Give the Gift of Life: Become an Organ Donor
I first realized how momentous it was that my friend John (who comments occasionally as "Gunner") would have a lung transplant when he called me on a Friday evening to tell me he had gotten the call from the hospital. Here he was, I thought, utterly dependent on oxygen, unable to walk more than 25 feet without a rest. He’d go into the hospital, get put to sleep, and–if all went well–wake up with the ability to breathe. It all went really well for John; within weeks he was back at home, healthier than he had been since I met him in 2004.
I wanted to give John an opportunity to tell his story. I thought it might encourage any of you who have considered becoming an organ donor. You could save the life of someone like John.
The Gift of Life provides some details about the pressing need for donors:
- 98,000 men, women, and children are awaiting a life-saving transplant.
- 103 people in one 24 hour period or 37,595 every year are added to the national waiting list— that’s one person every 13 minutes.
- 17 people per day or 6,205 per year die due to a lack of available organs for transplant.
The process to become a donor is fairly simple. In MI, for example, you can sign up at the MI organ donor registry. In VA, you can sign up at the VA DMV website or Save7Lives. In NY you sign up with the Department of Health. And you should always talk with your family so they know you want to be an organ donor.
Find out how to become an organ donor in your state.
John will try to join the comments in case you’ve got questions for him.
I’m pledged to be an organ donor and proud of it.
Thank you Elloitt and everyone else that is a donor or is planning on signing up
Thanks to both Gunner and Marci for bringing this important subject to the front. How wonderful for you Gunner and you certainly look healthy! My
husband had a liver transplant in April of 2000 and it will be nine years
and we are so thankful. His liver was being destroyed by a blood disorder
called Hemachromatosis which is a Celtic Disease and also called the Bronze
Disease as the skin darkens in color from too much iron. The initial remedy is to have phylobotomies (blood letting) to remove the iron. Over time, it just wear our the organ. He was on a list for many years until the point that his health was really declining. With the liver’s, the doctors have you on a point system and will not consider you ready for one until you reach that level. All in all, he waited from the decline almost a year and he was really in pretty bad shape. Finally on the 14th of April at 10 a.m. on a beautiful sunny morning, the phone rang and the fellow from the hospital called and said…how long will it take you to reach Boston and he told me they had a liver for him….I laughed and said…how’s 20 minutes?? He said…great…but don’t rush, we don’t want you both in an accident and notify your family first…we have time!! So, I called my son and daughter to tell them and meanwhile I had been babysitting my 10 month old first grandson and I had to call the other grandmother to meet me to take Brett so we could head to Boston. Finally after about a half hour we were on our way. The operation was begun during the late afternoon and we went home and at 4:30 a.m.the surgeon called and said he did very well and to come in to see him later in the day.
He had a relatively easy recovery and thankfully never had any type of
rejection. We do not know who the donor was except that he was a 43
year old man who died in some type of accident. My husband decided he
didn’t want to contact the family…he just felt very funny about it…
so I had the transplant team send them a note of thanks and expressed how
grateful we were for their donation and we would remember them and their
loved one in our prayers until the day we die.
Like you Gunner, Hubby is very healthy today and now retired from teaching.
We are living a good life now enjoying our “three now” grandsons and enjoying every minute we can get with them. They are keeping us both young
with trying to keep up with them in their sports lives…but we love it!
All of you that have signed up to be donors…thank you. Now for some of
the transplants, live donors can be used and most of them are very successful. We happen to live in the area where the teaching hospitals
are many and all of them are up on pushing for donors and they are doing very well.
Best of luck to you again Gunner…may you live a long and healthy life!!
Thank you Great story I’m happy for you
I want to thank Marcy for doing this post for me and gift of life. this is a big thing for me
I’m already a donor, have been since they offered the option on Ohio drivers licenses a couple decades ago.
Boxturtle (I hope the person who gets the skin off my back likes fur)
Well. Hello there. Wonderful video.
