Viewing Thread:
"Would you transplant a donated body part?"

Well? Given a choice - would you? I've been hearing about Mark Cahill for most of yesterday

UK Hand Transplant

and my gut reaction was "I wouldn't do that".. Then I got to wondering why not? Simplistic answer is the thought of it just grossed me out. Scared me actually, too Frankenstein. Then I had to think deeper. After all, the thought of heart / liver / kidney transplants do not cause the same reaction from me.

An internal organ transplant is a life saving operation and, although you would be aware of the transplant, you wouldn't see a physical reminder in your day to day life. An external transplant I would see every day and every day I would know the limb isn't mine. Having to take meds for the rest of your life, to con your body, would also re-inforce the alien nature of the limb. Your body rejects these transplants - doesn't that tell you anything?

I do understand that the litmus test would be if I actually lost a limb and had the opportunity to replace it but I know that I wouldn't change my mind. I would never be strong enough mentally to accept it. Just taking the hand scenario I would always wonder who was this person, whose life ended so tragically, what did they do? Was this their main hand? What did this hand touch before and more importantly, could I touch my skin with it without being grossed out. The answer would be no, I couldn't.

I would have a transplant grown from my own cells or at least I believe I would. It would still be freaky, maybe too freaky, but at least my body would not reject the transplant. It would be "unused" and mine alone. The convenience, and cosmetic, results are mind boggling really.

Then, to cap it all off, I caught the end of the movie The Island. Is this where it ends? In this reality it's very far fetched. A complete clone for you to farm? No more alien transplants, no more having a second child to farm "bits" for your first born. There again who knows what the future (way, way, hopefully, the future) holds for mankind.

Nin wrote:
[i]I'd take it without much thought. Deal with the mental consequences later.

Yeah I suppose it's something you can't really prepare for having a dead blokes hand stuck on the end of your arm.

Suppose the best way to approach it is to think how much harder life would be without it.

I'd take it without much thought. Deal with the mental consequences later.

Ineedsleep wrote:
Then, to cap it all off, I caught the end of the movie The Island. Is this where it ends? In this reality it's very far fetched. A complete clone for you to farm? No more alien transplants, no more having a second child to farm "bits" for your first born. There again who knows what the future (way, way, hopefully, the future) holds for mankind.

I'd suggest watching Never Let Me Go instead, a much better film on the same topic. It's grim

Smedders wrote:
Alfonse wrote:
[i]What about if you lost your face in a non-descript explosion and they wanted to give you the face of an extremely attractive dead paedophile?

With a cigar hanging out your mouth......?[/i]

There's nothing attractive about lung cancer

If I had no legs /or arms and the transplants were a success then sure why not. Unless of course it ended up like that Simpsons halloween episode with Homer and Snakes hair.

Alfonse wrote:
What about if you lost your face in a non-descript explosion and they wanted to give you the face of an extremely attractive dead paedophile?

With a cigar hanging out your mouth......?

Alfonse wrote:
What about if you lost your face in a non-descript explosion and they wanted to give you the face of an extremely attractive dead paedophile?

LOL

What about if you lost your face in a non-descript explosion and they wanted to give you the face of an extremely attractive dead paedophile?

It's a bit weird really but if it meant having two functioning hands instead of one I'd have the transplant as it would make life a lot easier.

It's sweepy pb, it's sweepy

Alfonse wrote:
[i]I would get a woman's hand transplanted onto me and then hold hands with myself so I would never be lonely[/i

I can't work out if that's sweet or creepy!