This morning I've been wondering what to write about. The weather is clearing so I can't complain about the rain, the traffic was fine so that's off the list. I could whine about not having sex since since last week but then my fellow-bloggers would call me on that BS and tell me to be grateful for that, and since I'm still getting over what ever knocked me out last weekend, I've not been in the mood to write anything particularly sexy.
But then I opened my daily e-mail from the NY Times and found a topic that is always near and dear to my heart and a bit more serious than most posts. This isn't going to be long, but I wanted to put out a reminder to all of you, anyone who reads this, about the importance about registering as an organ donor.
Unless you have existing health issues that prevent you from safely donating I would ask, beg, plead, coerce, cajole, entice, what ever it takes, to register.
Here are the quick statistics:
- More than 100,000 men, women and children currently need life-saving organ transplants.
- Every 10 minutes another name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list.
- An average of 18 people die each day from the lack of available organs for transplant.
- In 2009, there were 8,021 deceased organ donors and 6,610 living organ donors resulting in 28,465 organ transplants.
- Last year, more than 42,000 grafts were made available for transplant by eye banks within the United States.
- 90% of Americans say they support donation,
but only 30% know the essential steps to take to be a donor.
- DonateLife.net
- OrganDonor.gov (US Govt. Health and Human Services)
- HowStuffWorks (an interesting article with statistics)
- The list (live statistics on how many people are waiting...
- Religious views on organ donation
After I'm dead I won't need a body I figure. If my pastor is right I'll get a new one, hopefully one that will be just a little taller. If he's wrong, well, then none of us need one.
Please, take a few minutes over the next week to look into registering for yourself. In the mean time, I'm donating platelets this afternoon. But that's just for me, I get free cookies and juice and get to watch a movie. :-)
Here is the video from the NY TIMES that sparked this little post.
Wife meets the recipients of husband's donation
Back to the fun tomorrow with Flash Fiction Friday!!
10 comments:
I love coming in here... you never know what you'll find, but it's always something of interest and often something that inspires me to at least try to be a better person/friend/lover/wife etc. (Already signed up as a donor though :)
Thanks for highlighting such an important issue! I've always felt it should be an opt-out rather than an opt-in issue as it would save so many more lives. But I know that's a controversial issue so I will leave it at that.
I feel the same way about organ donation that I do about adoption: why is there such a stigma attached to it? It's definitely a good thing. I wish I could bring myself to give blood, but I'm really, really terrified of it. I only get shots when I absolutely have to. Needles just freak me the fuck out. If blood banks would just offer nitrous before donation, I'd probably give blood every week; the last time I had an IV, I had nitrous beforehand and I was totally blissed out, didn't mind a thing in my arm at all.
The things people will do for a couple hours of downtime.......
But seriously - I've always been signed up to register and now so is my son.
OK i'll give up my body and leave it for experimentation BUT if some fucking med student cuts off my dick to play a practical joke.... i'm coming back to haunt the arse hole that doesn't laugh
I believe in this too~
I think it is worthwhile and if you can do this, then register (I already am).
Thanks for the reminder~
Johanna - I inspire you? Heaven forbid. I will return at once to my dissipated and desultory ways. (But Thanks)
Holly - I'm torn with the opt-out requirements because I don't trust the govt. to do anything right. They might give my eyes to a virgin and then we'd have all sorts of trouble on our hands.
Naughty - I'll ask for nitrous the next time I go and and we'll see if we can work something out for you. What if they gave you your cookie before? Would that distract you enough? I get to watch a movie while I donate and I know a lot of people put on the headphones real loud and watch the show while the needle goes in...
Foxy - I'll do almost anything for a little downtime. Thanks for getting your son on the list.
DoG - Great answer. As long as we get the laugh, everything is OK
Heaven - Thanks.
It's nice to know that so many of us dirty minded folks are donating various body parts to science and to others. Now, if we can just perfect brain transplants then we can live forever and take over the world!!!
already a donor..a fanastic post!!
Thank you for bringing this topic up ... very important. I too read the times article ... can't live without my daily NY Times fix!
And, yes I am a proud donor.
TSW and WR - THANKS for already being on the team!
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