If my loved one is brain dead, what does that mean?
Well, when someone is brain dead
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
Plant, plant, plant, plant, plant, plant, plant
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?
Heh heh
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 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 heh
Sometimes, we must accept 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?
Yeah, they'll lie though
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
Just getting a little hungry just talking about it here
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
Brain dead
Coma, coma, coma, coma, coma, coma, coma
Brain dead
Mmph, mmph, yeah
Brain dead