Another JW Refuses Blood

Kenneson

This one from Nigeria. See "Robbery victim rejects blood transfusion" at

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article04

Scully

Robbery victim rejects blood transfusion, cites faith
From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin

AFTER escaping death by the whiskers in an armed robbery attack last week, Mr. Rotimi Omokunle may have a tough choice to make between his life and his faith.

While experts propose a blood transfusion during a neurological operation he is to undergo, Omokunle has opposed the transfusion for reason of his membership of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect - which abhors blood transfusion.

"Help me thank Nigerians for their concern for my continued existence. They have been wonderful people. However, they should help me appeal to my doctors here not to transfuse me during the proposed operation. I am a Jehovah's Witness and my religion forbids that," Omokunle told The Guardian on his hospital bed at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin.

Hospital sources told The Guardian of the need to extract from the victim's brain some pellets said to be about 10 allegedly lodged in it.

But Omokunle, who seemed to have recovered from the initial shock of his ordeal, on his hospital bed said that as a member of Jehovah's Witnesse sect, he would not allow any blood transfusion.

He had lost considerable blood before he was rescued by men of the Kwara State branch of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the robbery scene.

Omokunle had objected to blood transfusion when his two eye balls were initially pulled out for medical examinations but he managed to pull through.
A competent source who preferred anonymity said the neuro surgeons might ignore the operation if Omokunle insisted on avoiding the transfusion.

Reacting to the development, the Chief Matron of the Ophthalmic Ward, where Omokunle is on admission, Mrs. Victoria Olowodara, said putting the victim on a table at the theatre without blood transfusion "may be too great a risk" for him.

Olowodara, who said Omokunle might still be persuaded to accept the medical advice, canvassed more prayers for the victim.

But the Chief Medical Director of UITH, Dr. Alage Kuranga described the patient's posture as a dilemma.

Omokunle was travelling in the company of his wife when they were reportedly attacked by armed robbers who shot at his eyes and also the wife's arms.

Touched by Omokunle's plight as reported by The Guardian, one Mrs. Mfon Ekong Usoro sent him a cheque of N160,000 to cover expenses for the computerised tomography scan and neurosugeries at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

A gang of about 15 armed robbers had on Sunday November 6 at Koko village in the state, stopped and dragged out Omokunle and his wife from the Datsun van, in which they were travelling. They shot repeatedly into Omokunle's eyes and pumped bullets into his wife's arms.

Both victims were thereafter left for dead. Men of the Kwara State Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) later found the victims and hurried them to the Accident and Emergency wing of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

Olowodara had told The Guardian that a team of surgeons had successfully removed one of his eyes and was preparing to remove the other.

She said that the chances of Omokunle seeing with his eyes again were remote, adding, however: "Who knows, God can intervene".
The matron disclosed that the wife was also receiving intensive medical care at the orthopaedic section of the hospital, due to "a severe fracture" she sustained on her right elbow during the attack.

The victim, had according to the Chief Matron of the ward, been receiving financial and moral supports from members of his church, based in Ilorin.

The Chief Medical Director of UITH, Dr. Alege Kuranga, had said the hospital would do all within its power to bring the victims back to life.

XQsThaiPoes

when are we to hear the article when the jw takes blood?

not to sound like a stirrer, but the command to "abstain from blood" is over. Except for verbage it is the policy "christiandom" has.

I wonder when are the newswires are going to notice the change? or will the elder body step in and try to cloud the issue.

fleaman uk

not to sound like a stirrer, but the command to "abstain from blood" is over.

Rubbish.they will never do away with the no Blood Policy.

RunningMan

when are we to hear the article when the jw takes blood?

You won't hear the article. You probably won't even read it. JWs take blood in secrecy. I will bet that there are more JWs who take blood secretly than those who turn it down publicly.

Four years ago, my son required emergency surgery. At the time, I was still an active Witness, not long after stepping down as a Ministerial Servant. Fortunately, blood did not become an issue. However, when the nurse was filling out the release form, one of the questions dealt with religious beliefs and blood. We told her that as JWs we could not allow a blood transfusion. But, we also told her that if it became REALLY necessary, to ask us again. She got the point very quickly and easily, as if she were familiar with the routine.

Scully, have you ever encountered this?

XQsThaiPoes

RM you are 100% dead on correct. I have seen worse where entire elder bodies get in on the cover up. When the miracle recovery from Jehovah came in a lil burgandy bag. Sadly people here litterally believe that JWs really unilaterally practice what they preach. When in real life they always try to look for a technicality or a conspiracy to protect them.

ignored_one

In my old cong there was a incident of an elders daughter who had a blood transfusion against her and the family's wishes.

Years later I find out her elder father authorised it. Of course this isn't common knowledge in the cong.

-

Ignored One.

Scully

Running Man:

Four years ago, my son required emergency surgery. At the time, I was still an active Witness, not long after stepping down as a Ministerial Servant. Fortunately, blood did not become an issue. However, when the nurse was filling out the release form, one of the questions dealt with religious beliefs and blood. We told her that as JWs we could not allow a blood transfusion. But, we also told her that if it became REALLY necessary, to ask us again. She got the point very quickly and easily, as if she were familiar with the routine.
Scully, have you ever encountered this?

I don't encounter any serious blood related issues with JWs in my practice. That's mainly because I don't work in critical care areas (like ER, Labour & Delivery, OR, etc) but on a unit that mostly deals with healthy and medically stable adults. Most JW patients that I've encountered have provided a photocopy of their blood card that is highlighted at the front of their chart. The only blood product of issue on my ward is RhoGam (aka WinRho or Anti-D) and since it is a blood fraction, most JWs who need to have it will opt to have it rather than not have it.

By the way, I like how you handled the situation. Doctors and nurses seem quite happy to have this kind of arrangement with patients - I would have no objection to sequestering a patient from JW relatives or a Hospital Liaison Committee in order to administer a transfusion to a JW patient who disclosed that they wanted one. I would also take extra measures to ensure that any person wandering in the corridor would be unaware that a unit of blood and the accoutrements for its administration were being delivered to a JW patient's bedside.

The bottom line is that the patient has the right to confidential treatment and to exclude unwelcome visitors at all times.

Love, Scully

BluesBrother

Very sad account in that newspaper. A horrible ordeal that they endured and now he has worse to face.. The wording makes me wonder if they were Circuit Overseer and wife

Re transfusions. A 'sister' of my acquaintance was going to have an operation and made the usual stipulation, "No Blood" This was before fractions were allowed. . The surgeon said he was happy to proceed on this basis and produced the normal disclaimer , but he then said with a knowing wink "Dont worry my dear, we will not let you die!". This sister was consciientious and pushed the point,and doctor then said that if it really came to the point , then he would give the blood anyway

He said he always worked this way with witnesses and everybody else seemed to accept it. He said he had had to give blood a couple of times .

This sister went elsehere, chosing private rather than state funded treatment. She had it blood free and recovered well ..But it goes to show....

Kenneson

XQ'sThaiPoes,

The following article which centers on the Nigerian Witness mentions a JW who changed his mind and took a transfusion. His name is Brent Bond, from Nottingham, England.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article01

Also an interesting article suggesting alternatives to blood by one claiming not to be a Witness.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/letters/article01

Another JW Refuses Blood

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