# Have you signed your organ donor card? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 24, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451 "2006-01-24T21:52:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/1 "2006-01-24T21:52:31Z")
One of our own Dopers,[**Padeye**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=354967&page=1&pp=50), just recently passed away from acute liver failure. It made me think about starting this thread, and after receiving his widow’s permission (thanks, **TheLadyLion** ), here it is. Have any of you thought about signing an organ donor card and making your wishes known to your next of kin? I have signed my driver’s license (I think that’s the usual place for it) authorizing a hospital to use any of my organs that they deem fit after I have no use for them any more, and I have discussed my decision with my husband and my mother. If you haven’t, and I don’t mean this in any accusatory way, why not? Do you have some reservations that we can discuss and possibly put to rest for you? ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/2 "2006-01-24T22:15:08Z")
Heck yeah, I have! ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/3 "2006-01-24T22:17:50Z")
I have in on my drivers license. When I first got it, I got annoyed because they laminated it before I could sign it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/4 "2006-01-24T22:18:54Z")
Indeed. I always check the “Organ Donor” box when I apply for an ID or a renewal. It’s indicated right on the front of my VA state ID. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/5 "2006-01-24T22:19:53Z")
I signed mine, but it means next-to-nothing. It will inform doctors to keep you alive for harvesting if you’re alone when you get injured, but your family can do whatever they want with your body, regardless of what documents you’ve drawn up (in Illinois anyway…and I’m pretty sure most everywhere else in the U.S.). The most important part is letting family know, and letting them know how important it is to you to do it. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/6 "2006-01-24T22:26:09Z")
Done, and done. Living wills, to add further testimony of your wishes, are also a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/7 "2006-01-24T22:31:31Z")
I signed mine and checked it off on my state ID card, and have notified my family so they know what my wishes are in the event of my death. The doctors are welcome to harvest whatever’s salvageable. Some people don’t make good donors because of age or health problems, like my mother (although she’s signed her card, too, they probably won’t use anything other than her eyes). When my cousin died of heart failure back in 2001, obviously the heart wasn’t useful, but the kidneys and etc. were transplanted. Knowing that her son helped a lot of other people was the only thing that gave my aunt any peace. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/8 "2006-01-24T22:47:15Z")
Mine’s about 15 years old. I really ought to ask the DMMV for a fresh one that’s actually legible. CA provides a quarter-inch pink dot that you stick on the license as well, but it does not stick to the plastic. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/9 "2006-01-24T22:49:00Z")
Yes, and done the Living Will thing, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/10 "2006-01-24T22:49:50Z")
My Indiana state ID (which contains my signature) indicates that I’m a donor, and I’m confident that neither my parents nor my sweetie, **Long Time First Time** , would interfere with the harvesting of my organs. Of course, I’m hoping that it’ll be another 40 or 50 years before my wish is fulfilled. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/11 "2006-01-24T23:59:23Z")
Yes, all 3 of us, plus families are aware of our wishes as well. Living will is also taken care of. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/12 "2006-01-25T00:53:57Z")
I’ve been an organ donor for 20+ years! I’m down to just my liver now. At least I can still drink! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/13 "2006-01-25T01:45:28Z")
Ah, the living will - that’s a good idea, too. Jim and I are about to do our will (my dad died without a will last April - I DO NOT recommend this for people who actually care about their families), and we’ll see about adding that in, too. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/14 "2006-01-25T04:46:24Z")
I got my first donor card when I was still in middle school. I had my mom and both sisters sign it as witnesses and made them all promise that they’d follow through. I trust them all to follow my wishes. I also told them all that if they had me embalmed, I come back and haunt them. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/15 "2006-01-25T04:55:30Z")
The idea feels vaguely creepy to me, but I do intend to register as soon as I get my driver’s license. I figure it might weird me out now but by the time I actually die I’ll be too dead to care. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/16 "2006-01-25T05:14:48Z")
Done, and my parents know (and respect) my wishes. I haven’t made a living will yet, but I will sometime soon. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/17 "2006-01-25T05:31:40Z")
Yep - and my family knows my wishes. I had a first cousin die when he didn’t get a replacement liver after his first transplant rejected. StG ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/18 "2006-01-25T06:46:19Z")
Well, my brand-spanking new NJ Driver’s License says “ORGAN DONOR” on the bottom, so I guess I’ve got that covered. What’s this Living Will thing, and how is it different from an ordinary will? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/19 "2006-01-25T06:59:12Z")
Been an organ donor even before they gave people the Driver’s License option (Massachusetts). ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451/20 "2006-01-25T07:35:11Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > Well, my brand-spanking new NJ Driver’s License says “ORGAN DONOR” on the bottom, so I guess I’ve got that covered. What’s this Living Will thing, and how is it different from an ordinary will? First, IANAL, so take what I’m saying here with a grain of salt. A living will, unlike a regular will, is a document specifying your wishes about end-of-life health care. It is not something invoked after the coroner gets your body, and certifies you dead; it is a document that protects your desires for what kinds of “drastic” health care options you want taken to keep you alive. Basically, it covers things such as a DNR (Do Not Resucitate) Order, whether you desire to have your body considered for organ harvesting, and whether you should be kept on life-support if your prognosis is that you will never come off the life-support. It is invoked, either at your request when admitted to a hospital, or long-term care facility, or when you can no-longer make rational and informed decisions about your own health care. With respect to organ harvesting without one many hospitals will not even consider organ harvesting unless the family brings it up themselves. Because of how emotional an issue it is for those who do want to be buried “intact,” or have their loved ones buried that way, there are many accounts of how a single nay-sayer has kept someone’s organs from being harvested, in spite of their liscence or organ donor card statement. A quick Googling will find any number of quick Living Wills you can fill out online and print out to have notorized and stored with your family. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-signed-your-organ-donor-card/341451.md?page=2)