Giants,
My angst is that, as a non-directed donor, *I do not consider myself more altruistic than someone who is a directed donor -- and I am quite uncomfortable when someone puts me on a pedestal, or ranks me. above other living donors.
All donors have our own fears of surgery and possible future psycho-socio-econo-medical adverse effects to surmount, our own strong reasons to donate, etc. I have difficulty and unease when someone ranks us donors on "degrees" of altruism, given that the person does not know all my circumstances and lived values, or all the circumstances and lived values of [probably] any other donor -- much less those of all donors. Put it another way, I consider us donors to be family -- and I have difficulty and unease when someone ranks people in my/our family, and puts me above most of my sisters and brothers.
I recognize that my friends who do that about me are well meaning. I just gently tell them that all donors are altruistic, so please call me, simply, a "non-directed donor."
BTW, the people I admire most are family members of some deceased donors. I cannot imagine the horror and excruciating grief experienced by the parents of the 8 or 9 year old girl in Tucson who was shot & killed in the shooting of Congresswoman Gabby and others close by her -- yet they quickly decided to donate her organs. I hope that I would have done the same.
Bill