Being brain dead means a person is dead, period. Theheart may be beating, chemicals may be keeping blood pressure normal, organs maybe functioning, but the person is legally dead. The heart, though still beating,will start to deteriorate and within 48 hours will stop.

Please understandthat when the heart stops, all the organs do, too. They cease functioning andbegin to deteriorate; they are not fed energy and no longer create energy. Theyare done and of no use, none whatsoever, finis, through, over with, not working,kaput, dead! They are absolutely worthless to the world.

What a shame theorgans had to die like their "owner." What a shame they were notharvested to help save lives. What a waste of useful organs! How unfair toothers! Someone could have been given another chance at life.

When aperson donates organs, he or she is performing a miracle. No, not just onemiracle, but many miracles, and answering many prayers. But most people wastetheir last chance to do something positive.

Now, I wonder why so manyrespond negatively when asked, "Are you an organ donor?" Why do peopleanswer "No," with fearful looks on their faces? How could the thoughtof organ donation be scary? It saves others' lives!

When a person answers,"No, I am not an organ donor," he or she is actually saying, "Idon't care if I could save someone's life. I don't want to be torn apart for myorgans once I die. Let the sick people fend for themselves." It is easy todisregard others who are less fortunate. But maybe this person should put theshoe on the other foot.

Right now, imagine you're waiting in a hospitalbed, your mother sitting close to you, holding your hand. Your father is standingbehind her, trying to comfort you both. You hear phones ringing, nurses runningfrom room to room, patients being rushed up and down the hallways.

Butyou hear other noises, too - your own noises, your own beeps and whistles comingfrom the kidney machine that keeps you alive. Wouldn't you give anything in theworld to have a normal kidney functioning inside your body, quietly, on its own,without any beeps and whistles? Think of the frustration you would feel knowingthere are thousands of kidneys available from people who die accidentally eachyear. One of those could be yours - it could be yours right now - but thosepeople didn't donate their organs. Did they want you to fend for yourself??


Editor's Note: Read about one organ donation recipient.