organ donation

All the news stations here have been covering the life and death of a courageous police officer who was slain in the line of duty.  During his funeral, it was mentioned that through his death, 9 others have new life because he was an organ donor.  I have always said that I wanted to donate my organs and have always, always been surprised to find out that some people think that is gross or creepy.

Seriously.  What are you going to do with your organs once your brain is dead and there is no hope for recovery?  It would be my dying gift and my dying wish to donate my viable organs to those on a waiting list, those not knowing if they will see another day or week or month.  Do I care if I am buried (or cremated) with no eyeballs?  No.  I'm not sure anyone would want my eyeballs because my vision is terrible, but hey - they're better than nothing.  (I don't even know how much your corneas have to do with actual vision...I may be a little bit dumb on this subject).

Anyway, this whole thing where the officer donated organs to 9 people has really got me thinking so I registered online to become an organ donor.  This is a conversation that we all need to have with our loved ones.  There should be no mistake about what you want done with your body should you be too incapacitated before your death to make it known.  I don't have the little heart on my driver's license but do you need that?  If your spouse knows that you want to be an organ donor in the unfortunate event of an untimely death, do you have to have the heart on your license?  That's what I need to know.  No worries, people... I don't feel a looming sense of doom or anything.  I just want to make sure that my dying (and someone else's living) wish is fulfilled, should I leave this earth too soon. 

Have you had the conversation?
~C~