Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: GtoRA2 on December 18, 2002, 10:03:35 AM
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I heard on the radio that California, paid for a heart transplant for a guy on death row?
Anyone know about this?
Should we be giving organs to any criminals?
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Originally posted by GtoRA2
Should we be giving organs to any criminals?
Just one... and I believe "Bubba" already has that privelege.
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
Just one... and I believe "Bubba" already has that privelege.
*cymbol crash* :D
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I think what you heard was heavily spun.
There was a highly experimental (and in the long term almost certainly fatal) heart procedure done on a death row inmate in CA. But think more along the lines of 'we need to see how this works, but it's very dangerous'...and a guy on death row volunteers.
He's gonna live a couple of years max. once the procedure is done. So look at it like he gains a year of life maybe but helps medical research alot. It wasn't a procedure that people are lining up to have performed on them, etc.
Oh and the State of CA. didn't 'pay for it' - that part was added (dishonestly) by someone trying to create a 'scandal'. Usually, when it comes to medical research, the hospital and Dr. fees don't exist. The only cost usually is for anesthesia (i.e. paying for the actual drugs).
Mike/wulfie
p.s. This from a hazy memory - asked a Dr. relative of mine about this when I heard about it ~2 years ago.
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Heard on the news last night he passed away....dunno the details of the procedure being "experimental" or not.
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I believe he was one of the 3 people to receive a totally man-made heart.
Mike/wulfie
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speaking as someone on the 'list' for an organ, they should have let him die. He was set to be put to death and that heart could have been given to someone with potential for life.
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A Society is know by how it treats its children, its infirm and its failures.
HC
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Hawk220 I understand your point of view - but I think you are misunderstanding the situation here.
There wasn't a 'list' for those man-made mechanical hearts. Survivial % was not high with them, especially long term survival.
There was a normal guy who 'volunteered' and lasted about 8 months I think, but he had alot of complications.
In other words - no one was bumped from any list with these devices. They are very experimental. Consider that convict a 'willing lab rat'.
Odds are (with proper supervision) when you get the organ you need you can expect a decent lifespan, no?
Literally - these were mechanical hearts. They hadn't been used in humans ever. It was a test, not a treatment.
Mike/wulfie
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interesting, Wulfie... as a lab rat for mechanical organs, he might actually have taught the Drs. something that will help others live with such devices. in that case no one was bumped and his life (and death) actually had benifit
yes, when I get my kidney I should expect a relatively normal life.. for as long as the organ holds out.. a cadaveric one can last in the ballpark of 20 years or so, depending. (a living donor one can last 40+ years) then its back on dialysis and back on the list and waiting for someone with my blood type to plow into a tree or fall off a building or something.
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Hawk, is it impossible to find living people willing to donate? One has two of 'um after all.
Have signed up for organ donation myself as I might get killed doing stupid things.
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Originally posted by StSanta
Hawk, is it impossible to find living people willing to donate? One has two of 'um after all.
Have signed up for organ donation myself as I might get killed doing stupid things.
be sure to take your left hand off the list :)
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Good for you StSanta for being a donor, yes it is possible to have a living donor, in fact that is the preferred way to get one, ( as they usually last longer in the patient) its just that in the US the general population has no clue about kidney issues. that a person lives a completely normal life with just one ( no dietary or fluid restricitons) and has no decrease in life expectancy. One kidney produces more than enough of the various hormones that regulate BP and red blood cell production etc.. I've had a few friends that stepped forward for living donation, but were disqualified (as they are really picky when matching the antibodies in the blood). Also, in the US we are backwards in the organ donor program, Parts of Europe make it mandatory to be a donor when you get your drivers license, but in the US it is an option. also, as advanced as the US is there still is NO national database of antibody registration.. so an Altruistic donor may offer up a kidney in, say, Indiana and have a perfect antibody match, and I'm in Washington, there is no way for us to know about one another. so instead waiting on dialysis.. with its 15 hours a week of treatment, only 3 cups a DAY of fluid, and various restrictions for years and years, it could be a matter of days or hours to find a match with a national database.
rage mode off :P
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lol Eagler.. I just got that
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LOL eagler :D
Hawk wish I ould do something to help you man. I'm in Europe though :/
I wish you the best of luck
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thanks Santaman,