Remember to use all that new hot air to cheer for Ferrari!!
No problem there!Go Kimi
Nuh uh.
John’s our best local phone-banker–in 2004 he must have called 10,000 people.
He couldn’t phone bank in 2006 (much) or 2008 (at all).
I’m anticipating him out there again, on the phones.
Oh, and hi to all from NC!
Hey EW are you and the MR having a good time? and thanks again for this.
Nuh uh right back at ya. However, there is one potential candidate in Mich-again that teh Ferrari cognoscenti could free him up for….
I envision him working for my aunt (heh), so it’s all in the family.
Great post EW — how’s NC?
What a cool story – I have seen the name ‘Gunner’ in these parts…
In California, they used to use a sticker attached to the back of your drivers license to identify you as a donor. Now it’s printed on the ID itself, right there with your photo and everything else.
I’m one too.
Me too! You don’t get a license in CA without designating whether you’re a doner or not. Yay, John! Thanks, Marcy. We’ll never know when we’ll need a donor, will we?
As a cancer survivor, they don’t want my organs (or my blood, for that matter). So I figure it’s the least I can do to offer up the real estate so John can tell his story.
You can do what my mother did. Donate your body to a medical school to be used in their anatomy course.
I never thought of that. What do you have to do?
My father donated his brain (he died of brain cancer) for research.
I don’t know, as it was my brother who arranged it for my mother. But I’d guess you just call up the nearest medical school and ask.
Not to mention the extraterrestrial thing……
I didn’t know that somehow. I knew our Jane is a survivor. Charge on!
Here in CAlifornia, one can have ‘organ donor’ indicated on one’s drivers license(which I’ve done and encourage others to do the same).
Wow thanks for your courage Gunner, good to hear your story. Wishing you robust good health and happiness.
I am an organ donor, not only because we had a cousin who was on a transplant list once, but because it can do so much good. Not sure about other states, but in Virginia its really easy to sign up, just check off the box when you get your drivers license.
no problem, when Marcy came up with the idea I was fired up and kinda keep bugging about it.
bugging her about it
Gunner, why was the lung transplant needed if that’s not too personal a question to ask.
I had severe emphysema
Your description of gathering a support team was really moving. Interesting that the hospital wouldn’t proceed without you having a team and a plan at the ready.
U of M is really picky about that they want to make sure you get your med schedule down you take about 27 pills a day
Spread the word: Digg is open
Congratulations! I wish you well, Gunner.
and this is a great way to encourage people to sign up for donor cards, thanks for telling your story.
FL driver’s licenses have a notation on them if you’re an organ donor. I am. Also listed at the VA as a donor.
Gunner, just watched the video where you answered the question; yeah, I’ve a friend who is a roofing contractor and that hot tar is nasty stuff.
No doubt!
What Elliott said.
Illinois is another state with the driver’s license option.
Do HMOs and the like collect such info from their clients? It occurs to me that I don’t think mine asked the question on any of the reams of questionnaires they’ve had me fill out, even to verify a DL option.
This is a wonderful post. Thanks EW. CA made it easy to become an organ donor many moons ago. I’ve been one since its DMV program began (and now I’ve reached the age I’m not sure I have any usable parts!) Best wishes to you, Gunner.
(And, on a related note, let’s remember that while we may, some day, donate an organ, every 8 weeks most of us can donate blood, another life-saver.)
Thank you
i’ve been a donor for a long time, and the heart-shaped icon was on drivers licenses (too lazy to move ti see if still is). I swear, every time i was stopped for speeding, the copper let me go after seeing that.
Now, whether they were hoping for an organ soon…………..
I bet cops see too many fatal car accidents for them not to realize how organ donation can get some kind of benefit out of a terrible tragedy.
ayup, tis true. there has to be some good to come out of the bad – and organ donation is the best good that can come from tragedy.
i’ve got a donor sticker as do both my girls and both know that, if anything were to happen to me, that anything and everything that can be donated is to be donated.
i lost a niece when she was 11 months old due to an automobile collision – because of her death, 4 children live with her heart and lungs, kidneys and liver. maddy may be gone but i am comforted by the thoughts of those 4 children living with a piece of maddy giving them the gift of life.
