Hi David,

Yes, you're right!! It's a difficult topic. I'll answers your question tomorrow.

Hi Ling and Anne,

I'm glad I was of some help to you:)

Bye for now,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年6月21日 01:02

Hi David and all,

I'm sorry that I was too busy to say thank you for your corrections and feedback last week. Well, this week's topic is really difficult for me. When my mother died, my sister and I said no to give some parts of my mom to someone else even though she had given permission and written something on paper before. I was still in my twenties and too emotional about her death, so I couldn't think about it calmly. If I had been the current ages, I might have said OK.

1) Which of these two systems do you think is best. Why?

Opt-in is. Because patients' will is the most important, I believe.

2) Are you a donor? Do you carry a card?

Not yet. To be honest, I haven't decided yet and I'm still thinking whether I become a donor.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年6月21日 02:16

Hi David and everyone,

Good morning. It's cloudy and very humid around here,in Nagoya. According to the weather forecast, it is supposed to be fine in the afternoon. I really hope so!

This week's topic is very difficult to talk even in Japanese. I'd like to share my thoughts later.

See you soon,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年6月21日 08:21

Hi David and everyone,

Lovely to hear that you had a new ipad :)

This weeks topic seem to be difficult!
I read and thind twice,white it later.

Before then,I want to send some messeges to members:

Hi Ling, amo , Anne,

Thank your sharing my Doraemon story and my question :)

To Ling, I relieved that you didn’t care :)
To amo, sorry to be late reply and late thanks;d
Your explanation really helped me :)
I thought some example to make sure if I understand:
“ I’m afraid I have to admit the everywhere door was not my idea, I haven’t invent or create this.”
“ I hate to tell you but I had stolen Doraemon’s secret pocket. All over the world is already under my control!”
How about both of these? If these sounds strange, please give me an advice again !!

To Anne, I hope not Doraemon to have tougher life !
If he will die for his duty, we won't be able to watch his TV program anymore!

Hi appoh,

It might have been me who got back from Sendai.
I am a new member.
Glad to notice me :)

Catch you later.

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年6月21日 10:08

It's noriko again,

I found some mistakes on my messages to members:

I read and thind twice,white it later.
→
I'll read it and think twice ,write it later.

•  noriko
• 2011年6月21日 14:33

Hi David and everyone,
This topic is difficult for me, but I'll think of that.
My answer is yes and no.
The more thinking, The more be difficult.
In your shoes, who is dead body, it is O.K to give my organ.
On the other hand, if I were member of family who was lost someone in my family I wouldn't accept the fact that we have to give some organ from my family.
If all things already has been going that we have to give it to someone, I can accept it, but I can't make it on my own.
So to speak, I'm kinds of a person who are indecision.
If there is some law I'll obey them to give my organ or families' one.
When it comes down to it, I never decide it on my own.
This is the reason why I said the answer "Yes and no"

•  Kazu
• 2011年6月21日 19:15

Hi David and everyone,

I thought about this week’s topic carefully, I would answer the question below:

1)”opt-in”’ is better. I couldn’t say “best” though.
:The reason is, as tsuneko told us, patient’s will is important I think.
2) I’m afraid not.

If you allow me, I’d like to suggest another way, David.


You can choose either card. And you can change your card when you change your mind.

I’ve never been in a situation like tsuneko ever had ( so sorry, what a grief).
But I tried to imagine.
If my family member (especially my beloved son) stayed in coma by car accident or like that, what should I do?
I would hesitate his/her organ take apart from him/her.
If my family member have a serious illness ,need to have an operation for transplant ,what should I do?
I would be dying to want organs for him/her.

Our stand subject to change by our situation.
That’s why I mentioned above.

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年6月21日 22:22

Hi David,

As for the topic, I have talked with my sisters about organ donation a couple of times. Just because we grew up together, it’s not necessary to have the same opinion. But in this case, we have the same idea. In my view, I really don’t care about what happen to my body after I died. I would be happy if my body was used to help someone else. So here are my answers to your question.
1)I think that opt-out system is best. Because I am willing to give my body to help someone else, but I am a lazy person, so I don’t carry a donor card. And as you mentioned this system save more lives.
2)As I said, I don’t.

Hi noriko,

My pleasure:)
About your sentences, I am not sure if your second sentence is ok or not because it’s a bit of unrealistic. May I give you a piece of advice? When you make a sentence, it’s better to make one that you can use in real life. I know why you picked Doraemon this time though.

