# The Weekly RO Post: Kidneys **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 24, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783 "2012-04-24T05:59:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/1 "2012-04-24T05:59:40Z")
Jackie Brucia is a businesswoman who needed a kidney transplant. One of her employees, Debbie Stevens, offered to donate a kidney. In a complicated transaction, Stevens did donate a kidney and Brucia did receive a kidney, although Brucia didn’t actually get Stevens’ kidney - apparently there was a organ swap. But here’s the RO. Brucia began calling Stevens at home while she was convalescing from the surgery and telling her she should get back to work and not expect any “special treatment”. This despite the fact that Brucia herself was still convalescing at her own home. Brucia ended up demoting Stevens and eventually fired her. [N.Y. Worker Claims She Was Fired After Donating Kidney For Boss](http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/04/23/n-y-worker-claims-she-was-fired-after-donating-kidney-to-boss/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl4%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D154347) [LI mom fired after donating kidney to her boss: suit](http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/cruelest_cut_out_8iAZkm6NB0YWIBpBHsXEQP) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/2 "2012-04-24T06:14:50Z")
Jesus. If that story, as outlined in the articles, is even close to being accurate, it’s possibly one of the most gobsmacking things i’ve ever read. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/3 "2012-04-24T06:43:00Z")
I have a friend who donated a kidney to a sister. The donee will still speak to her, but their mother and the donor’s daughter refuse to speak to her. It’s just really bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/4 "2012-04-24T06:56:37Z")
What possessed this woman to offer to donate a kidney to her boss? She must have some kind or martyr complex. I wonder when the boss noticed that she was such a potential doormat. “…kind and generous”? W…T…F…She has kids to take care of, and yet chose to risk her health for such a dipshit reason! Was it just to kiss up? I cannot fathom the stupidity of that woman. I am so disgusted with her foolishness, that I am having trouble feeling pity for her. And that boss…what a bitch! ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/5 "2012-04-24T07:15:43Z")
There HAS to be more to this. The two links in the OP are from _AOL jobs_ and _The New York Post_. I don’t trust either of those to get the facts straight. I’m not calling bullshit, exactly, but I’ve never trusted either source. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/6 "2012-04-24T13:10:16Z")
What kind of cloying, sycophantic loser gives a kidney to her boss? You’re a mother, lady, save it for one of your kids. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/7 "2012-04-24T13:23:36Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > There HAS to be more to this. The two links in the OP are from _AOL jobs_ and _The New York Post_. I don’t trust either of those to get the facts straight. I’m not calling bullshit, exactly, but I’ve never trusted either source. Yeah, at this point I’m willing to take on faith that a) there was an exchange of kidneys and b) the donor no longer works there. The rest of it needs some filling in by more reliable sources. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/8 "2012-04-24T13:27:19Z")
The first thing that came to mind when I read this story was that it’s a crying shame that _Boston Legal_ and _The Practice_ are no longer airing, because this plot would fit right in. Also, _Law and Order_ could probably have done something with it. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/9 "2012-04-24T13:30:04Z")
Or barring that, some sort of fictional lawyer show like “Nancy Grace.” ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/10 "2012-04-24T14:12:55Z")
Well, if the scenario is remotely like it sounds, let’s hope the bosses business is one that can be destroyed by public outrage. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/11 "2012-04-24T14:17:43Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > The first thing that came to mind when I read this story was that it’s a crying shame that _Boston Legal_ and _The Practice_ are no longer airing, because this plot would fit right in. Also, _Law and Order_ could probably have done something with it. To heck with that, this is a [Dilbert strip](http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1996-10-13/) come to life. “I donated bone marrow to our biggest customer!!! TWICE!!!” “I noted that under ‘attendance problem.’” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/12 "2012-04-24T14:31:08Z")
ABC is [reporting](http://abcnews.go.com/News/york-mom-fired-donating-kidney-boss/story?id=16195691) the same story. It looks like everyone’s just reporting on the allegations in the complaint that Stevens just filed. After this experience, I’ll bet she’ll never donate another kidney. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/13 "2012-04-24T14:46:52Z")
[Lots of outlets are reporting it](https://news.google.com/news/story?q=Jackie+Brucia&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=ul2&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvnsuo&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ncl=dfWKMPgkuxHA8AMuEAyVfA-f_sF0M&ei=4buWT-ulEI608ATNnoCnDg&sa=X&oi=news_result&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQqgIwAA), although they mostly seem to be reporting each other’s stories. The Fox one, at least, has a (predictable) response from the company’s attorney: [QUOTE=Robert Milman] Atlantic Auto treated her appropriately and acted honorably and fairly at every turn. We expect to have this resolved favorably in the legal system. [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/14 "2012-04-24T16:35:36Z")
Did you ever see the movie “Repo Men”. Don’t think I won’t take back that kidney. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/15 "2012-04-24T17:50:05Z")
Cue Bernie Mac voice / virtual reality simulation I’ll suck a dick but I ain’t giving away no kidney. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/16 "2012-04-24T18:04:35Z")
FTA - the employee donated to a different person than her boss, a man in Missouri. This gave her boss a chance to move up a slot to a kidney that was a perfect match for her as the employee’s was not. It was like kidney Tetris. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/17 "2012-04-24T18:17:13Z")
Yeah. I found the kidney tretris thing a bit odd as well. Will be interesting to hear the rest of this story. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/18 "2012-04-24T18:24:03Z")
There are not enough organs to give to everyone who needs one. So there are protocols on who has priority to get the available organs. And apparently one of these protocols is if you can convince somebody else to donate an organ that will raise your priority for receiving an organ, even though you’re not receiving the organ that’s being donated. So while Brucia didn’t receive Stevens’ kidney, she did receive a kidney as a result of Stevens donating a kidney. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/19 "2012-04-24T18:28:52Z")
Oh, I understand that. And I can see the logic behind it. But it also seems to skirt close to that whole pay for organs problem. I wonder if the boss is one of those sociopathic “technicality” assholes whose thinking is that the employee didn’t actually give her HER kidney so any consideration shouldn’t even be on the table. Hell, if Hitler saved my life by a kidney donation the least I could do is send a birthday card once a year. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783/20 "2012-04-24T18:42:11Z")
Of course, she could also be a completely incompetent, obnoxious employee who figured, “If I donate a kidney I got this job for life–_sweet!_” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weekly-ro-post-kidneys/619783.md?page=2)