Shannon Larratt is Zentastic

My apologies in advance if this entry seems in bad taste. It is not meant to be. However, if you are sensitive about suicide, please don't read it. In addition, let me be very clear — suicide is not a very good idea, and I strongly urge you against it!

READ THIS FIRST

I recently read a book about the mechanics, politics, and procedures involved in organ donation. As I'm sure you know, a single body in good shape can donate a huge number of pieces — organs like the heart, kidneas, pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines, as well as bits and pieces like your corneas, skin, bone marrow, connective tissue, and so on — saving or improving the lives of many people.

A lot of people have urged me to look at Jess's page, who says that she's selling all of her possessions in preparation for her suicide attempt, and it got me thinking about the possibility of a “noble suicide”. I did some searching for it online, and while suicide organs do get used, I wasn't able to find any information on planned post-suicide organ donation. If you're going to commit suicide, assuming you're not a member of the VHEMT, I would hope you'd at least want someone to be helped by your loss?

It's interesting as well that some of the minority groups that have the highest suicide rates are also most in need of organ donation — Native Americans for example are dramatically more likely to commit suicide (in many communities it's a bigger killer than car accidents) and are also in higher need of organ donations… As morbid as it sounds, why can't these two tragedies come together for a common good?

In all seriousness, what would happen if you had a signed organ donor card (and had informed your family of your wishes “should you” die), taped a note to your chest saying “I am donating my organs!”, and walked to a hospital emergency room and shot yourself in the head?

It's certainly less disturbing than China harvesting the organs of criminals for sale to wealthy foreigners.