Organ Donors Beware!!

[EvilCat Breath]

My donor LIVER was described by my doctors who performed the surgery as perfect. As I said it came from a 17-year-old who didn't have time to mess it up. Kidneys are a crap shoot because most come from cadaver donors.

When I was enrolled in the program, I had to swear I would not use alcohol or drugs at any time thereafter, despite the fact I never had in the 20+ years before. They tested me for drugs and alcohol at every visit, before and after the transplant for the first year. I went through the screening process that required two full days of hospital testing. They did multiple x-rays including dental work. I had to have lung capacity and bone density tests as well. As I mentioned before, they found partially clogged cardiac arteries and I had 5 stents placed and did 6 months of blood thinners before I could be listed. Then, my liver function was not severe enough to cause my MELD score to be high enough. I underwent paracentesis on an almost itweekly bahis sis to remove fluid buildup in my abdoen, and I also hadf two bouts of hepatic encephalopathy.from me i

My wife's insurance policy from her employment paid for my in treatment and the transplant while I was on COBRA coverage after she retired. When I left that coverage in December 2023, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield had spent approximately $3 million dollars for my medical costs. I am now covered by the VA pf the last year and a half. My head of surgery for my transplant and my VA doctor have collaborated on a significant paper regarding organ donor programs, so I trusted them with my life and they came through!

At Cedars-Sinai some charity program was paying for the entirety of my friend's costs for his liver transplant. An elderly woman from Mexico wheeled in and went to the head of the line for a lung transplant. The same charity picked it up.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

At Cedars-Sinai some charity program was paying for the entirety of my friend's costs for his liver transplant. An elderly woman from Mexico wheeled in and went to the head of the line for a lung transplant. The same charity picked it up.

That doesn't happen, much as you believe it does. UNOS controls all donations.

Want to know the ironic part about my transplant? I think my donor was Mexican and here illegally. I base that on an internet search of his siblings' first names and they had siblings with all of the family names including my donor with the same last name.

 

[hadit]

That was intentional, so they could be sure he would not get preferential treatment. I think you have been hoaxed.

In Cheney's case, I'm sure that's why he did it. Of course, the match is completely agnostic about the people on the list, only going by medical criteria to prioritize it. For his identity to make a difference, it would have had to come into play somewhere else. It's not like he can be bounced from 101st to 50th after the list is generated. Once the list is generated, the process starts at the top of it and informs the transplant doctors one by one that they have a matched organ. Only after the first one rejects it does it go on to the next one. It used to be manual, and yes, someone could be bounced up the list by the staff calling a doctor out of turn, but it's automated now.

No, I don't know who you are talking about and apparently neither do you because you could easily have said who it was. Again, I think you have been hoaxed.

It was Steve Jobs.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

That doesn't happen, much as you believe it does. UNOS controls all donations.

Want to know the ironic part about my transplant? I think my donor was Mexican and here illegally. I base that on an internet search of his siblings'had first names and they had siblings with all of the family names including my donor with the same last name.nic

I was right there. No one "told" me I didn't "read about it on the internet". I was right there because this woman was in the same group as my friend and under the same transplant team. We were on the same appointment schedule. Of course hers was accelerated.

Now if you are trying to make the case that illegals should be parted out. That's a discussion worth having. It's not the same discussion as dissecting people while they are still alive. It's on a level with China.

What's ironic is that New York has a rapid recovery ambulance service. You might think that ambulance is there to save your life. It's not. It's there to carve you up (hope they sedate you first) as soon as possible.



China's methods work so well, we do it here.

 

[justoffal]

WTF? Hey man how about waiting for a flatline or something Geez!!

The truth is internal organs begin to deteriorate very rapidly right at the point of death...
The harvesting surgeons know this and they understand that removing an organ that is still in a live body makes the organ that much more hardy...
It's a massive ethics conundrum.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I was right there. No one "told" me I didn't "read about it on the internet". I was right there because this woman was in the same group as my friend and under the same transplant team. We were on the same appointment schedule. Of course hers was accelerated.

Now if you are trying to make the case that illegals should be parted out. That's a discussion worth having. It's not the same discussion as dissecting people while they are still alive. It's on a level with China.

What's ironic is that New York has a rapid recovery ambulance service. You might think that ambulance is there to save your life. It's not. It's there to carve you up (hope they sedate you first) as soon as possible.



China's methods work so well, we do it here.

That is total and complete bullshit conspiracy theory level work. I'm done with you! You are sick. Seek help!

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

In Cheney's case, I'm sure that's why he did it. Of course, the match is completely agnostic about the people on the list, only going by medical criteria to prioritize it. For his identity to make a difference, it would have had to come into play somewhere else. It's not like he can be bounced from 101st to 50th after the list is generated. Once the list is generated, the process starts at the top of it and informs the transplant doctors one by one that they have a matched organ. Only after the first one rejects it does it go on to the next one. It used to be manual, and yes, someone could be bounced up the list by the staff calling a doctor out of turn, but it's automated now.

It was Steve Jobs.

