My friend and mentor, Simple Country Physicist, has hit the nail on the head in his recent post, Memory Taxidermy, I believe. Organ donation is a very personal matter and perception of how and what it involves greatly influences your decision.
Before we (and being the recipient or the donor involves and affects the entire family) went through the liver transplant procedure, I never really gave it more than a passing thought, which was pretty much: I won't need that stuff any longer, if I have anything that can help someone else, let them have it. I checked the box on my driver's license, put it in my living will, told my husband, and didn't think about it any more.
The transplant process has me looking at things in a whole new light. Some of it, from an insurance perspective, is negative. See previous blog entry for more on that subject
Most of it, from a personal perspective, is extremely positive and makes me want to help spread the word.
The doctors, nurses, everyone on the transplant team, care as much for the donor families as they do for the recipient families. Everyone is treated with respect. The transplant center we went to encourages the recipients to write a letter to the donor family expressing their thanks and letting them know how their unselfishness has affected the recipient and his/her family. I sat down to write that letter and it was one of the hardest things in the world I've ever tried to write.
One of our daughters pretty much summed up everything at Christmas. Trying to decide what to get us for Christmas, she asked, "what in the world do you get someone who has received the best gift possible - a new life"? I took that thought and expounded on it; hopefully the donor family will understand how we feel and in turn, maybe help with their grief.
My thoughts have changed in context a bit:
When it is my time to go, then I truly hope that my organs can help someone else to live or have a better quality of life. It is no longer just a check box on the driver's license application.
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