Public Service - Organ Donation

JDLAW · Post #1 » by **JDLAW** » Sun May 21, 2017 11:25 pm

It has been a long time since I posted anything in the forum so I thought the most important one I could on my return is to encourage all of you to sign up as an organ donor. I received a miracle new lease on life because someone decided to became a donor.

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 motorcycle. 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 was seldom able to leave the house. During my illness, one of my most cherished connections to the outside world was reading the insightful commentary all of you contributed to the Suns Board.

In October 2016, my condition worsened and I re-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 lung transplant list on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Four days later, on December 2nd, I was informed of a possible donor. On December 4th, 2016, I underwent surgery and received the gift of life in the form of a new set of lungs from an organ donor. I left the hospital in mid-January and am still rehabbing, but I have my life back again. I will be able to work, go places with my wife and in a week or so I plan to do a test ride back on my motorcycle. Without the gift from an organ donor I would not be here.

I would like to encourage all of my Realgm/Phoenix Suns fans brothers and sisters to sign up to become organ donors because the last thing you might do on this great earth is to give the gift of life to someone. I signed up long ago never thinking that I would 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.

Post #2 » by **bwgood77** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:12 am

I can't imagine how tough all of that must have been to get through, but am glad it all went well and that you've almost fully recovered. Great to have you back!

Post #3 » by **Qwigglez** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:29 am

Congratulation on getting a new life! Honestly, your absence didn't go unnoticed and I look forward to your posts again.

King4Day · Post #4 » by **King4Day** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:30 am

Glad to hear there's a happy ending for you.
I've thought about it and will look more into becoming a donor going forward.

Post #5 » by **lilfishi22** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:38 am

Great to hear from you again JDLAW

I don't know if I'm a donor or not so I'm going to look into it.

Post #6 » by **TASTIC** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:40 am

Holy crap man. Sounds terrible but glad you're ok and back!

Saberestar · Post #7 » by **Saberestar** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:56 am

Tough experience...really happy about your better condition. Hopefully you are completely healthy ASAP.

I have missed your posts, clearly you understand basketball and always is interesting to read your comments. Glad you are back!

RaisingArizona · Post #8 » by **RaisingArizona** » Mon May 22, 2017 2:07 am

Already am. Glad to hear you're on the upswing.

WeekapaugGroove · Post #9 » by **WeekapaugGroove** » Mon May 22, 2017 2:12 am

Godspeed on the recovery.

It's an easy process through the mvd website to sign up to be an OD.

Sent from my SM-G930V using RealGM mobile app

Christine-In-AZ · Post #10 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Tue May 23, 2017 11:02 am

Congratulations and great to see you back here.

Hope you can chime in now and again. Miss your sensibility and solid knowledge of the numbers (cap stuff).

Son of Ra · Post #11 » by **Son of Ra** » Tue May 23, 2017 12:47 pm

lilfishi22 wrote:Great to hear from you again JDLAW

I don't know if I'm a donor or not so I'm going to look into it.

In AZ you get a sticker on your ID/driver's license. If you don't have it, chances are you're not signed up.
Been on the donor list ever since I was first asked. Wouldn't be able to come up with a single, justifiable reason not to be. I mean, you're dead anyways, it's not like you could care anymore. And in a way, if you withhold an organ that could save someone else you're basically taking that person with you by saying no.

Now be safe on your motorcycle JD

Post #12 » by **lilfishi22** » Tue May 23, 2017 1:12 pm

Son of Ra wrote:
lilfishi22 wrote:Great to hear from you again JDLAW

I don't know if I'm a donor or not so I'm going to look into it.

In AZ you get a sticker on your ID/driver's license. If you don't have it, chances are you're not signed up.
Been on the donor list ever since I was first asked. Wouldn't be able to come up with a single, justifiable reason not to be. I mean, you're dead anyways, it's not like you could care anymore. And in a way, if you withhold an organ that could save someone else you're basically taking that person with you by saying no.

Now be safe on your motorcycle JD

I live in Australia, don't think it's on our licence.

Anyway I agree with you. Out of curiosity I did some research on the pros and cons of organ donation and the only con that came up other than religious reasons is certain organs require you to be "alive" for them to be collected. One argument I read is that, they could effectively end your life to harvest if you're brain dead but still technically alive. But when I think about it, if I'm brain dead the chance of making a full recovery is probably very low and if I do miraculously recover, I'll probably have a crappy quality of life. Might as well give someone a chance at a significantly better quality of life than trying to keep me alive just to keep me alive.

bigfoot · Post #13 » by **bigfoot** » Tue May 23, 2017 1:49 pm

Welcome back JD ... hope to see you on the board a bit more. Keep that life / work balance in check.

Post #14 » by **bwgood77** » Fri Jun 2, 2017 6:36 am

Hope all is going well JD. If you are ever up to it, would love to see your contributions again on the forum as well. But life first, of course.

JDLAW · Post #15 » by **JDLAW** » Sat Jun 3, 2017 6:30 am

Had a lengthy one this afternoon explaining why I think Bledsoe is unlikely to be traded and why Pekovic of Minnesota will not part of any trade including one for Bledsoe as some have suggested. It has to with the way NBA disability insurance works. I had just finished it when I got interrupted. When I returned, I apparently was timed out and lost it. I'll try to recreate it later.

RaisingArizona · Post #16 » by **RaisingArizona** » Sat Jun 3, 2017 10:49 am

JDLAW wrote:Had a lengthy one this afternoon explaining why I think Bledsoe is unlikely to be traded and why Pekovic of Minnesota will not part of any trade including one for Bledsoe as some have suggested. It has to with the way NBA disability insurance works. I had just finished it when I got interrupted. When I returned, I apparently was timed out and lost it. I'll try to recreate it later.

Shoot. This has happened to me multiple times. It's why I usually post in short sentences on RealGM haha. Wish there was a recovery tool or that it saved as a draft as we typed.

Post #17 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Jun 3, 2017 7:11 pm

ginobiliflops wrote:
JDLAW wrote:Had a lengthy one this afternoon explaining why I think Bledsoe is unlikely to be traded and why Pekovic of Minnesota will not part of any trade including one for Bledsoe as some have suggested. It has to with the way NBA disability insurance works. I had just finished it when I got interrupted. When I returned, I apparently was timed out and lost it. I'll try to recreate it later.

Shoot. This has happened to me multiple times. It's why I usually post in short sentences on RealGM haha. Wish there was a recovery tool or that it saved as a draft as we typed.

Yes, I've lost very long PMs that way. I started saving some as drafts, on occasion and then continuing, or just copying and pasting in an email to myself or google doc or something if it gets long and is detailed.

BobbieL · Post #18 » by **BobbieL** » Sat Jun 3, 2017 8:47 pm

First off - glad to read that you are on the road to recovery. Very important message you sent - I think I am an organ donor but will be sure to verify that

Continued good health to you JDLAW - look forward to reading your posts (nobody knew the salary cap better

)

stilldropin20 · Post #19 » by **stilldropin20** » Mon Jun 5, 2017 5:28 am

came to read a post about lebron needing a "heart." then read OP's post. congratulations!! may you make the best of you new lease!! and i would recommend doing something major for the children or widow of the donor. Major!! he/she is a true hero to all of us. especially you! I too am a happy donor!

NyKnicks1714 · Post #20 » by **NyKnicks1714** » Mon Jun 5, 2017 5:31 am

I gave up on trying to understand human behavior a long time ago, but not being an organ donor is something that really baffles me.