Public Service Organ Donation

In December 2015 I was hospitalized with an inflammatory lung condition. i had just returned from a trip to Monterrey CA via the Pacific Coast Highway on my 2012 VFR 1200.  I left the hospital in January 2016 and throughout 2016, I was home bound - tethered to a machine which supplied high volumes of supplemental oxygen.  My world was limited to the length of a tube. I was unable to work at my law practice and i seldom was able to leave the house. My VFR remained parked in the garage. 

In October, my condition worsened and I entered the hospital. After a couple of weeks I agreed with my pulmonologist to undergo evaluation for transplant. After all of the testing (there was a lot of it), I was placed on the transplant list on the Monday after Thanksgiving.   Four days later on December 2nd I was told there was a possible donor.  On December 4th, 2016, I received the gift of life in the form of a new set of lungs from an organ donor.  I was told the timing was fortuitous because my old lungs had about a month left.  I left the hospital in mid-January and an still rehabbing, but I have my life back.  I am able to work again, go places with my wife, and in a week or so get back on my VFR and ride. Without the gift from the donor, I would not be here.

I would like to encourage all of my VFR Brothers and Sisters to sign up to become organ donors - not because you are riders, but because the last thing you might do on this great earth is to give the gift of life to someone.  Ironically, I signed up long ago never thinking that I would ever be receiving such a gift.  Signing up is simple in most states is as simple as filling out a card and checking a box on your driver's license.  

Congratulations on your "recovery". I'm guessing you're feeling GTBA: glad to be alive (and walking around).

Great idea. My license box is checked.

My license box is checked.

I feel it is the moral obligation of every motorcyclist to be an organ donor as we are statistically more likely to be donors.

However, while it is important to sign the back of your license as a donor, it is much more important to have honest conversations with those who will be making decisions on your behalf when doctors come to ask for permission to harvest.

+1

And donot die outright on the street, for your parts (that will help another human being) will perish quickly. Keep your vital organs ticking over until you reach hospital. No smiley here, dead serious.

All so true.  I did not know the ID of the donor of my new lungs, but I understand the donor's kidneys, liver, heart, lungs and corneas were given to those in need. Lee's comment is also terrific because, while in many states, the donor's registry as an organ donor can serve the function of a living will and override family members, if the putative donor did not register as an organ donor the family can often give an OK for donations. 

Godspeed! :beer: :beer: :beer: