The Perils of Organ Donation

As a nurse, working primarily in pediatric ICU, I witnessed many wonderful kids' lives changed by organ donation. Seeing what good could come from such a simple act made me change my belief system (the one I'd grown up with) about organ donation and I have since signed the back of my driver's license. My family, while not agreeing with me, has assured me they will respect my wishes and donate my organs on the event of my death, if appropriate.

I was reading a recent article in the Rocky Mountain News, however, that has made me wonder a bit about the wisdom of donating my organs. The article said a young man (31yo) attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head. Two hospitals declared him brain dead prior to harvesting his organs. Unfortunately, the coroner has since ruled the man didn't fit the qualifications for brain death! Consequently, he has ruled the man's death a homicide. The criteria for brain death are usually very simple; two consecutive brain scans (usually 24 hours apart) showing absence of brain waves (although the criteria can be different from state to state). The brain scans are only done when the patient has no evidence of brain function (i.e., is unable to breath on his own, is comatose and unresponsive to deep painful stimuli).

What shook me up about this was the memories it brought back of comatose patients I'd cared for; ones I'd felt the need to protect from hovering transplant surgeons. Unfortunately, these patients weren't rare, at least in my experience, nor was the aggressiveness of the transplant surgeons rare. Sad to say, there were multiple times when I would have to remind a transplant doc that the patient he was questioning me about (usually a child in a persistent vegetative or comatose state whose parents weren't deeply involved in their care) was not his patient. This meant he had no right to be perusing the patients chart, nor did he have the right to be asking me, day after day, whether I'd spoken the the parent's about organ donation and what their response was. While I could understand why these docs felt the need to be so aggressive (oftentimes they'd developed strong relationships with their patients who needed organs), but I couldn't help but feel sickened at how they went about seeking organs! So many times, families of patients with significant head injuries were newly grasping the probability that their child wouldn't survived and were grieving over this. To have an unknown physician come into this environment and start pushing the idea of organ donation was, to say the least, painful. Oftentimes parents approached in this manner began to ask if we'd given up on their child; were we only concerned about this other child who could be saved with an organ donation?

I can't tell you the sadness (and, yes, anger) I felt in these situations. I wanted so desperately to help these kids and their families, and sometimes it would take weeks to gain their trust so they could make a suitable decision regarding their child's care/life. To have a transplant doctor come in and try to force them to make a decision when they weren't ready was infuriating, to say the least. That's why I had no fear in telling these doctors off (i.e., that they were acting inappropriately and had no right being at the child's bedside or reading his chart, let alone trying to speak with the family about organ donation)!

Don't get me wrong, though, organ donation is generally a wonderful thing! One of the joys of my life is to hear a little boy I took care of as a newborn following a heart transplant speak on the radio about how his life was impacted by his new heart. To know he is almost a teenager and is well and happy is just fantastic! I'm so thankful for the opportunity of caring for him and his family. I'm not saying I've changed my mind about donating (this is especially important for those of you family members reading this posting)! I guess I'm saying I can understand how such a serious mistake could happen and I pray it doesn't ever happen to me. Regardless, it would still be worth it; to give my life so someone else can live.

Coffee Shop Theology and Joyful Victory!

If you haven’t figured out by now, I work in a local coffee shop, as a barista. Today I was talking to one of my favorite customers, Pastor Chung. He is a pastor at a local church, is very approachable and is obviously being used of God in my life! Each time he sees me, he encourages me to go to church; not his church, just any doctrinally sound church! He is a very dear, Godly person.

I can’t help but wonder at the way the Lord has put Pastor Chung right in my path so I am unable to avoid him. This inability to evade him is terrific (but painful) because it means I can't avoid evaluating my current spiritual state. The greatest sorrow of my life right now is not the fact that I’ll never have biological children, nor that no-one would want to marry someone in my situation so I’ll probably never marry, not even that I live with severe pain from waking to sleep each day. NO! My overwhelming sorrow is I’ve chosen to avoid remembering my Lord Jesus Christ, both in my personal walk with Him and in the Breaking of Bread.

I don’t know why this is. I feel frozen somehow. I know Satan has been fighting to keep me in this vacuum state and, sadly, has been winning these past several years (EONS!). I long so to open up, to bloom again as the Lily blooms for joy at Easter-tide. That the Holy Spirit would fill me so wholly as He has in the past. I desire, whole-heartedly, my Blessed Redeemer and Friend's victory in my life. OH, to live in joy and peace, once again.

Today we spoke about Romans 7, “Oh, wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (vs 24)” I asked whether Dr. Chung thought this was a one-time process we go through or if it’s something we pass through repeatedly. I explained that when I was young, I'd heard a sermon from a gentleman who stated, categorically, that what is encompassed in Romans 7 is a one-time thing. Once we went through this process that was it! At the time, I believed what he said because it seemed right and I hadn’t yet started to question the teaching I was brought up in, as the Bereans did (“searching the scriptures to see if these things were true”). Since that time, though, I’ve come to believe Romans 7 is NOT a one-time thing. It’s something we go through repeatedly. I know, for me, it’s something I go through daily (or should).

I was so happy to hear Dr. Chung agree with me, without prompting on my part! He went on to say he felt I was experiencing this in some ways with my inability to remember the Lord by going to church, etc. He believes I've stopped at the point of “Oh wretched man that I am” in verse 24 and am failing to go on to accept the promise and hope of v. 25 “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then...”. Then the Spirit brought to mind this realization: Romans 7:25 leads into the joyful reality of Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” How beautiful!!! What a God we have! How can we not adore Him!!

This has been an eye-opener to me! I didn’t have time to stay and talk long with Pastor Chung, yet his loving rebuke kept with me throughout the day. Now, I feel a peace I’ve not felt in so long. The paralyzing fear of going to church/meeting seems to be gone and I feel I have the courage to go to church/meeting. I would value your continued prayers for me regarding this. Also, would appreciate prayers regarding my continued worsening physical pain. Just ask that I might be able to continue working and to have the grace to see Christ through the hurting.

1. Blessed Lord our hallelujahs
now to Thee we raise;
Never could we fully utter
All Thy worth and praise.
Praise the Lamb! Yes, Thou art worthy,
Who didst shed Thy blood
To redeem Thy saints and make us
Kings and priests to God.

2. Yes, we praise Thee, for Thou lov’st us:
And we bless Thee, Lord,
For the peace and joy and gladness
Which Thou dost afford.
Hallelujah! Thou, Lord Jesus,
Canst not cease to love;
Thine we are, and Thine for ever,
One with Thee above.

3. Praise the Lord! Yes, hallelujah!
Who would hush the song?
Join with saints from every nation,
Every tribe and tongue.
Praise the Lamb, for He is worthy,
Sweet eternal strain!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord! Amen.

By: H. D’A. Champney