I am someone who studies very closely these cases. Not because I'm of that faith, but because I require special medical treatment for another reason. I have something called Malignant Hyperthermia. If I need surgery, I cannot be given the standard types of anesthetic. They could kill me. The kind I can be given is much more expensive, requires more training for those who administer it, and is overall more work for the medical team. However, the recovery time is far, far less, and there is no reaction by the patient when coming out. With standard anesthetic, often the patient experiences stomach sickness, lethargy, weakness, etc. They may spend an hour or more in recovery, and still feel "beat up" when leaving. With the treatment I'm required to have, there is less recovery time, no nausea or sickness, no weakness, etc. It is far easier on the patient and much better than standard practices. And...it could be used on every patient. Why isn't it? Why is only used for people with MH? It's too expensive. It is a superior alternative to the normal procedure, it is better for the patient, and it makes standard practices obsolete. But hospitals won't use it on everyone, because the old way is cheaper. NOT BETTER, JUST CHEAPER. What does this have to do with blood transfusions? They are the same. Not better, just cheaper, and easier. Most doctors will not accept blood transfusions, and would not allow their children to either, because they know there are better alternatives.(Most doctors will also not accept standard anesthetic, but will opt for the more superior form when needing surgery themselves.) But those alternatives are more expensive, and require more medical attention. They are however, better for the patient. In tests done on patients with things like Leukemia, or those who have had major surgery, those who did not receive blood, but instead received non-blood treatment, showed shorter recovery times, with fewer side-effects, and a far lower chance of post-treatment problems ie:infections, etc. There is absolutely no chance of your body rejecting a non-blood treatment, as they are not organic. When you receive blood, your body has to exert a tremendous amount of energy trying to accept that blood, because even though it's the same blood type, it's still foreign to your body, the same as getting an organ transplant. The stress on your body after receiving blood is the same as getting an organ transplant. Accepting non-blood treatment eliminates that stress, and allows the body to heal itself, as it was meant to do, and in 99% of cases it will do. When I found out about the treatment options required by my condition, and that these options could be used on anyone, I was shocked. People put too much blind faith in the medical systems, assuming their doctor would never lie to them, or has their best interests in mind. This is not the case. The medical system is driven by money. Whether it's a for-profit system, like in the US, or whether it's simply trying to keep costs down, like here in Canada, it's all about money. Jehovah's Witnesses want the absolute best treatment, and they know what's available. If more of us did our research before going to the doctor, or to the hospital, we could access those better treatment options too.(How many of us do a lot of research before visiting a car dealership to purchase a vehicle, but go to a doctor knowing absolutely nothing?) Now that I know about alternative anesthetic options, I tell my friends and family to insist on them when they need surgery. The same goes for blood. While not a witness myself, I always refuse such treatment, making it very clear before any procedure that I will not accept blood, and what treatments I will accept. It's time we stopped being bullied by the medical system, and started demanding the best treatment available, instead of settling for the cheapest. The witnesses are leading the way in this, and I applaud their efforts.
