Current Blood Doctrine?

by imzadi 7 Replies latest watchtower medical

• 

  imzadi

  Hello!

  It's been a long time since I last posted here. Most of you probably don't remember me, but I'm a non-JW who has a very dear friend that is married to a JW.

  This morning my friend called me. During the course of our conversation, the topic of blood transfusions was raised. I asked him if his JW wife still carried her blood card, and he said yes. I then asked him if he knew what she would do should she ever be in a position of having to authorize a transfusion for him. He said he didn't know. That frightened me.

  I have been reading about the official policy the WTS has on blood transfusions and to say that I find it confusing would be putting it mildly. Some sources say that it is a "matter of concience", while others say that it's still forbidden and a disfellowshipping offense. I've also read that some "components" of blood are acceptable while others aren't. What I haven't been able to locate anywhere is what obligation a JW spouse has to deny a transfusion authorization for a non-JW spouse. Are they required to do that? CAN they do that? I know of at least one instance where a JW wife ordered that her non-JW husband not receive a blood transfusion after he was critically injured in an auto accident, and he died. I worry that something like this could happen to my friend. Can it?

  Thanks for any info.
• 

  blondie

  http://www.ajwrb.org/index.shtml

  http://www.pennhealth.com/health_info/bloodless/blood_jchart.html
• 

  Sam Beli

  I doubt that you will find much in JW literature to answer your question.

  My personal opinion (an educated opinion since I have been around JWs for many decades) is that nearly all active, believing JWs would not authorize blood for a non-believing spouse, anymore than they would grant permission for a minor child. Their zeal to refuse blood for their spouse would be only slightly less enthusiastic than their refusal for themselves. Most JWs would view granting permission to give blood to others as a sin of nearly the same magnitude as if they gave permission for a transfusion for themselves.

  Your friend may want to complete his own healthcare directive in which he clearly spells out his situation on this issue; and he should talk the matter over with his physician, getting his wishes stated clearly and placing a copy of his healthcare wishes in his records with his physician and his hospital.
• 

  Euphemism

  I agree with Sam Beli.

  I've been meaning to do the same thing, in case Piph and I both should be incapacitated in an accident, and my dub parents are called upon to make healthcare decisions for me. I don't want to be a martyr for a religion I don't believe in, and I also don't want to put my parents in the agonizing position of being torn between family and religious duty. The simplest and most loving thing to do is to legally take the decision out of their hands. Turn the dubs' own weapon against them... execute a power of attorney or living will that specifies your wishes.
• 

  marriedtodamob

  That is EXACTLY what my JW husband (soon to be ex) said to me last week re: blood and blood products. I did not mention it in my divorce thread, but THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW.
  

  Having to write up my own medical directive to protect me from my own husband and his family (mine are far away) is INSANITY.

  He assured me that he would be willing to "Convery my wishes to the appropriate medical personnel if I had a "Living Will" or some other sort of medical directive, but if left to make ANY decisions FOR me, he would not and could not allow any blood or blood products PERIOD".

  "There are so many OTHER alternatives" he said to me verbatim.

  You see, that will never fly with me, because ten years ago I was on my deathbed after a particularly traumatic birth with my son, and I needed 4 units of blood. I was given the choice of dying within a few hours if I didn't take the whole blood (HCT of 13 for us medical people...) and leaving a newborn motherless, or taking that blood, and living to raise him, and see him grow up.

  I would not be here without it, plain and simple!!!

  mobbie-who got to be a mommy

  ..and is divorcing "Da Mob" to make sure she can continue to be!
• 

  blondie

  Actually, every person, including non-JWs should have a health care proxy spelling out what they want for medical care. Look at that woman in Florida and the issue over the feeding tube and the battle between her husband and parents.

  It is a loving thing to have that in writing so your family and doctors can give you the best care according to your wishes and leave no doubt what you would say if you were conscious.

  Blondie
• 

  imzadi

  Thank you everyone for your replies. My friend did state in the past that he "planned" to have something put in writing that would lay out instructions for his care should something happen to him, but I gathered from our last conversation that those plans still have not been carried out. Like marriedtodamob's (ex)husband, my friend's JW in-laws are in much closer proximity to him than his own "worldly" family.

  He doesn't seem to be the least bit concerned right now about the possibilities. I wish I weren't.
• 

  somebodylovesme

  Out of curiousity...

  What kind of paperwork does one need to do to have that directive? Does it have to be authorized, or can it just be written and given to someone for safe keeping? I and my family are non-JWs, husband is an inactive JW... but his parents are still 100% in the faith, so I wouldn't want them making the decision.

  Also - when it's critical, don't they automatically give you the blood unless you have a directive that says NOT to? Or do they wait and ask someone? And why would parents necessarily have that authority over adults?

  Just curious. Scary thoughts.

  SLM