Cornbugs Brain Dead
"If my loved one is brain dead, what does that mean?"
"Well, when someone is brain dead, it means there's no
flow or oxygen to their brain and that their brain is
no longer functioning in any capacity and never will
again. It does not mean that other organs
such as the heart kidneys or liver are dead
although they may function for only a few days
unless damaged by injury or disease.These organs may be
used by another individual through an organ
transplant."
"I have always understood that when an individual dies,
the heart stops beating. If my loved one is brain dead,
why does the heart continue to beat?"
"Well, the heart has its own pacemaker, independent of
the brain. As long as it has oxygen, it continues to
beat. Hey I like that beat! The heart could actually be
removed from the body, placed in a saline solution
given oxygen and it still continue to beat. Therefore,
the brain can be dead and the heart continue to beat.
"How can we deal with our struggle between hope and
letting go?"
"Heh heh heh heh heh heh. Sometimes we must accept the
things we cannot change. When brain death is declared,
there is no hope, and it's time to let go. False hope
can do a great deal of harm and prevents the grieving
process that allows for emotional healing."
"Are all families approached about the option of organ
and tissue donations?"
"How the hell do I know? But....I can speak from
experience...you got an extra kidney or some adenoids
lying around, you can put 'em in a plastic bag and give
'em to me."
"What do you plan to do with them?"
"Well, I ain't gonna throw 'em out, that's for sure,
and I sure ain't gonna sew em up in some other idiot!
In fact, I'm getting a little hungry just talking about
it. I'll give that liver a nice new home... Yes, I
surely will."
Brain dead,
That's what the doctor said.
Guess that's the end of Ted.
how come my hands are all red?
brain dead.....
