JW Seth in "Knocking" documentary looking for another liver transplant

by Gayle 26 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Gayle

  I got this email:

  ************************************************

  KNOCKING Update January 2010
  www.knocking.org
  
  KNOCKING SUBJECT NEEDS SECOND BLOODLESS LIVER TRANSPLANT
  Seth Thomas, the young man whose "bloodless" liver transplant was featured in the documentary film KNOCKING, must receive another organ. The disease that compromised Seth's original liver has resurfaced and is now attacking the new liver he received in KNOCKING.
  
  As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Seth refuses blood transfusions because of his religious beliefs. KNOCKING followed Seth and his family as they sought a hospital in their home state of Texas willing to treat him without using blood. Medical centers from Dallas to Houston turned him down, saying a bloodless operation would be too risky. Then Seth found the Transfusion-Free Program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, which accepted his case.
  
  Today, Seth faces the same hurdles finding a willing hospital and USC has again agreed to take his case. Now Seth must find a matching liver from the organ donor registry. Last time, Seth's father gave half of his own liver to his son. But this time Seth does not have the option of using his father's liver. As Seth waits for a new liver, he continues to be treated by Dr. Jason Edling, who appeared in KNOCKING.
  
  Seth was married in Septemer 2006 to Nina, his girlfriend featured in KNOCKING. They are expecting their first child in June. Seth continues to play guitar with his friends, as he did in the film, though Nina reports he still needs more practice. Seth's sister Jen (who was interviewed in KNOCKING) and her husband Mike Jenkins (who appeared in the hockey scene) are both Jehovah's Witnesses who graduated from the Gilead School and are now serving as missionaries in Bulgaria.
  
  If you would like to send a note of encouragement to Seth and his family, *do not* reply to this message. Please send your note to the following email address:
  [email protected]
  
  Seth and his family will be able to read your messages there.
  
  
  
  
• 

  Gayle

  He probably wouldn't accept a liver from a known ex-JW. He might would fear he would become an "apostate." Sorry.
• 

  Quandary

  Hi Gayle, you have a PM.
• 

  rebel8

  I am hoping a US medical person on the board can answer my question--

  --does the refusal of blood during the surgery decrease the chances of success? What I'm getting at is, does this not constitute disqualification from the organ donation per US policy?
• 

  crazyblondeb

  It's my understanding, that if you can find a surgeon to agree to the "bloodless", then it is aceptable.

  I wonder if this dr has connections with jw's...that kind of surgery is very risky without blood, like most!
• 

  choosing life

  I find it SO crazy that they will accept a liver, but not blood. His poor father gave half his liver, yet he would not give him his blood for transfusion.

  Transplants can be done without blood transfusions, but it adds a lot of risk to the procedure. As Deb says, all you need is a willing doctor.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Alright, I will say it. The JW's surely believed that he received Jehovah's blessings by having the first operation successfully. It might have even gotten some kind of mention of a JW's incredible faith and trust in Jah at the conventions.

  So what happened? Did he slack off in asking for voluntary donations as he 'placed' WT literature, so Jehovah smited him? Did he play too much Led Zep on his guitar? Why would Jehovah not continue to "bless" him? I know that time and unforeseen occurrance befall us all, but if one is not Jehovah removing His blessing then the first part is not Jehovah giving His blessing.
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  choosing life

  I agree with OTWO. They love to claim Jehovah's blessing, but don't say much when it just doesn't happen. I'm sure they are ao so faithful for not taking blood. I wonder if they really think there is no blood in that liver?

  The blood issue gets to me more than any other nonsense they teach. I can't stand the lies they teach to people that costs them their lives. I left after reading the article on blood fractions and even told them why. They said it was a small thing, I said it was by no means a small thing to lose your life.

  It really makes me angry.
• 

  carla

  What do they do? wring out all the blood from the liver like a dish rag?
• 

  jwfacts

  If Seth needed a liver transplant in the 1970's he would have died, as at that time it too was forbidden by the Watchtower Society.

  I feel for Seth and don't want to downplay the serious situation that he is going through, but the hypocrisy of the situation is very frustrating. I wonder if the Knocking movie highlighted this change, and that if the WTS could not be trusted on its organ transplant doctrine it equally should not be trusted on what it says about blood.