Sorry about your niece who can never be replaced, Suz. But the outcome was the best.
If this isnt too terrible a question, did they tell you anything about the donor?
No the only thing I know is he died in U of M hospital
I leave John to explain what little he knows–now.
But one thing the gift of life does is encourage people–after some time–to write the family. I went with John to his support group the day they talked about how to do so and what happens. Some of the people who had heard back from their donor’s family had developed a relationship with them. A lot of the families really care, it seems like, to see that the recipient’s life is doing well, as a result of the donor organ.
But that whole process takes some time. I think they recommend you wait a year to even make the first contact–to give the family time to grieve.
That makes sense, to wait a year.
I volunteered at gift of life today and met a lady that lost her son and husband they were both donors and she said she would like to meet the recipient but never even got a letter and the say know you don’t have to wait a year
Oh, they do? You getting ready to write that big thank you note?
Yeah, would you mind helping?
[…passing the kleenex around as we all start crying…]
That’s pretty cool that you are volunteering at GoL – I imagine you are of tremendous help and reassurance to people at many different stages of the process.
Gunner, nice to meet you. I’m a hugger when I hear stories like this. (((gunner)))
cool
If yer still here I left ya one downstairs.
(((marcy)))
You can sign up when you renew your drivers license here in Illinois. I’ve been on the list for perhaps the last 20 years. Registering seemed like a no-brainer to me, can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t do it.
Gunner! It’s great to see you here — I’ve missed you on the threads…
I’ve been signed up as an organ donor for years. Your interview with Marcy reminds me why it’s such a good thing to do.
May God bless you with many happy years of golfing and fishing!
Stop tears are coming
Ah no, no tears now — I have a big smile on my face : ) It’s really good to see you, a whole video and everything!
I am curious though (being kind of a geek) — you mentioned taking 27 pills, is that a permanent state of affairs or do you drop some of them over time? Do you ever get to a point where there is no longer a risk of rejection?
No that number is not permanent is goes up and down a lot they test my blood every two weeks and tell me what to change but i will be on the anti rejection drugs the rest of my life
Well, I hope you get down to as few drugs as possible and that those anti-rejection pills keep things humming along nicely for a long long time : )
I don’t speed anymore – i drive a tinny little car and want to keep gas consumption down.
Gunnar, congratters on your new lungs – breathing is good! (so said my kid when we did scuba diving lessons and the instructor closed off his air tank and told us to buddy breathe)
Damg. an ambulance went by and all the coyotes are howling. Spooked the cat.
Thanks
I didnt know you were going to say that, Gunner.
Say what I missed something
My mother wanted to donate her body for research but never got around to filling out the form. When she was on her deathbed, my brother browbeat the hospital into getting the form in order. We received a very nice letter from the anatomy student who learned, courtesy of her.
So did Marcy make one of her famous pies for you? Sometimes people want to be supportive but don’t know what to offer.
What are some ways people can be there for a person just getting out of the hospital?
No pie, but she helped with my 2 dogs and her and MR EW were great ambulance drivers before the transplant.
I’m gonna tell mr. ew that you just dissed his pancakes!!
no pleeeeeeez not that anything but that
Help grocery shop because you can only lift a gallon of milk no more weight that. some people need help cooking and other things around the house
Lots of times people just say, well if you need anything…would it be more helpful if they said, hey I am available to drive you places and I would be happy to hit the grocery for you/with you once a week? That kind of thing?
yeah, especially if they live alone
Gunnar, should roofers and tar kettle guys wear some mask? Should there be a champaign for awareness here?
there are safer ways now not sure about the masks been out of touch since 2005
ok, i’m glad. So many people are harmed on the job, so i’m glad there are safety features there.
