for release September 7, 2001
The Sandwich Generation . . . Helping Your Aging Parents
by Carol Abaya, M.A.
Are you juggling doing errands for your aging parents, your children, yourself and working at the same time? Are you tired, stressed out and upset that your once vibrant parent is now frail and needy?
Do you feel alone? Rest assured you are not alone! The Sandwich Generation is dedicated to the 50 million Americans who may have elder/parent care concerns and/or responsibilities.
ORGAN DONATIONS = GREAT GIFT OF LIFE
1st of 2 Articles
Question: I am 77 and want to donate my eyes to someone who can use them to see after I'm gone. My children are upset because they don't want my body 'cut up.' How can I be sure my wishes are carried out?
Answer: A gift of sight or life (with various organs) is probably the best gift anyone can leave here once you've 'traveled' onward.
We can't bring back a loved one who dies. I think it would be a marvelous feeling to know that someone else would benefit and continue to enjoy life with an organ transplant. To know someone else can see again is certainly spiritually uplifting. Bringing light into darkness can be fantastic.
To save a young life with a kidney or other key organ cannot be measured in any quantitative way. But to think you have the ability to donate part of yourself to someone who can then contribute to society is awesome.
What should you - or anyone wanting to give a gift of life - do to ensure that your donation wishes are carried out?
I spoke at length with Jon Eiche, President of Living Bank, one of the largest national donor registries. Living Bank has names of thousands of both donors and those needing transplants of all kinds.
First and foremost sign an official donor card, and have it witnessed and notarized when you sign it. Also include specific instructions in your Living Will (called medical power of attorney or Advanced Health Directive, depending on the state). Let your doctors know your wishes.
Notarized donor registration cards made available by Living Bank carry strong legal weight, depending on the state.
You can call Jon Eiche, at Living Bank, directly at 1-800-528-2971, and tell him I gave you his name.
Then you need to discuss your wishes with your family. In your case, reassure your children that removing your eye corneas (which is what is usually taken) does not require major cuts and will not distort your face for viewers during the funeral. Also tell them you believe sight will help a visually handicapped person live a better and more independent life. Sight is also a key enabler, helping a person more fully use his/her brain and creative talents.
Eiche gave further guidance to those desiring to donate. The most appropriate organ donor is someone on life support machinery who may be brain dead or would not survive without being on a respirator. In any event, without the life support, the person would not live. Life support keeps organs viable for a transplant. Age restrictions no longer apply in most cases.
The donor cannot have any spreading kinds of illness, such as cancer, AIDS or hepatitis.
If a person dies suddenly in a hospital and doctors know of the donor's desire, they have to work very quickly to take out the organ. Organs deteriorate very rapidly.
Next Week: Legal Protection for the Donor.
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Do you have a question? Send it in. Although letters cannot be answered individually, appropriate letters will be answered in this column whenever possible. Letters may be edited. Send letters to Ms. Carol Abaya, c/o Name\Address of YOUR newspaper (or mail direct to her at PO Box 132,Wickatunk, NJ 07765-0132) or e-mail her at SandwchGen@aol.com.
Carol Abaya is an international-award-winning journalist and creator of the unique magazine The Sandwich Generation: You & Your Aging Parents.
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©2001 by Globe Syndicate, all rights reserved.