Good night and sweet dreams,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年6月22日 01:07

Hi David,
Good to hear your presentations went well!
Wow, you met non-Japanese people who read this blog!
Our planet is much smaller because of the information technology!

Hi everyone,
How are you doing today? Yes, this week's topic is difficult but very interesting.
David always gives us chance to think about interest things.

Here are my opinions.
1) I think "opt-in" system is better. There are 2 reasons.

First, if we don't have a choice, it might be easy for black markets for organs to start.
I saw on BBC news about black markets in China where a young boy sold his kidney to buy a laptop.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13639934

If we have the "opt-out" system, then we will have to have laws to make sure everything is safe and fair.

Next, I've heard about some religions can't be organ donors. Maybe they think they need to go to heaven with all parts together after they die? I am not sure.
Anyway, they have a choice with "opt-in" system.

2) Yes, I am an organ donor.
In the U.S. when you get a driver's license you have to choose to be an organ donor or not.
I chose to be a donor.
After I die, I don't need them, and I can save a life, I should.
The card (driver's license) is always with me.

Hi Fumie,
Wow, you went to the Korean town in Osaka!?
I had lived near there! Your message made me feel very nostalgic!
I am glad you enjoyed "サムギョプサル" : )
Yes, I am a コテコテ大阪人！(笑) I mainly lived in Osaka but I don't often use "すんまへん" haha.

Hi Noriko and Anne,
I had a very meaningful time at the Holocaust museum. It made a deep impression on me.
I wish I could have more time there because there was a lot to read.
When you have a chance to visit Washington D.C., I strongly recommend visiting there.
When you go into the museum, you will get a card which tells the story of a real person who lived during the Holocaust.
At the end of your visit, you will see what happened the person.

See ya. Have a peaceful day : )

Hi David,
I look forward to hearing your opinions about this week's topic.
Please enjoy your iPad time and have a lovely day!

Animal Farm

•  Animal Farm
• 2011年6月22日 04:35

Hi David and everyone,

Glad to hear that the presentations went well!
This week's topic is difficult still one of orthodox topics for discussion. Let me share my idea.
I already told my family to give my organs to people who need them if something would happen to me. I think it's better that parts of my body keep on living on someone's body than my whole body just burns to ashes. Basically I have the same opinion about my children's case. But I'm not sure in the case of brain death if such thing would happen to my loved ones. To accept brain death as human death is a controversial topic. But as a parent, if there is even a scarce chance that my children would wake up, I couldn't give consent to their organ transplants. I watched scenes from some American medical dramas several times in which the doctors persueded people to give consent to their children's or parent's organ transplants. They finally accepted it.
The important thing is that we should show our will about what we want to do our organs in case of worst situation even if we are healthy. Nobody knows what would happen to us tomorrow. I think still in Japan, not so many people don't show their wills about their donations. We shouldn't leave others to decide such an important matter when we become certain age.
So about your NO.1 question that asked us which do we think is best, "opt-in" or "opt-out", both systems don't answer my point. As I said, we all should show our will about donation when we reach the age to decide by ourselves.
About NO.2 question, yes, I carry a donar card.

Looking forward to hearing your thoghts!

Fumie

•  Fumie
• 2011年6月22日 06:56

Hi David and everyone,

As I said yesterday morning, it’s very difficult to talk about this topic, and even more difficult in English.
This reminds me of an incident that happened in China recently. A teenager in China was a huge fan of
Apple iPad 2 and sold his kidney to some underground organ trafficker to buy it. He could buy ipad2,
however, his health is getting worse. It’s dreadful, isn’t it? ( Animal Farm told us the site about this news. Thanks!)
This shows the number of organ donors is insufficient, and I often hear these kinds of stories.

This topic also reminds me of a child named Soutato, who received heart transplantation in the U.S because children under 10 are not able to receive transplantation in Japan those days. Sadly, he passed away in 2008 after the transplantation. Last year, organ transplantation under 15 years old became possible by the revised law.
If I were a parent, I’m not sure if I can consent to donate if my child were suspected to be brain death, while if I were a parent of a child who wait for organ transplantation, this revised law is obviously a ray of hope. I know I’m selfish, but this is my honest feeling at the moment.