John and EW thank you for this post. Such an important story.
EW, listening to your voice and watching a clip of Jane earlier today, I realized, I really liked the vids you, Jane and Christy made each day of the Libby trial…
Wish you all had a live show.
I just imagine if either of my girls (20 and 22) were to be injured so seriously that death is the better alternative (or the only outcome) I would MOST CERTAINLY want another human being to live and enjoy their lives via organs or any parts of my kids’ bodies.
I also want the choice if either of my girls were brain damaged to the point of no cognizant life, that they could be “harvested” for organs. I want the choice, and they agree, just as I have instructed them to use my parts if I would forever be brain damaged to the point of no enjoyment of life.
We need to get these instructions in writing.
we need to get these instructions in writing
VERY IMPORTANT
Yeah it’s a tough conversation within a family, one which people sometimes dont begin to have until there is a hospitalization or loss. We went thru the siblings after we lost Dad and asked whether they wanted to be donors, whether they had it on their license, attitudes towards various outcomes in the hospital, and there were a couple surprises. Best to get these things understood and into writing.
Quick delurk to say that MN has organ donor designation on driver’s license, too. I be one. Best to you, Gunner!!!
It’s great to hear your plans to become more active again. Is it difficult to wait until you feel stronger? Or just wonderful that such things are going to be possible again?
no, it was great the first day I could get out of bed at the hospital and walk 450ft without oxygen
That is awesome.
That video needed a little sign at the beginning: “Got Kleenex?”
Gunner, I wish you many rounds of golf and lots of walks.
I’ve seen this issue from a couple of angles, and there’s a lot to be said for being able to bring at least some good out of tragedy. I view yours as one such story. Thanks for that.
I’m a donor recipient: kidney and pancreas from a “cadaver donor”. I’ve given talks a couple times about organ donation, and there’s a couple points that I always make:
* Some people have religious or personal objections to organ donation. I tell people who have religious concerns to talk to their religious leader about it. Virtually no larger religious group has any prohibition on organ donation. If people have personal objections, I try to see what they are. Sometimes it’s based on misinformation, and I can try to inform them.
* But mostly I emphasize that if everyone who was in favor of organ donation actually signed up to be one, there would be little or no shortage of organs.
*I’m not sure if recent laws have changed things (they have in Illinois), but regardless, make sure your loved ones are aware of your desire to be an organ donor. At the very least, it will reduce another surprise for them in the midst of what will most likely be a tragic time. But it may make the difference between your wishes being followed or not.
See How to be an Organ & Tissue Donor from OrganDonor.govb
Great point
Thanks for that, WhaleSpit.
Jeebus, when I first saw the comment I figured you were referring to me……
We’re an entire family of organ donors. Maybe now that I’ve stopped smoking, my body parts won’t smell up whoever gets ‘em too badly – if worse for me comes to better for somebody else…
Still stopped? Way to go!!!
Nice, and good job on stopping smoking
Why not make organ donation the presumption; i.e. you are automatically considered an organ donor unless you, or your guardian on your behalf, opt out.
That would be Great!
What a great idea.
ET we’re proud of you for kicking the smoking! Way to go!
Day 55. I’ve only coughed while lecturing three times this semester, rather than five or six times per lecture like before I stopped. I’m able to play more – a lot more – notes on the tuba and trombone between notes already. It was such a shame to fuck up such good lungs!
I meant “between breaths,” rather than “between notes…”
And taste. I remember how amazing it was when I quit to discover that food actually tasted gooooood! *g*
That is inspiring. [little breathing related joke]
Darn, I was hoping to hear from freep always like the comments
so what did ya wanna hear ???
your choice, today only
congratulations on yer medical miracle. I’m glad your back with us. and thanks for the insight on the subject
I’m not sure I’d make a good organ doner. I tend to overuse and abuse my body in ways that people seem to think are unhealthy or down right dangerous
but if I got any parts that are still usable when I’m done with em, I hope somebody gets the chance to use em
Hey Thanks, nothing special just enjoy your comments
Gunner your story is an inspiration. I am currently listed for a liver because of cancer and I am wondering how you are adjusting to the imunosuppressants I know you need to be taking?
