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10/2/06 Would You Donate Your Body To Science?


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Ummm, nope don't think I could do it. I am, however, donating my organs if I die before I've used them all up! :D Everything except my eyes . . . donating them kind of creeps me out for some reason . . . I think I might need them again somewhere along my journey through this world and that world.

BTW, Tracy, I absolutely LOVE what you did with the Westville. It looks totally awesome! :)

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hmmm don't think I could do that. Am I being selfish?

Something about having college students playing catch with my body parts makes me feel weirdl LOL

I don't mind donating my organs either.

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I donated my body when I turned 18. I think it's a wonderful idea to be able to assist young students to become doctors, to find cures, not to mention relieving the burden of burial on the family. If I've never been able to help a person in my life, at least let it be in death.

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My husband and I have already made it clear that our bodies, body parts, both internal and external, and whatever else "science" can think of to make use of..

is theirs for the taking upon our death. Any remains are to be cremated, and dispensed to the winds.

I don't believe in any sort of afterlife. When I'm gone, I'm gone, much like all the other stuff around me that dies...and gets recycled, to create new life. Personally I'm hoping that my ashes will be spread under a poplar tree on my 20 acres, where the ashes of my dearly-departed furkids are already dispersed.

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While I do believe that donating one's body to science is a noble deed...I don't know if I could agree to donating my body after death...not that it would matter to me because I would be gone...but I think it would be hard on surviving family members...I had a boss once that donated his body when he passed away...there was no funeral...no nothing...and nowhere for his family members to go to feel close to him even tho he was gone..Personally, I think that when I go...I would really like it if my kids would have me made into a couple of diamonds and set into a nice piece of jewelry that they could wear...then I could be closed to them all their lives...

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Irene, the family could have...probably should have...held a memorial service. That can be done in any religious tradition, without there being a body. And they can still buy a marker, headstone, other item that symbolizes their late loved one, without there being some sort of burial.

As for the jewelry....I'm sorry. I really find that creepy. Much like keeping someone's ashes in an urn on the fireplace mantel.

But then, I'm not one of those folks who goes to visit someone's grave..... Folks that have died in my life (parents, sibling, aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends) I hold in my heart, not in some material way...

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I would not hesitate to donate my body to science. After all, what happens to it after it has been buried or cremated? However, in all honesty, my family does not really care what I want as they have already told me that I will be buried which is the last thing that I want done with myself. Anyways, I can't even get anyone to witness my organ donor card so . . .

Katharina

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Katharina, you've peaked my curiosity! You can leave a Last Will and Testament requesting what you would like done with your remains. By law here in Canada (not sure about other countries) the family has no choice but to follow the dictates of that document.

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donate to science? probably not

donate organs? yes but Im sure mine would not be useable because of what I have done to them over the years with this weight

but I am going to have all of my hair cut off and donate it to the charity that makes kids wigs and such out of human hair...name escapes me for now.

nutti :blink:

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Yes. I have already told family that if they can donate my body (if they will take it) then go for it. There is a teaching college for forensics at Uconn (dr henry lee).

I dont want them to waste money on casket, burial, cremation, etc. They should have a memorial service and leave it at that. Save the money to live off of...not to pickle their mother!

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I'm an organ donor. I had thought about donating my body to science until I went to nursing school. Our anatomy & physiology lab prof was so totally disrespectful of the remains we had, and there are such excellent and realistic models for students to use, as well as computer simulations to study, that I'm less enthusiastic about the idea. In my living will I have requested no heroic measures & a DNR code and the desire to be cremated and have my ashes scattered to be recycled, since I don't believe I'll need this physical body any more regardless of what may be "out there" (and I definitely believe there's an "out there"!).

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I'd have to say no. I don't really have any strong feelings about it one way or the other - but I have to admit that having someone play with my body parts after I'm gone kinda weirds me out.

I don't want my family coming to view my body in a casket though either - having gone to viewings when some of my relatives have passed has always upset me. I don't want my family's last picture of me to be that way when the time comes.

I've told them all that I want to be cremated. No coffin, no viewing. Once the cremation is done - I don't particularly care what they do with the ashes - they can stick the ashes in a canning jar and lose it in the garage for all I care :thumb:

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I've never thought about donating my body to science...interesting thought.

I would donate organs - yes. Absolutely!

I would like to be cremated...i have had this thought in the past to have my ashes spread in the wind in the mountains while Sarah Brightman (a few specific songs come to mind) plays quietly in the background....I don't have my wishes written down anywhere. I have strong, very strong feelings about death and dying....particularly persistant vegetative states...you would think i'd have a living will but i don't. I will add that to my list of things to do soon....

I wouldn't want to burden anyone with having to deal with a funeral and i certainly couldn't ask anyone to keep an urn with my cremains. Uck, that's just awful!

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Yes, they can have anything they want after I'm gone. I won't be here anyway!

I think it is the least I can do to provide sight, life, or skin to someone that otherwise wouldn't have it. I heard they use cadavar skin on burn victims.

There is an old song "all of me, why not take all of me?" That's my opinion, too! :groucho:

Nancy

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Hmmm, this is a question I have been thinking about a lot since reading the topic at first, and I am going back and forth as to yes or no, and I think it would be OK to donate it IF they would like to have it, with my allergies and all I am not sure they will have use for it though????

I brought it up with hubby as well and we had an interesting discussion around it with the pro's and con's about it, so atleast now we know each others thoughts regarding this :lol:

Discussions are healthy!!!

Hugs

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We have several teaching hospitals in our area. Not all of the people who donate their bodies are from our area because some people have great regard for these hospitals. Not only can your family have a memorial service, the agency that manages these donations in our state has an annual memorial service for all those who donated their bodies.

I prefer organ donation, but there are so many limits due to age and health that not everyone can do that. It is a noble thing to do, but I am not sure I am comfortable with it for myself.

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I have no problem donating my body to science or donating my organs; however, I can't get anyone to witness my donor card. All of my family members believe that I should be buried without anything missing. I think that this is unfortunate but what can a gal do?

Katharina

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  • 1 month later...

Call me scrooge :wub: but there is way on earth that I would donate my body to science. When I die I want to be buried with all my parts intact and I would hate the thought of someone fiddling with my kidneys or whatever. :wave:

And about donors, I think becoming a donor can tempt fate so I'd never become one. I have read too many stories in the papers about people becoming a donor just weeks before they died in a crash or something. And some are young kids too. Easy for the government to set up an accident for some poor unsuspecting person if lets say Tony Blair needed a transplant. And who knows you might be on the top of their list as a perfect match :w00t: . And no I'm not paranoid just careful. :p

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  • 1 month later...

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