By the way, I didn't know there are two types of organ donation; opt-in system and opt-out system. (Technically three# Within European Union, 24 European countries use opt-out system. Among them, Spain, Austria and Belgium have high donor rate.
United State and Japan use the opt-in system.
#1#
Opt-in system
There are tons of people including children who put their names on a waiting list for donors. I understand if Japan uses opt-out system, a lot more people’s lives will be saved, and yet I think there should be a choice.
Of course, in the case of opt-out system, if you do not want to donate your organ and show your will, you don’t need to do so.

#2#
No, I don’t. As Animal Farm told us, if there is a system to ask people’s will in driver’s license like the system in the U.S., the rate of organ donation in Japan, which is lower in Western countries, would increase, and a lot more people show their will including me.

PS. Has anyone see today's google logo? I almost forgot today is the summer solstice#夏至）.

Bye for now,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年6月22日 08:52

訂正；
＞Has anyone see today's google logo? →Did someone see today's Google logo?

•  Anne
• 2011年6月22日 14:01

Hi amo,

Thanks for your advice:)
That was going too far,wasn't it?
This is a good idea that make a sentence in my real life.
It might be easier to study sentences.
Thanks anyway:)

Hi Animal Farm,

I read your report with interest :)
Yes,I'd like to go there someday.
I think we have to learn from history. Visiting places like that gives us chance to think about our lives.

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年6月22日 16:15

Hi David and everyone,

This week’s topic is really tough for me.
If I were a parent of a child who could not live without an organ transplant, I would do anything to help him or her. I would appreciate the revised law and let him(her) undergo an transplant operation. .

On the other hand, what would happen to me if my child died young? I would fall in the catch 22 situation between two feelings that I don't want to get hurt the body of my beloved child and that my child can live on in a recipient's body.

1)I think "opt-in"system is best because the right of the patient should be protected.
2)Yes. I am a donor. My will is written on a seal on the back of my insurance card.

To Animal Farm,
I visited 'Holocaust Museum' last year and had a chance to talk with two Holocaust survivors. One of them showed me a tattoo of numbers on his hand .They were just treated as numbers in those days. So sad.

Have a good day.

Kyon

•  Kyon
• 2011年6月22日 16:25

> David, amo and tsuneko
Thank you for answering my question about "crowded train". I understand it. Actually, I think I had a huge misunderstanding. I thought that "train" indicates one train car. And "trains" indicates chained train cars.
□-□-□-□ ←trains
-□- ←train
The fact is like below, isn't it?
□-□-□-□ ←train
□-□-□-□ ←trains (including two lines)
□-□-□-□
It may be very hard to see in cell phone, sorry!

Hi Anne
I like Snoopy, so I am glad. A wallpaper of my PC is Snoopy.

Hi Ling
I didn't noticed that Snoopy is older that me! That's interesting :-)

Hi Chiki
Your birthday is just a month before mine? It comes close your birthday!

I will try to write about this week's topic tomorrow if I have a time.

good night

P.S. David, you bought iPad2?! That's fantastic. I have wanted to buy it but I can't make up my mind.
trmr

•  trmr
• 2011年6月22日 23:41

Hi trmr, your idea of showing trains was super!

•  tsuneko
• 2011年6月22日 23:51

Good evening, David and everyone.

I've been busy and couldn't checked this site for a long time but I learn something new whenever I read David's and everyone's comments.

I didn't know there are two types of organ donation, either.

Before I read everyone's comments, I thought that opt-out was better. This is because we might save more lives and if someone really doesn't want it happened, he or she can carry the card saying that not giving their organs.
I believe that there are many people not carrying the donor card but actually don't mind giving their organs or are willing to help others by giving their organs.
However, after reading everyone's comments, I am not sure if opt-out one is better or not. It's quite comlicated.

As I mentioned before, I am also one of those who don't carry the donor card but want to help.

I've never talked about this topic with my family. Maybe I should ask my family what they think about this first.

Thank you very much. I've learnt something very important from all of you.
I'll do my best to take more time to come to this place to improve my English from now on.

Have a good night, everyone.

Tomoyo

•  匿名
• 2011年6月23日 01:48

Hi Animal Farm,

Thank you for sharing your story. You seem to have had the meaningful time at the Holocaust Museum.
When I have a chance to visit Washington D.C. again, I'll put it the top priority to visit! By the way, have you ever read a book named "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktore.Frankl? The author wrote about the meaning of life including his experiences in a Concentration Camp. It was great.