(((nahant))) I didn’t know. Big hug.
Thanks Barbra, I have had chemoembalazion done twice and it is in remission.
Beautiful!! Remission is way good!
Indeed but the Docs still want to transplant… so I guess I will be getting it done soon…I have already been the backup patient and the Doctor wants to meet with me.. so I will know soon whats up.
I hear ya, but remission must put you in a much more favorable place for the transplant. Ring, phone. Ring!!!
At first it was a little tough because my progragh (that’s the main anti rejection drug) level was too high and I was not sleeping good butonce that was under control no problem. But everyone is different
I hope your call comes soon
All the best, nahant.
Well, the comments will be open for 24 hours – lot of people will be coming by later on.
That’s great news Gunner, you look real healthy and knowing you have friends and family who love and are ready support you must make you very happy also.
At the risk of sounding macabre, I’m afraid I have reservations about donating my organs. It may be a baseless fear but I worry that my body parts could be used for purposes other than transplants. If when they are harvested, could they instead be used for commercial, military or medical product research?
Granted it wouldn’t make any difference to me by that time, and I’m willing to directly improve someone’s quality of life like your donor did for you. But I wouldn’t want my ex-body to be a specimen for some weapons development program or drug company research.
I feel embarrassed writing this but it’s the truth.
Again, I’m so happy for your success and health.
If you become a donor with gift of life they will not use your organs for research
Thanks for sharing the information and story and best wishes for you, Gunner.
Well I am at my sons hose and need to head bake home. Good luck Gunner and I hope you do well in the future and Oh thanks for the insight on transplants(:>))
HOUSE not hose… Dam I need to look at what I am typing …
Thanks and good luck to you also!
Don’t let em flush you out of the hose nahant!
LOL As PeterR says preview IS my friend!!
well I am going to watch the red wings will check in after the game
Enjoy the game Gunner! Thanks for the post, this was great. Goodnight…
Goodnight phred
Take care Gunner
Thanks couldn’t stay away
Already a donor so echoing your post is easy duty, EW. A work colleague of my husband’s is a lung recipient. He’s a Gen X kid with a chance now to grow old along with his bride.
And be a blood and/or plasma donor, too. You’ll never know how many lives you save.
Gunner do keep checking back here – people will be coming by later to make comments.
Well Gunner I’m off to the grocery – anything you need this evening?
Ha Ha Ha no thanks I’m good
This has been a test of your emergency support system.
well it’s time to take the 9pm meds
With 27 meds a day it would really help to have a friend with OCD.
I have a chart with when to take each med and how much instead
Thanks very much, Marcie,
My husband was on dialysis and died of a heart attack three days after receiving the second of two live donor kidney offers from complete strangers through a nothing less miraculous series of events. Due to his medical condition, he was only able to donate one of his corneas, but someone has the gift of sight because of Dan.
With gratitude,
Heather
Obama wants Sebelius!
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((Gunner))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I’m so glad you got the gift of your new lungs. May they remain healthy.
Hugs,
Heather
Thank you Heather I am sorry about your husband
that was nice for the donation.
Thank you so much. I miss him every day, but I know he has peace.
Hugs,
Heather
Thank you, Gunner and EW, for that video, and so many good wishes to Gunner and nahant both.
I know from experience how important it is to have friends who will step in to care for our dogs or cats or fish or birds when we’re not well. It’s just so hard to rest and recover when you’re worried about the wee guys. Blessings on EW and Mr EW for knowing that.
I don’t know if she reads EW but I also have to thank Kelly Kennels because my friend Janet boarded my dogs for free several times
total organ donor here. Must be somewhat rare around here – they looked at me kinda funny at the license branch….
Not going to weed through all the comments but wanted to bring this up as I was a Transplant Case Manager for a health insurance company assisting members with their transplant.
