Ok, folks, this may not be Marriage Builder material, but is just as important, and even more important to me.

I want to call out to all of you good, morally decent, God loving people to please think about organ donation. Too many people in this country do NOT give this very important issue enough thought.

Today, at approximately 10:00 am, my team and I had to declare a 16 year old girl legally brain dead from a major motor vehicular crash she was in last night. She essentially was dead on arrival last night, but my staff was able to revive her and get her to the OR to put a drain in her head to relieve all of the cerbebral pressure and swelling she had. This last sitch effort did NOT in the end save her life, but it did save lives.

Needless to say her family and friends (all 40 of them at the hospital) were completely and utterly devestated. To express to you all of the shear and utter pain that this family was in would be impossible for me to describe to you. Many of you , sadly know pain that may be on this level.

This family, despite their complete and utter devestation gave the greatest gift any of us can ever give....LIFE. Because of their compassion and love for life, they donated their beautiful girls organs.

As we speak, there is a 18 year old girl many states away who was on deaths door this morning (with end stage congenital heart disease) who is about to go to the operating room and be given a "new life" with this heart. There is a 50 year old man (father of 4) who waits at home with End Stage Liver disease (rotting away) who was called in and told to get to the hospital ASAP...he needs to start his new life with his new liver. You see, with such trajedy...there can be joy.

I am asking many of you who can, to please consider this issue. Please talk to your spouse or family and let them know that in the event that this would happen to you, that you would want to give someone else life. Please update your Drivers licenses to reflect this.

I cannot tell you how profoundly sad and happy I was today. I am usually pretty immune to this stuff, but occasssionaly, the walls come down and the "feelings" come in...Right now, I am just hoping to get even one of you to consider this issue and decide that this is something that you want to do. If that happens, this "OT" post was a gem and a lifesaver.

Thanks for listening.

Lem <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

OMG, those poor parents. May God help them.

Okay I'll think about that...since I am going into surgery this month...as much blood as I have lost already (I can't believe I have any left), so I'm not sure I'll make it sometimes. Dr. called me today to come in earlier.

So I will definitely consider this Lem.

Lady

It's on my driver's license that I wish to be an organ donor. I can only hope if something catastrophic happened to someone in my family, I would have the strength and foresight to offer to other people what they no longer need.

This is uncharacteristically nice of you LM....j/k

My previous reply to you must have gone away.

I am with you 100% on this. I have made my wishes for organ donation made know clearly verbally as well as in written form. I have also had my older boys (19 and 21) fill out the back of their driver's license for this.

What a bitter sweet night this must be for you.

Take care. God Bless and keep informing people.

had it on my dl for years too. (as has my wife)

Thank you all for this consideration and for those of you who have already reflected this in your wishes and on your DL.

Lem

You know, Lem, underneath all that sourness, you are one heck of guy!

Sounds like you've had a very difficult day - big hugs to you.

BB

BB:

Thanks, but my sadness and emotional lability today pales in comparison to what we witnessed today. I feel guilty even feelign "sad", as if I have no right.

I love my job, and I thank God often for giving me the support and ability to do this for a living...I know it sounds cliche, but I would still do this job even if I was independently wealthy.

Today is one of those days, where you are "awed" by Life, and by the human spirit. I can't afford to "feel" this way often, but somedays, you have to "feel".

I had a good cry in my office today. I needed it, "she" needed it, the "family" needed it.

Lem

My Provincial Health Care card is all filled out that I want any organs that can be donated to be donated.

I used to give blood all the time as well, until after my second child, I fight anemia all the time, and my doc told me I shouldn't give blood anymore since it seems to be an ongoing thing i keep fighting (can't figure out what causes it in me yet).

I don't know why some people wont donate organs when they die - they don't need em anymore...

Lem,

....and YOU needed it.

Your words moved me because I could NEVER do what you do. I would crumble. It takes a special person. BUT, you are right...sometimes you do have to feel it in order to truly appreciate how valuable each moment we have truly is...and each moment we have with those we love, as well.

My hat is off to you sir. (Boy, I bet you don't have lawyers tell you that very often, huh?)

BB

LOL.....well to tell you the truth...NO, not really. I have been named in a lawsuit 6 times in my life...and thankfully, each and every time I have been dropped.... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Lem

Hey Lem,

You know, I've always thought you medical guys should find a way to harvest organs from death penalty cases - I realize its not possible because of the lethal drugs, but heck, they're going anyway....

BB

Well, BB....there are a few Wayward Spouses who I would like to harvest organs from....but I guess, the organs also would be of questionable value.... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Lem

ROFLMAO!

Reminds me of the ad I saw in a magazine - "If you haven't told your family you are an organ donor, you aren't".

I have the thing on my license, and have discussed it with my family. My organs are kind of old, but so far they work fine. Anything that is left goes to someone who can use it.

(((((((((((((((((((((((Lemonman))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Bless you for all you do.

I've been an organ donor since I was 18.

I was also a blood donor until I was diagnosed with Crohns last year. Now I am no longer able to donate <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> (I'm in the UK - it may be different in the US).

Is it the same for organs, I wonder? Never thought of this before. Does the disease make my organs unsuitable? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Alph.

lemonman,

Thanks for sharing that. I hope that the family can also find some comfort in knowing that that that tender young 16 year old didn't die for absolutely nothing, that not only will her memory live with them forever, but that she has also given the precious gift of life to complete strangers.

I am an organ donor and my family knows it.

LM,

Been an organ donor for 22 years, however, I must be getting on the old side for this, hopefully, something works correctly at my old age. LOL. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Perhaps my next move is to donate my carcass to science. Yikes!!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />LOL.

Everyone should be an organ donor. Why would we care? All of us should be in a better place when we pass. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Love in Christ,
Miss M

Lemonman - this is so pertinent to my family. My very WH who I think has now reached rock bottom, has had the op to prepare him for kidney dialysis. He's 44 with end-stage renal failure and is a mess. I PRAY that he will get the gift of an organ donation. For all the distress and misery he has given me the past few years, I know he is scared and sick.

What an incredible job you do. TT