OT Morbid?

Hi guys.  I hope someone on here can point me in the right direction.  I am an organ donor.  I was driving home after getting my license renewed (that is when you sign up) and I was thinking about what part of me was worth harvesting (Morbid? Not really).  That brought me to my brain.  I started to wonder how does one go about donating their brain to science.  I would like to give it to someone...someplace that works on demylenating diseases of the brain.  Do any of you know how I do this or where I should begin to find out?  If I have garbled this please forgive me the brain on been on a very long blink of almost a week.

thanks,  terry

[Zacksmomi]

That is actually an interesting thought.  I know the places are out there.  I do not know where, but I always turn to the MS Society or Google.  
I am sure someone will chime in soon.  
Good topic to bring up (well you know what I mean)

D

[Lulu54]

Hi Terry,
This is a conversation that I have with my neuro everytime I see him - our running joke is finally I have found a man who wants me for my brain and not my body.  

He is working out the final details on donation to the MS center he works at, which has extensive research going on.  When I am done with my body, it will go to OSU for their research.  

Most teaching universities have anatomical gift programs where you can make arrangements to donate your body for study by medical students.  There are specific places that look for donations of brains for neurological study and research.  Talk to your doctors about your interest and research your local institutions to see who has an established program.

This is a good thing you want to  do - I hope you can figure out how to make it happen. I would be happy to talk to you further about this if you want.

my best,
Lulu

[Quixotic1]

You can donate your brain to MS Research and they beg you too.  I intend to do it.  I believe the Consortium or the NMSS have info on this.

Q

[HVAC]

When I was looking up MS before being diagnosed I saw lots of studies done on the brains of deceased MS patients. I always planned to donate my body for whatever would be useful. It is important to get it set up ahead of time. This is a lesson I learned from a friend of mine whose husband died of Multiple Myeloma and did not have it set up. She had to deal with it at the time of his death and since she was emotional it was really hard.

Alex

[saveone]

Thanks guys.  

Lu, I have been thinking and I have decided I will talk to my neuro the next time I see him...8/25...not long to wait.  It is a research and teaching facility.  It is part of the University of Ky.  Maybe they will work harder for me if they think they are going to get my brain.  :)

Quix and Zacksmom, sometime today I will contact the Consortium and the NMSS,  If I find an easy process I will post it so others will have the info.

wishing you a great day,
terry

HVAC, I would not want my family to have to deal with this at the time of my death.  I don't know how they could emotionally hold up to see to the details.

[PastorDan]

Great question, and great answers from all.

As one who often helps survivors deal with the loss of a loved one, I would urge everyone reading this to make a determined effort to plan out what you would want to have happen once you're gone.  Regardless of your religious beliefs, it is extremely helpful to those left behind to have a clear understanding of the wishes of the deceased.  Grief is traumatic enough on its own, without having to make decisions on the spur of the moment, decisions that could bring peace and comfort, or more grief in days ahead.

Terry, I've been listed on my driver's license as an organ donor for many years, but never thought about this degree of specificity.  I'd always just had a vague thought that, if someone could find my old heart or lungs or liver useful, why not put them where they'd help?  You've prompted me to consider the details more carefully.  I'll be interested in the info you dig up.

Hugs all around.

[Lulu54]

I'm not sure about the organ donation since I have confirmed MS.  I was looking at their site this past week and started to call the national organization with the question but got sidetracked.  Perhas I'll get it done this week - if so, I will let you know the answer.  

What got me started again was doing the blood donation since we are now approved to donate blood.  

My neighbor's job is actually to harvest donations from cadavers - if I see her out anytime soon I will try to remember to ask her this question as well.

This is a very good conversation and I'm so glad it has been started here.  
my best,
L

[HVAC]

www.nationalmssociety.org/research/.../donate.../index.aspx

Above is a link I found about donation. Something I did not think about is there is a window of opportunity for harvesting. I do not mean to be creepy. I plan to live a really long time.

Alex

[Karen99]

I've been curious about this for a long time.  Pre-MS I was a donor for just about any tissue or organ except for my brain (I wanted that left alone)  As fate would have it, the only thing they'd want from me now is my brain.  It grosses me out thinking my brain would be in a pickle jar sitting on a shelf somewhere.  LOL

I'll look into this more because I'd like to donate my brain for inspection and maybe a limited amount of tissue, but don't want frankenstein-type experiments.

It's new to me that folks with MS can donate blood.  The thinking must have changed along the way.  Maybe organ donation too????

Thanks for the link, HVAC.  

[saveone]

Thanks for the link.  I ordered a donor packet form the U of Illinois in Chicago.  It was the closet to me.  I let you know what I find out.

terry