Wednesday, October 13, 2010

euthanasia (or be careful what you ask for!)




Last night my wife and I were sitting in the living room chatting about things and life.

Then we talked about living and dying.


I said to her, “Dear, if ever I end up in a vegetative state when you are alive, please never let me go on like that, being totally dependent on machines and liquids from a bottle. If you see me in that state, I want you to disconnect all the contraptions that keep me alive. I'd much rather die.”

Up went my wife from the sofa, with this lingering look of admiration towards me.


She then proceeded to disconnect the TV, the Cable, the satellite dish, the DVD player, the computer, the cell phone, the hi-fi, the IPod and the Xbox, and then went to the fridge and threw away all my beer!!

thanks, YO, for the email.

instead of thinking of dying, why don't we make our lives count by pledging our organs instead? read here for a quick Q&A on organ donation. even better, sign up online at the National Transplant Resource Centre website.

for the record, i've been on their donors' list since 2001. hope to get someone off dialysis, ventricular assist device or gain sight when my number finally comes up.

what about you?

14 comments:

missyc said...

doc, ppl with ca cannot pledge their organs rite ? coz I read somewhere about one lady who had kidney transplant & she went on to develop cancer & they trace back to the donor who had ca but recovered & never put on record her history, eventually the lady had the transplant removed.

I've thought about it but never came around to doing it.

there is facebook fan page which says "All mat rempits should pledge their organs" :D

wenn said...

just live yr life..stay healthy.

Yvonne Foong said...

That email was funny!!! At first sight, I thought it came from you!

Hmmm I don't remember which year did I sign up as an organ donor but it was most certainly before my NF diagnosis.

It makes me wonder, when I die will anyone know that I have pledged to donate my organs and ask the institute to come and claim my organs?

doc said...

MissyC,

in all countries with a proper organ donation/transplant program, there are strict guidelines as to who can or cannot donate their organs, much like blood donation. anyone with a history of life-threatening infection, eg hepatitis B, HIV, or cancer are disqualified.

so, people should be more careful when they get their transplants from china, but i suppose, in desparation, people will try anything.

yes, mat rempits are a good source of organs!! since they are not interested in living, might as well help someone who is.

doc said...

Wenn,

well said!

doc said...

Yvonne,

i congratulate you for your choice to donate.

however, you should inform your parents & close relatives of your intention to avoid any uncertainty (& possible contention) should the occasion arise.

every general hospital has a link person who will co-ordinate with the transplant centre in KL should an organ become available.

Unicorn Girl said...

doc , did ur wife 'really' disconnect all the electrical equipment in your house that night ?
Anyhoo , I've done my part and made my pledge already :)
ps/: a pat on my back huh ......heheehee

doc said...

UG,

that was from an email my friend sent me.

so, does that mean, you've signed up?

Yvonne Foong said...

Every general hospital has a link person with a transplant center. Does that mean that only if I die or am certified dead in a general hospital will the transplant center know?

LX said...

No facility to do organ donation in ulu-ulu places like Sarawak eh?

doc said...

Yvonne,

the transplant centre will only be informed by the hospital if you or your family have agreed to offer the organs. if this happened in a district hospital, then they have to contact the link person at the nearest general hosp.

doc said...

LX,

i'm not sure about east malaysia. as far as i can remember, the transplant team will fly (from KL) to kuching/sibu/miri/KK to harvest the organs, then fly back to KL for the transplant.

anastasia said...

In the little red dot, you're an organ donor unless you opt out.

doc said...

Anastasia,

i wonder how the LRD's citizens feel about this?