A great coincidence occurred to me regarding the heart. My heart, to be exact.
As I went through the exercise of renewing my drivers’ license at the DMV I was asked whether I plan to donate my vital organs in case I am involved in a fatal accident. At he same time a newspaper article reported Dick Cheney just successfully underwent a heart transplant operation.
Hold on. Wait a minute. Slow down.
What if I agree to donate my vital organs when I’m no longer around? Then how can I review the people on the transplant list? I might conceivably give new life to someone of whom I disapprove?
I am allowed no censorship authority? No options to blackball, reject or deny access?
Banks can reject applicants for credit, but I cannot reject applicants for my heart?
Sports teams can reject athletes for their teams, but I cannot reject a candidate for my kidney? No lineup for my liver? Have I no rights to oppose the lunge for my lungs?
Suddenly I question the entire idea. Give a blank check to my life giving functions? Put the “pitter-pats” in the chest of some pilferer? Donate my lung’s deep sighs to a no-good sinner? The whole idea is suddenly up for question. Now I’m not so sure I want to be valiant in my love for humankind or my longing to help it survive.
Maybe I can petition whoever gets petitioned in these cases to allow the creation of a list. That list would contain names of pre-approved people chosen to become recipients of all my extra parts.
Or at least a list of those who I disallow from becoming recipients, no matter how hard they beg and plead. Where were they when I needed help with that down payment?
With such a guarantee in place perhaps I will sign the form at the DMV to donate my vital organs.
Either that or learn to drive within the legal speed limit.
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "NEW HEART, NO HEART, MY HEART" (19)
Got to agree with you there. Good topic! Because personally I wouldn’t want some alcohol abusing rich or famous old guy be able to take my liver instead of a poor child born with a bad one. So I just say ‘no’ for now, at least.
Witam! Serdecznie pozdrawiam i życzę pięknego weekendu!
http://marciento.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/the-first-signs-of-spring/
Great post my friend ,happy weekend 🙂
Thank you,Jake.
Great post Ronnie! So funny! And I have to agree with you, a Dick Cheney type getting my heart sort of leaves a bad taste in my mouth. How about this, he can have my tongue!
And when I heard about his heart transplant I just felt like he might have taken cuts to the head of the heart transplant waiting list!
Are you suggesting that Dick Cheney would be devious enough to do such a thing???
Cheney: devious???I didn’t say it: you did.
Oh what am I saying, sweet little innocent blow your face off but just in a kidding way Dickie Cheney? I would never suggest such a thing! Never! 🙂
It is an interesting topic to think about. I always just assumed the organ would go to a worthy recipient. I have the donor box checked off on my license. I consider it the ultimate form of recycling.
How hilarious: the ultimate form of recycling. What a great line!
Thanks 🙂
That piece was an absolute riot. Never even entertained the idea that my organs would go to someone other than a desirable, wonderful, deserving person. I guess we lose control at some point , just another one of those things. But, thanks for the new spin on it. You always make me think in another direction. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
…but ignorance doesn’t change reality, whether you acknowledge it or not.
Have you heard that in Florida there’s no helmet laws for riders of motorcycles?–they call them donor cycles.
No, I never heard that. Very funny, those donor cyclists. Did they have to sign organ release forms in order to get licenses?
Well, we can only hope the new heart will give Dick Cheney a softer side. Goodness knows he needs it…
Can we ever really know what’s in someone’s heart or mind? Even our closest friends? Perhaps it’s better that we’re not around to quiz the recipient. Or not. Thanks for the thought-provoking article.
Good point. But in the case of people who are vocal in their opinions we can assume we know where they stand, not in their heart of hearts, but in their political beliefs.
Hi,
A good post, I never really thought about to be truthful, we also have this option on our DL as well. What you say is spot on. I was reading an article or I may have seen it on TV last year sometime, where a convict was given a new transplanted hand, I didn’t really think any more about it till this post. The person that died I’m sure may not of wanted their hand given to this murderer. Food for thought that is for sure.
Thanks, Mags. It never occurred to me either, until the coincidence of seeing those two items in print just days from each other.