that affected her bodily functions (like not being able to eat), but her heart and lungs were working on their own.

there are multiple tests that have to be in order to prove the person is in fact brain dead and multiple doctors have to agree. the organ donation coordinators (i can only think of UNOS at the moment) has every reason to make sure a person has no chance of "coming out of a coma." they have to or they will face stinging criticism from many different sides if they just decided to take organs from someone who just might not make it.

you can check out unos at www.unos.org (united network for organ sharing) for more info.

i'm all about organ donation - talked it over with everybody in my family too! i think it's just selfish not to...

- marissa

bumping this to go along with the blood type thread

I'm not an organ donor. Not sure how I feel about it. Also I don't know if I would be eligible because of my heart surgery.

I just added the organ donor thing when I renewed my driver's license earlier this year.

I am ( or would be or will be) a organ donor.
While still here, I am a platele and blood donor

I should be, but I'm not. My roommate has had a heart, double lung, and kidney transplant.

I am listed on the CA DMV website for being an organ donor. Since I've got my driver's license I have always marked I want to be an organ donor. Also my family knows I wish to be a donor if anything happens. Please speak with your family if you wish to be an organ donor. In some states the family can still override the wishes of someone who has indicated they want to be a donor.

One of my good friends is a recipient of a donor kidney. She got it last year and is doing great.

Phi Sigma Sigma was just a sponsor of the transplant games this past couple of weeks. If you go to the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation website some sisters and members of the Foundation kept a daily blog from the games. Some of the stories about donor families and recipients families just had me crying. I think I may have copied and pasted one of the blogs in to the Phi Sigma Sigma forum on greekchat.

Save a life - be an organ donor. Depending on the organ and your condition you won't need the organs anymore

Carolyn