The Decision

I had no trouble making the decision to be an organ donor.  I automatically chose to donate my son's organs when he died.  He was very tiny, and only his heart valves were useful, but I was happy to have someone's life improved from this small gift.  It didn't feel like a sacrifice to me--nothing would bring my baby back.  It was no further sacrifice to allow someone else to live.

Once I'm dead, I won't need my organs anymore.  If there is someone who can use them to prolong or increase quality of life, they should have the leftover meat of my body.  Heart, corneas, lungs, liver--anything that can bless another life should be used to promote health.

 However, there is very little chance I will die in an accident.  I don't live a risky life, I don't drive dangerously (usually) or participate in risky sports or activities.  Because of family history, there is a more than good chance that I will die at a very old age of cancer or heart attack.  In either event, my organs would not be suitable for donation. 

Today, I have a pretty boring medical profile.  Some depression well-controlled by medication, the occasional headache, and an aching knee joint.  I also have an extra kidney.  My kidney function has never been threatened, so my guess is that they are pretty healthy, and are likely to last a long, long time performing their intended function. 

If I am truly serious about donating organs to help someone else, I should do so while my organs are healthy.  That means I would have to be a living donor.  I don't know anyone now who needs an organ donation, but if I did, I would certainly hope to help that person.  Just because I don't know anyone who needs an organ doesn't take away my desire to give.  All people deserve to live, all deserve life at the highest quality possible.  Life tied to a dialysis machine, sick and weak, waiting for someone to die whose kidney would be an appropriate match, is not a high quality of life.  I want to help if I can.