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Guitar_t-bone t1_je7loee wrote

Reply to comment by nellirn in eli5 What do blood labs do with your blood after they have tested it? by ratboy_r97

why don’t they let me keep it? i mean… isn’t it legally mine? could i sue em for it?

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3L3M3NT4LP4ND4 t1_je7mkhn wrote

Not an expert but I assume it's a biological hazard due to it rotting. Yes all meat rots but when you buy a desd chicken its being sold under the assumption that it will be eaten, not the same for being given back your own organ or detached limb.

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kaldicuck t1_je7ox1w wrote

outside of specific tests typically for cancer, things like an appendix are preserved in formalin. Outside of that its hospital/lab policy on whether they let you have it back if you want it. Usually extra paperwork and depends on what the specimen is as some tests destroy it as a part of the process.

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balanabee t1_je7n9xa wrote

It does have to be tested but you can request to advertise your body part back. It is you after all.

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Tizzee88 t1_je7x0ql wrote

It's crazy how fast it goes bad. Last week I had to go to the ER and the first thing they did was take like 4 to 5 vials of blood to run a "rainbow" test. After the doctor came in he told them what tests to run and they only used 1 or 2 vials and when I left 2 hours later you could see the blood they didn't use still sitting in the little tray all coagulated and shit.

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tattednip t1_je7ytba wrote

...can I have my organs under the assumption I will be eating them...?

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Zankastia t1_je7ylms wrote

They can give it to you sealed in a tube filled with alcohol

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Detavitca t1_je7pqcq wrote

You can keep it. My hospital made me sign a form and requested that I bring my own own container. Incidentally, this was not a common practice, and what I requested to keep was not returned to me. They said it was in the lab and covered in formaldehyde. It was of no use to me after that. I was told that since I signed the form requesting it, I could have sued. I did not pursue this route.

Note: I was trying to keep my placenta so I could bury it in my garden.

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TrialAndAaron t1_je7wvom wrote

My wife just had a breast implant removal and keeping them was an option. I said send package them up baby! They’re sitting on my counter right now. No idea what to do with them

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kuh-tea-uh t1_je7ytp0 wrote

Take photos and post them here, of course!!

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TrialAndAaron t1_je7z1ws wrote

Two 492 cc bags of silicone. Not that cool. Sort of regretting taking them now Lol

Edit: it was a useful tool to explain what surgery monk had to our kid

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cjboffoli t1_je7tygi wrote

"You want a toe? I can get 'ya a toe. Heck, I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock WITH nail polish."

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Skusci t1_je7mv54 wrote

No, you gave it to them to be tested.

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Guitar_t-bone t1_je7n7gn wrote

I don’t think it works that way… I know they make you sign a thing when you DONATE blood because they have to take legal possession of it in order to eventually sell it…. But testing? No such relinquishing of property rights occurs… 🧐🧐🧐

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Skusci t1_je7nika wrote

Should read whatever contract you sign. There's almost certainly a provision for how your blood is handled. It's mostly to keep people from thinking that the place might give your blood to someone and put it in a database or whatnot, -but- it also serves as them letting you know you aren't getting it back.

Edit: Just remembered some places do infact keep your bits after testing, but that's for like when you provide your blood to a research project, not like STD tests or whatnot.

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fileknotfound t1_je7rscw wrote

You can request to keep your placenta after giving birth, and I know people who have kept wisdom teeth or gallstones after having them removed. I bet you can keep other stuff too, people just don’t ask for it very often.

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SargeMaximus t1_je7uvwj wrote

When they took my appendix I had to sign a form saying once they took it out, it wasn’t mine anymore.

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elliold t1_je7vn1z wrote

Check out the story of Henrietta Lacks. Once you give the sample, it is no longer yours.

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