Roy, at 09:12 on Dec 29 1996, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

BG> Last night's was interesting, where a father wouldn't allow 
BG> his brain-dead daughter's organs to be used for transplants, 
BG> even after he'd actually met one young fellow who'd been 
BG> enduring dialysis thrice weekly since he was aged 8, had 
BG> badly inflamed and infected fistulas, and desperately 
BG> needed her kidneys.  Mind-numbing stuff.

RM> I've missed a few episodes lately, including that one, eg 
RM> been too tired after a day on the choo choos to stay awake 
RM> that late (why is it on so late? it's no more gory than most 
RM> cartoons),

Probably not, although I still reckon the producers buy pig's blood in job
lots from the local abbatoirs...

RM> but I'd have liked to see their treatment of that one.

As usual, it was quite intelligently done.

RM> My own attitude is that the dead person doesn't need them 
RM> any more, and the living person may die without them, so just do it.

Agreed, especially in those cases where there is no question that the
intended recipient WILL die without the transplant.

RM> However, other people have other scruples, and I think 
RM> I have to respect them.

Pretty hard to do when it's YOUR child or family member who's about to die
because of somebody's religious (or other) beliefs.  There's a lot to be
said for public education, and the need for people to carry organ donor
cards from a very early age.

RM> It must be a real bastard of a decision to make. Eg: if my 
RM> lovely 4yr old daughter Julia who can write sentences that I 
RM> can read and can drive the vcr better than I can and who 
RM> knows two fives is ten and who can identify Sirius and 
RM> Canopus got squashed by a hitrun, and some lifeloving doctor 
RM> suggested that her left lung could be used to help some 
RM> stranger kid, I honestly don't know how I'd react.

Obviously, I can only speak for myself, but in similar circumstances, I'm
sure I wouldn't hesitate to give permission for part of my dead child to be
used to give life to somebody else.  Indeed, my own attitude makes it hard
for me to understand how those who refuse can actually live with themselves
afterwards.

Regards, Bill

--- MsgedSQ/2 3.50