Would you or have you used a blood tranfusion? (page 2)

drwtsn32

When ever I get a papercut, I suck on my finger ...

I did the same. Not surprisingly I once had a JW tell me that it was wrong to do that.

Yes, we would definitely have a transfusion (unless there was a cleaner, safer alternative available). Actually that's something my wife and I talked about very soon after leaving. This reminds me that I should really go donate some blood!

Francois

Yes I've had a blood transfusion; three units of whole blood. Five years ago. Fell from great height. Go Boom. Broke pelvis away from spine. Bled out half my blood. Thus transfusions. Never gave it a second thought.

garybuss

If my doctor told me I needed blood medical treatment, I would take it, no question!

***

"Reports show that some brothers and sisters wait until the last
minute to tell the treating doctors that they do not want blood."
(Our Kingdom Ministry, September, 1999 Question Box)

little witch

Yes, I would,

Welcome to the board, and what a thought provoking question from a 14 year old!!!!

A very important question...

reporter

If I was having a scheduled surgery, I would tell the surgeon that I would like to avoid blood if possible, and if it would not cause any risk to my health. In that case, you can use medicines to build up your number of blood cells before the surgery. The doctors who I know and respect try very hard to minimize blood loss in everyone, not just JWs. I would also be willing to use time and iron supplements after the surgery to regain my lost blood cells. Remember when you bleed, you loose blood cells, not just blood fluid.

Concerned Mama quoted above. What would be wrong with storing your own blood, possibly in advance of elective surgery?

As you will see, the JWs came oh-so-close to allowing this on their Medical Directive cards, then pulled a bait-and-switch! For those who don't know this yet, you may find this outrageous!

If you are carrying or possess the most recent "released" version of the card which was published in March 1999, you will find it interesting to note that a new version was in fact prepared for and published in June 2001! The cards were shipped to some congregations and probably a few were actually distributed to members who were baptized over the summer and fall 2001 in congregations that ran out of the older version.

Check this out! The first one is the familiar, old version, and the second one was the proposed version! See if you can spot the difference!

Congregations were informed not to distribute these new cards, but rather destroy them. The difference is one line where the older March - 1999 card states "I direct that no blood transfusion [see image 1] (whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets or blood plasma) be given to me...," the June - 2001 version reads "I direct that no allogeneic blood transfusion [see image 2] (whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets or blood plasma) be given to me..." So the difference in the cards is the use of the word allogeneic in the June 2001 version.

The word "allogeneic" refers to intraspecies genetic variations. Therefore, an "allogeneic" transfusion is one derived from the blood of a different person. The implication here is clear. The Watchtower Society stood at the threshold of permitting autologous whole blood transfusions and for some reason, presently unknown, suddenly shifted and stepped back.

It seems evident there is a great struggle within the WTS leadership as to how best deal with the WTS disastrous policy on blood. Any who are still convinced that the WTS stands solidly behind this policy and are prepared to die defending the policy (or even worse - permit their children to die) have cause to soberly reflect on their support.

In our view, this may be one of those situations where the governing body voted to permit Jehovah's Witnesses to use their own blood and put the wheels in motion to change the policy - only to have one member of the body change their mind at the last second and call for a re-vote.

Remember, in Ray Franz' writings on Governing Body policy-making, it takes a two-thirds vote to establish or unseat Watchtower doctrinal policy. It would be totally logical, that, upon a member changing his vote, the vote would have been still a majority supporting this change, just not a two-thirds majority.

Would you let your child or loved one die on a voting and procedural technicality by a group of men? Do you think Jehovah and His Holy Spirit would sanction such insidious and harmful decision-making? Can the Witnesses and their Governing Body truly, honestly claim this Spirit is guiding them and blessing their actions?

Information on this can be found on Rado Vluegel's site, http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/bloodcard.htm with most of the above info, with my edits and added comments. Thanks as well to "Lee Elder" at http://www.ajwrb.org/index.shtml

To all you newbies out there, and the one who started this thread: Read, read, read. And read some more. Angharad and Simon posted some great links if you go to the main menu page under links...there's tons of supplemental info there, too.

concerned mama

Reporter,

I had completely forgotten to talk about storing your own blood!!!! Thank you for mentioning it. Many people do that in preparation for surgery where there is known surgical risks for bleeding. It is an excellent alternative.

reporter

Yes, that would be my personal preference....wish I had done it 5 yrs. ago when I had surgery! You cut the (abeit small) risks of disease right away.

Obviously, you could go with as many plans of action you can...just so you would have backup in case the blood builders weren't enough, etc.

RAYZORBLADE

I thought, even 10 years ago: no

Nowadays, YES!

The good thing, and my own doctor suggested this to me. Because I have rh negative blood (which is not common) there is a place here in Toronto that I can go, and bank my own blood, if I have a scheduled surgery.

I was delighted to hear that. He said that it's always better to have your own.

But he advised me: 'no drinking prior to donating'

But yes, I would take one if necessary.

Smyler

Hi everyone, I got a new name, of instead of TylerMacKay, its now Smyler, but you can still call me Tyler

My standing on the blood issue is that, a blood tranfusion would be a last resort, like many of you said.

Let's just hope that no one has to go thru a surgery!

Would you or have you used a blood tranfusion?

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