The Practice blood episode

by Zechariah 3 Replies latest jw friends

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  Zechariah

  I just watched an episode of The Practice
  involving a a woman lawyer who was from a JW family. It was a re-run from a year ago I believe.

  The woman lawyer had some kind of medical problem and was in a coma expecting to die. The medical consensus was she needed a blood transfusion. Her JW parents made the decision for her to refuse a transfusion. This made me think of my own situation. I believe if I somehow were in a coma my JW family who decide for me to refuse a transfusion. This they would do knowing full well , us having discussed it, I no longer believe in the blood prohibition policy. I have to have a talk with them about this.

  The lawyer friend of the sick woman took the case to court to compel the transfusion. The case was made that the sick woman was not really a JW. And even if she was she did not believe all its tenets. She did not believe homosexuality was a sin or extramarital sex, She saluted the flag. She had a abortion, etc. It therefore was argued it could not be certain she would for herself refuse a transfusion. Despite the strength of the case the transfusion was ordered.

  The way it went off was strange and I do not know whether there is a second part. In any respect it really made me think.

  Zechariah
• 

  TD

  This made me think of my own situation. I believe if I somehow were in a coma my JW family who decide for me to refuse a transfusion. This they would do knowing full well , us having discussed it, I no longer believe in the blood prohibition policy. I have to have a talk with them about this.

  Insofar as legal instruments go, the JW advance medical directive is not such a bad idea. What I mean by this is that properly drawn up and properly witnessed, it should work just as well "in reverse" and grant the attendant medical personel the freedom to ignore the wishes of your JW relatives in favor of your own.
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  Scully

  It's becoming more and more a good idea for people to draw up a "living will" that outlines their wishes with respect to medical care and other important issues in the event that you are incapacitated and unable to voice your wishes at some time in the future.

  An Advance Directive for Medical Care, similar to the ones JWs use to refuse transfusions in the event they are unconscious, would also protect an ex-JW whose JW relatives might presume that they can refuse a transfusion on their behalf.

  You would need to be very specific and state that if your medical condition warranted, you would accept whatever measures necessary to preserve your life, including the administration of blood transfusions, blood products and/or blood fractions.

  Keep in mind that this document is best when drawn up with a lawyer. You will need to have a copy of it on your person at all times, and on file with your family doctor.

  Love, Scully
• 

  A Paduan

  Get a tattoo - "I'm not jw, now or ever"