From 1st december in Wales organ donation will use the opt-out system. This means anyone not wishing to have their organs used can call a spcial number to be taken off the national register. Anyone not opting out will be considered in favour of their organes being used. This is a kind of pilot scheme which will spread to the rest of the UK in time apparently.
The same opt-out system is due to start in France probably from 2017 so that means we are all concerned with this proposed measure.
I am 100% in favour but i'm sure some will consider it improper for religious, ethical or other reasons.
LIs I’ve spent the last several months in France researching my whole health history, since I remembered a disease I had as a baby and had to have an op to remove the infected gland my dad had ame disease at same time, whenever either during my conception before or after birth - and it reoccurred a few years before he died in '98- it was latent! It is also mentioned on his death certificate as being 1 of 3 causes of death!
I’m pleased to say most of my research has come from a variety of reputable American websites - that’s why I say I trust the scientists more than the doctors, especially here! Also why I will opt out not in! I have 3 ongoing health conditions here and all 3 specialists have dismissed my health history! I know real sue what was wrong with my Dad over his last months, and he wouldn’t go to the doctor till I telephoned Scotland spoke to his doctor and had him admitted to hospital - - he died as I was enroute to e airport to fly up there and I now have some of sympptoms and conditions. That is why I tried to moderate what I wrote before!
How I get my specialists and doctor here to at least listen to me I don’t know. My research only started A few months ago, becqusé id forgotten the op when I was a baby and dad died in 1998 when I was apparently healthy and fighting fit before I arrived here or was diagnosed with any of all I have now. I was born 1947!
My initial strange blood test was only 3 years ago, and I’m still battling on to just try and stay Live – not to donate!
...and Shirley your last two lines, where have you got this from?
Surely if you would like to be an organ donor, and know that there are genetic diseases in your nearest family, you would not even consider donating. Also you are asked all sort of questions before being accepted. It works slightly different in the UK vs the US, but certain genetic and very much recent illnesses stops you instantly becoming a donor, even having had a tattoo recently, body piecing, CJD, cancer or in the process of being treated for a severe infection, but that is not rocket science, common sense does apply!
There is so much to read up on as the world is changing as I type this.
'We make a living by what we get, but a life by what we give' Winston Churchill... :)
Brian, knowing what I know now, for those that can’t or won’t donate, I think there should be a detailed post mortem done in all cases of death especially on the organs involved in the endocrine and hepatic systems. There are a lot of latent diseases around as I’m sure you know.
I also wonder if that’s why the NHS is urging people to now sign up with them and start keeping their own health records for conditions and medications prescribed.
There are too many contra indications between a lot of OTC and prescribed meds, not everyone, some doctors included, always reads or complies with. There are 2 of us here using the same 2 doctors where that applied, causing additional problems. We both had at least one identical condition.
… Don’t forget LIs, genetic inheritance and latent diseases could be the reason why some donor organs are rejected by the recipients body. There Are some VERY good reasons why people with the knowledge should opt out!
Doctors don’t know as much as the research scientists and therefore don’t always do the right blood tests, even when pestered to do so!
…now there is potential for Asian flu up this end, so I read yesterday, so no fresh foie gras as they’re culling the ducks, for loads of people this Christmas!
As to organ donation, I also agree with the principle, but don’t think too many of mine would be welcomed eithèr!
Dear old Edwina- she had a tendency to put her foot in it! There was Gummer forcing his children to eat greasy hamburgers at an agricultural show as well.
A nice guy in our village was infected in this way. He was pretty young at the time and had a motorbike accident after which he had a transfusion. An infection of the type you mention resulted. He's never married or had children and I guess there may well be a direct connection.
I thought that was why all around world they changed procedures, and all blood was tested because exactly of what had happened not only in France, but also in the States and many more places...medical science improves itself non-stop and to our benefit, so the technology to test bloods has move on as well...I assume, else it would be completely irresponsible to give blood to anybody!
It is a question of principle based on a bit of mass hysteria vis-à-vis BSE PLUS the fact they had a massive bood donation scandal when lots of haemophiliac people including numerous children got transfusions and blood products which were contaminated with HIV etc, there was a similar scandal with reference to human growth hormone so it is belt & braces now. "Ooh look at us we're so responsible & forward-looking, no dodgy BSE-pie eating British people can give blood so they don't give us all CJD" makes for a good sound-bite.
That is just plain silly, a bit of paranoia on behalf of the French I think! They surely have the technology to identify any blood donor problems, as I am sure they do test blood given from each donor, else that would be dangerous, as we can all develop 'something' as we go through life, and the donor would be told if there was a problem, and then would thereafter not be allowed to donate blood! Just would have thought this is the case? :)
I went through the same blood donor problems. I gave blood here in France from about 1986 to 1995, then was told that because of the BSE scare in the UK, they no longer wanted my blood because I'd lived in the UK until 1985. I even have a letter from the blood donor people confirming that they thought the ruling was ridiculous, but that it didn't change anything. Every time I hear a call for blood donors, I want to line up, but I guess I'm now also too old.
Fantastic thing to do if you can .....my husband received a corneal graft following an accident and now , although he has slightly impaired vision in that eye, without the graft he would have none ! and he was then aged 80 - brilliant ! and very thankful to the donor. Sadly although I am fully in agreement with any of my bits and pieces being used to help others, with my terrible medical record I don't think they would be of any use ...but if anything can be used, it would be good ! I did fill in all the forms for donation of my body to medical research .......but because of my medical history I was told that for students to practice on they only want perfect bodies (don't we all !) and any body which has been subjected to many operations, illnesses, or any disease is not required (the disease bit I can understand, but not sure why the operations > I would have thought, as I said to my doctor, the more difficulty the students have in deciding why the body has had a particulare operation, the better for studying ! but what do I know !
When a close friend died suddenly in her forties (an accident) her family were asked whether her organs could be donated. Her sons were happy for her to help others after her death - she would have insisted upon it and did carry a card - but they drew the line at donation of her face. All her other organs were used, I know she saved at least five lives and restored sight to two people. The final decision involved her family. If it had not, her face might have been used (if only for experimentation) and they would have felt uncomfortable about that in the future. So, I guess, a default opt in will still involve the family in case they are more squeamish than the deceased may have been about individual organs. This may have been the only thing stopping some people from signing a donor card (if they did not also fear contemplating death). Those who feel strongly that they don't want to donate can opt out, and are more likely to take this action than others may have been to use a donor card. As a Brit in France I'm glad I can be of use wherever my clogs pop. Good news, I think.