Hi Kyon,
The story of the survivors is so sad!

Hi trmr,
I love your way of explaining the train!

Hi Tomoyo,
Glad to see your comment again here:)

David,looking forward to new entry!

I hear birds chirping outside and it's nice.

See you soon,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年6月23日 05:58

it's me again.
I suddenly realized it's still Thursday,not Friday when I was preparing for breakfast.
David,looking forward to tomorrow's new entry. Oh, it's a senior moment,sigh....

•  Anne
• 2011年6月23日 08:09

Hi Tomo,

Glad to find your comment again.
Don't worry, we are always here and your side.

Hi everyone,
I am on the train and yes it's very crowded:(
I bet that I will be tired before I get to work!

Have a good day
amo

•  amo
• 2011年6月23日 08:29

Just checking, but I think Tomoyo and Tomo are different people, aren't they?

•  David
• 2011年6月23日 10:54

Hi David,

Before answering your questions about organ donation, I'd like to ask you a question.

You wrote as follows:
1) Which of these two systems do you think is best. Why?

When I was in jounior high, I was told by English teachers, "If you compare two things, you shuold use the comperative degree." Considering this case the word 'better' is good, not the word 'best.'

However, you used the word best. Why?

Anyway these are my answers.

1) Which of these two systems do you think is best. Why?

→I think Opt-in system is better because after my death my body parts should be controled by my relatives.

2) Are you a donor? Do you carry a card?

→No, I haven't become a donor yet.

Hi Animal Farm,
I think your sentences are very easy to read, especially on the point of punctuation.

Have you learned English punctuation rules?

See ya.

•  Gussan
• 2011年6月23日 12:55

Hi David and everyone,

Organ donation is a very heavy and difficult topic to write about. I’ve never been in a situation that I have to make a decision to be an organ donor or not, so I’ve never thought about it seriously.
By the way, I found that there is also a survey sheet on the back side of Japanese driver’s license, you can become a donor just by circling some items and signing your name on it. I can’t drive, so of course I don’t have a driver’s license.

Maybe because I’m not a pure person basically, I tend to think some bad sides of things. I don’t know much about the donation system, how could I make sure the system is fair and equitable? Even though the system itself is all right, how could I make sure everyone involved in it is fair and equitable? If I’m a doctor who has a beloved one waiting for an organ donation, I might try to get the first opportunity for him (her) by fair means or foul. And I can’t help asking myself, if life is put on price, am I still willing to give away my organs even though I want to help others?

These are my answers.

1) Which of these two systems do you think is best. Why?
I think “opt-in” is better. As many other members have said, the individual’s will is the most important thing, I don’t want to be a presumed donor before I ever think it over and make a choice.
I don’t think living organ donation is included in this topic, but I’m also worried “opt-out” system may be used by illegal transactions in some countries.

2) Are you a donor? Do you carry a card?
No. I’m not. I haven’t made my mind yet, but this is a good opportunity to think about it.

Hi Anne,
One of my co-workers made the same mistake as you, she looked very happy this morning as she thought it’s Friday today! (lol) But anyway weekend is just around there :-)

Amo,
I was wondering where you found Tomo’s post. As David said, you might mistake Tomoyo as Tomo.

•  Ling
• 2011年6月23日 14:28

Just Quick comment.
As David and Ling said, we have Tomo and Tomoyo here. It's been a while since Tomoyo left the comment here,right? I'm glad to hear from Tomoyo^^)

>Tomo, I just want to say, "take care of yourself."

I had my hair cut and got back home now.
It's veeeery hot and humid!

>Ling, these things sometimes happento me....

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年6月23日 14:43

Hi Tomoyo,

I am very sorry if I offend your feelings.
As David mentioned, I totally mistook your comment as from Tomo. Please accept my apologies.

amo

•  amo
• 2011年6月23日 14:49

Hi Gussan,

Strictly speaking, your teacher was right - it should be "better." However, many native speakers would say "best." I'm afraid that native speakers do not always follow grammatical rules!

•  David
• 2011年6月23日 18:22

Hi David and all,

I'm watching today's news on TV now. It said that a 55-year-old doctor was arrested because he had paid a gangstar 10,000,000 yen for getting his living kidney. He has been wanting to have his ill kidney taken over by someone's living kidney in Phillipine but he seems to have given up because of its shortage, and then decided to commit that. Sorry, I have to go now. 尻切れトンボでごめんなさい。Somebody, please continue to this story....

