I hope this is never a decision that I have to make. I pray that I am never in this position myself.
That being said, there are hundreds of families that find themselves in the unimaginable position of having a loved one die and immediately being confronted with the decision to have their loved one to become an organ donor. I can’t imagine how difficult this decision must be for so many families. Like I said, I don’t want to be in this position. Ever.
But organ donation saves lives. Thousands of people all over the world are living happy and productive lives thanks to the incredible gift of life they received from a transplant.
We have all seen and heard the story of young Jessica, who received the wrong organs this week and passed away tonight after undergoing a second heart and lung transplant on Thursday. While Jessica did not recover from the terrible mistaken transplant, her body was being kept alive by machines while her parents pondered the decision to donate Jessica’s organs to patients in need.
Tonight, Jessica’s family declined to donate any organs from Jessica’s body, including the heart and lungs that had been donated for her transplant.
If your family was fortunate enough to receive a chance at a miracle in the form of not one but two organ donations, how in the world do you say no to organ donation?
Am I the only one shocked by their decision?
I can totally understand why they decided against organ donation. They’ve just been through the hardest thing any person can endure, and organ donation, however indirectly, and regardless of who was at fault, played a part in the death of their daughter. Needless to say, they now equate organ donation with tragedy. Even if it’s misdirected, in their minds, organ donation will forever equal grief. Leave them alone, and be glad that you live in a society that allows you the freedom to choose. ‘Nuff said.