The cost of divorce – an arm, a leg, a kidney
We all know that divorce is often an expensive and messy business. A friend argues that if you ever think of cheating on your wife, ask yourself “is she worth a house?” because thats what it will cost you.
People often say their divorce cost them an arm and a leg. Well, there’s a case in New York now where the couple are arguing over a kidney.
Richard Batista, a surgeon from Long Island in New York, gave his kidney to his wife Dawnell after two previous transplants failed. He now wants it back because she cheated on him and has filed for divorce. He has claimed either the kidney back or $US1.5m compensation.
Dr Batista told New York Daily News there is “no value you can put on an organ when it saves someone’s life. There is no greater feeling on this planet”. He says he is only suing Dawnell to get to her act reasonably in the divorce case, claiming she is restricting access to their children, aged 8, 11 and 14.
However, it seems unlikely he will get either the kidney back or money from his wife.
Medical ethicist Robert Veatch from Georgetown University told News Day it’s illegal for an organ to be exchanged for anything of value. He said organ donation is a gift which means you can’t legally get it back.
"It’s her kidney now and taking the kidney out would mean she would have to go on dialysis or it would kill her,”
he said. Also he argued no reputable surgeon would do it and no court could compel someone to undergo an operation.
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Oh man! Well… I understand his reasoning behind it to a degree but it is still messed up. Divorce is always that messy elephant in the room.
wait…. a SURGEON wants his kidney back? He should be the equivalent of disbarred for lawyers.
… then he says it’s just to get his soon-to-be ex-wife to act reasonable wrt custody? So this is a frivolous lawsuit? Throw it out and charge him for wasting everyone’s time!!!
man, what IS the world coming to?!!
Very sad story, I cant believe, that these people loved each other, if it is true, they must have just respect to each other and their children.
Bit over the top.Definitely a big step up from half the house.
When I gave a kidney, I gave it. Period. The recipient owes me nothing. It’s nice that he says “Thank you” every now and then.
That’s the most bizzare thing I’ve read so far this year!
If more people would accept God into their lives or have some sort of grasp of religious serenity, there wouldn’t be stories like this.
The NewYork case which you mentioned is really disgusting. Divorce is really a messy issue.
I couldn’t believe this one when I first heard about it. If it was possible for him to make her give it back, it would be akin to killing her. How does he think his children would feel about that?
(Had to laugh at anon’s comment – some of the most bizarre stories of all come from religious people.
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Amazing, there is a whole lot more feeling to that story beside the kidney! I thought it was hard giving up our (communal) leather jacket…
Let’s just hope he does not take the matter into his own hands – although a reputable surgeon would not do it, a vindictive one kidneyed divorced surgeon might! I would not want him opening me up.
The saying “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a kidney for a kidney” sprang to mind.
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