Solid tumors are collected from healthy donors up to the age of 45. BUT they do collect bone, skin, corneas in healthy donors beyond that.
Please donate, make that decision early and tell your family. A sad fact is that many organ transplants are performed around holidays……
former Transplant case manager
Well it’s bed time for Gunner, thank you everyone and especially Marcy. I will be back tomorrow to see if there are more questions.
Great post, Marcy.
Thank you, Gunner for sharing, your story, helps bring it ‘home’.
I’ve been listed as a donor for years.
Seems the least we could do for each other if the big ‘event’ in life’s dance with death gives us the opportunity.
Much appreciation to all who understand.
DW
Good night Gunner. Sweet breathing. [asthma here – breathing is good]
I’m glad they make it so easy to document the fact that you’re an organ donor on your driver’s license here. I’ve been a donor for as long as I can remember.
Best wishes, John/Gunner. It must feel wonderful to be able to breathe again (understatement of the year.)
Marcy, I’m in NC this week too — Southeastern, coastal. Hope you’re enjoying yourself. Tonight the winds seem like gale force.
My wife was at death’s door from kidney failure two years ago, but then got a kidney from a 22 year old woman who had been killed in an auto accident. Medicare paid for the whole thing, and her life has been transformed.
At least be sure you check the Organ Donor box on your driver’s license renewal.
Wonderful post. Congrats on the new windbags, gunner.
Well time for the 9am meds
A great and glorious day for you.
Excellent story…
yo, Gunner
if ya don’t mind my asking
how long do you have to keep up the “27 pills a day” stuff ???
I don’t know how I’d ever be able to do that, some days I forget to eat food …
(wink)
Hey ask anything you want about the transplant,I love talking about it. The amount of pills goes up and down right now it is down to 18 but that will change.I will be taking anti rejection drugs the rest of my life.
Gunner…are you on Prograf? Just curious…it is an rejection pill…
Hubby was in a high dosage in 2000 and over time it has been reduced.
He has been on 0.5 mg for almost a year! We think that somewhere down
the road they may stop it completely…it is just a safety net for now.
So, hang in there….hopefully the amount of pills will be reduced in time.
He remembers the days of “27″ or so pills daily…. between heart, high
blood pressure and a few others, he is down to 7 pills a day.. not bad after
almost 9 years.
Best wishes from Boston,
Maureen
Yes I am on 1.5mg in the morning and 1 at night
Just wanted to let everyone know I found out gift of life wants to use the video. That’s really cool.
Be a Hero, Become a Donor
You can save lives in many ways, not just organ donation.
1) Bone Marrow – easy to get on the list (www.marrow.org) An approximately $50 feet for typing, often sponsored for drives. Bone marrow for minorities is greatly needed, so usually no fee. Once you are chosen as “The One”, all expenses are paid.
2) Cord Blood. If you are pregnant, donate the cord blood. This is often used for bone marrow type transplants because lots of stem cells.
3) Give blood. One donation can save up to three lives.
4) Donate blood products such as platelets or plasma.
5) Organ donation – the subject of this post.
Here’s a video that summarizes the need:
http://www.onetruemedia.com/ot…..m=text_url
I’ve been a donor for years, and will continue to be so.
However, after the last 8 years, and especially the right’s advocating their “conscience” clause over reproductive matters and meds, I have to investigate the possibility of refusing any donation to a registered republicon (IANAL).
You see, my religious beliefs dictate letting mean, selfish, greedy people ‘pull themselves up by their [beloved] bootstraps’. (And I’m sure they’d never forgive, nay–couldn’t live with, themselves for taking “welfare” from a lifelong DFH).
You don’t mess around with Karma. As ye sow…
If, like me, you’ve had cancer and can’t be an organ donor — donate your body to a medical college. It helps docs in training learn.
Here very, very late, but this was a big mitzvah for all concerned and Gunner should have a speedy recovery.