Did you ever consider he might have had a living donor? Didn't think about that possibility did you? Living donors are possible with livers.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

That is total and complete bullshit conspiracy theory level work. I'm done with you! You are sick. Seek help!

You aren't refuting the link. Nor the link about the numbraer of organs obtained while the donors are still alive.

The take away is organ donors beware, you might be harvested while you are still alive, moving, and without anesthesia.

Organ recipients, congratulations.

 

[d0gbreath]

I'm a donor as part of the Biker's creed.

 

[hadit]

Did you ever consider he might have had a living donor? Didn't think about that possibility did you? Living donors are possible with livers.

He went through UNOS, remember, and registered in all the OPOs? Not illegal, just privileged as most people can't afford to do that and can't be in any part of the US in a few hours. Yes, it's possible to have a living liver donor, if you have one that matches you, is willing to give up part of their liver and go through the pain and risk to their life. IOW, it would most likely have to be someone who cared a tremendous amount for him and was blood related. In that case, he would not have had to fly to Tennessee and live there for a month to recuperate, they would have come to him and done the transplant in a hospital he was familiar with and with doctors he knew.

The chances of finding an altruistic donor that matches on a liver and is a stranger to you are very low.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

He went through UNOS, remember, and registered in all the OPOs? Not illegal, just privileged as most people can't afford to do that and can't be in any part of the US in a few hours. Yes, it's possible to have a living liver donor, if you have one that matches you, is willing to give up part of their liver and go through the pain and risk to their life. IOW, it would most likely have to be someone who cared a tremendous amount for him and was blood related. In that case, he would not have had to fly to Tennessee and live there for a month to recuperate, they would have come to him and done the transplant in a hospital he was familiar with and with doctors he knew.

The chances of finding an altruistic donor that matches on a liver and is a stranger to you are very low.

My brother and son were matches but neither could donate to me even if they wanted to. I had several other people offer, but I would have never considered it.

Luckily, he didn't have insurance issues. I moved to TN and tried to have my surgery done at Vanderbilt, which is an hour away, but my insurance would only pay for it in Kentucky 4 1/2 hours away. The irony was that about 2 months after my transplant, Vanderbilt called to let us know that they would now take our insurance. In Kentucky, I lived in Hampton Inn down the street from the hospital for almost a month, having appointments 2-3 times each week. At Vanderbilt, I could have lived at home. My insurance had to pay my hotel bill also.

 

[Freedomisneverfree]

Not sure how many here are in need of organs.

I received a letter 2 years ago saying African Americans would be preferential and placed at the front of the line. Has anyone else experienced this? I have been waiting almost 7 years for a kidney.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Not sure how many here are in need of organs.

I received a letter 2 years ago saying African Americans would be preferential and placed at the front of the line. Has anyone else experienced this? I have been waiting almost 7 years for a kidney.

Hoax.

 

[Freedomisneverfree]

Hoax.

I have the letter, just have to find it.

 

[Freedomisneverfree]

Hoax.

Apparently not:

In January 2023, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) updated its policy regarding kidney transplant waiting times. This change was made to address potential disadvantages faced by Black kidney transplant candidates due to a previous race-based calculation used to estimate kidney function.
Key points about the policy change:

• Previously, some calculations for estimating kidney function (eGFR) included a race modifier for Black patients, based on outdated assumptions. This could lead to an overestimation of kidney function in some Black patients, potentially delaying their diagnosis of kidney failure and placement on the transplant waitlist.
• The new policy eliminates the use of race in eGFR calculations for transplant candidate listing and requires hospitals to review and adjust the waiting times for Black kidney candidates who were negatively impacted by the previous race-inclusive calculation.
• This change aims to create more equitable access to kidney transplantation. It is estimated that thousands of Black patients have had their waiting times adjusted, which could improve their position on the transplant waitlist.

If you received a letter about your place on the kidney transplant waiting list, it is recommended to discuss it with your healthcare provider or transplant center to understand how this policy change may affect you.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Apparently not:

In January 2023, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) updated its policy regarding kidney transplant waiting times. This change was made to address potential disadvantages faced by Black kidney transplant candidates due to a previous race-based calculation used to estimate kidney function.
Key points about the policy change:

• Previously, some calculations for estimating kidney function (eGFR) included a race modifier for Black patients, based on outdated assumptions. This could lead to an overestimation of kidney function in some Black patients, potentially delaying their diagnosis of kidney failure and placement on the transplant waitlist.
• The new policy eliminates the use of race in eGFR calculations for transplant candidate listing and requires hospitals to review and adjust the waiting times for Black kidney candidates who were negatively impacted by the previous race-inclusive calculation.
• This change aims to create more equitable access to kidney transplantation. It is estimated that thousands of Black patients have had their waiting times adjusted, which could improve their position on the transplant waitlist.

If you received a letter about your place on the kidney transplant waiting list, it is recommended to discuss it with your healthcare provider or transplant center to understand how this policy change may affect you.

That is the exact opposite of what was initially said. That is a medical reason correcting previous racist policies. Nothing wrong with correcting past injustices.