•  tsuneko
• 2011年6月23日 21:33

Hi, David, and everyone,
I'm glad to hear that your presentations went well. I didn't know that you came here, Hiroshima, to have your presentation! I live in Hiroshima so I might have gone by you:)

This is a very topic that I've been thinking of since last summer because I lost my loved one and my family was in that situation to make a ultimate decision quickly.

1)I think opt-in system is better. It's a cruel thing to take organs out of a loved-one's body, ignoring the feeling of the bereaved. I don't think it's acceptable for them and if they feel regrets or are full of remorse with what happens, they're going to suffer for ages, probably in a lifetime blaming themselves. Laws and pieces legislation don't have a right to inhibit the bereaved's wish as well as the patient's will.
But I didn't know that there are two systems for organ donation.

2)I'd thought to have a donor card, but since what happened last year and thought twice that I am not going to have one (so far). I'd thought it would be wonderful if I could help people who are in pain after my death, giving my pieces. But it is not that simple. When I die, I do not care if parts of my body are taken out for donation and transplanted in other's bodies or not. Neither am I cremated or not. But I DO care what is going to happen to my family and want to think what's the best thing to do if I die, leaving my family.

Hi, Animal Farm,
I read the article you linked up here, and I felt sad and sorry for them. But it is a reality what's going on now. Thank you for sharing it wit us.

Hi, Anne,
You reminded me of the summer solstice! It's getting hotter and hotter so I pulled an electric fan from a closet yesterday. But daylight-hours is already getting shorter and shorter since yesterday!

See you tomorrow.
momo

•  momo
• 2011年6月23日 22:10

I'm back. There is a Japanese law that only allows patients' relatives to give their living organs(maybe kidneys only), so the doctor became a stepfather of the gangstar. However, the gangstar asked the doctor another 10,000,000 yen, therefore, the operation hadn't been done yet. I understood how much the doctor had wanted to have the transplant operation and feel sorry that he didn't have any relatives to give their kidneys to him.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年6月23日 22:46

Hi Tsuneko,

I just read the news on yahoo. In Japan, living kidney transplant is only allowed within family members. I didn't know that!

I felt sorry for the doctor too.

•  Ling
• 2011年6月23日 23:02

Hi Ling,

Thanks for your reply. I didn't know that either. If he had asked someone else, he might have been able to get the operation. Good night.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年6月23日 23:37

Yes, I am not Tomo but Tomoyo.
I think this is my second visit here!

Thank you.

Tomoyo

•  Tomoyo
• 2011年6月23日 23:39

Hi David and everyone,

I am a bit of surprised that most of you have chosen opt-in system because I thought the result would be even. I thought that most people simply too lazy to opt-in, even though they support organ donation. It turned out I was completely wrong!!

I have never gone through this kind of situation, so I am not aware of organ donations.
So I might misunderstand opt-in system. If I have a donor card and I die, doctors automatically can take parts of my body? Or do they still ask my family’s permission?

After reading other members’ comments, I started thinking which system is more respect of patients’ will. Because some members mentioned that it’s ok to give their organs to someone else, but when it comes to family members, they hesitate to do so. So I was wondering if I don’t have a donor card and my family knew that I wanted to be a donor but they refuse it. Where’s my will?

Hi trmr,
You're welcome;)

Speak to you soon,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年6月24日 00:54

Hi amo,

>So I was wondering if I don’t have a donor card and my family knew that I wanted to be a donor but they refuse it. Where’s my will?

As for your question, yes, that's the point. In my mom's case too, she might(must?) have wanted but her daughters(my sis and me) rejected because we were not sure whether she really wanted to do so.

If you really want to be a donor, first thing you have to do is to make your family fully understand your will while you are fine unless "Opt-out" is used in Japan, I think. Otherwise, the numbers of donors will not easily increase.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年6月24日 10:54

Very nice looking site. Just what theme are you presently using?

•  check your credit report online
• 2011年9月21日 07:48

I am perpetually thought about this, thanks for posting .

•  Maybell Rutland
• 2011年10月12日 05:14

What a fun pattern! It’s great to hear from you and see what you’ve sent up to. All of the projects look great! You make it so simple to this. Thanks

•  abercrombie and fitch
• 2011年11月16日 12:36