Dear all.
I have a question regarding the blood issue that I need some advice about.
First some background:
As you may be aware, a husband and wife are regarded as each others next of kin. Therefore in a medical emergency the permission of the husband will be sought to administer any medical treatment in the event of the wife being unconscious and vice versa.
For example in June 1997 following the premature birth of my second daughter, my wife had severe complications after the childbirth and lapsed into unconsciousness. To cut a long story short she required a blood transfusion and (as I had gone home by this point) the doctors telephoned me for my authorisation to transfuse. I immediately gave the medical staff my full permission to carry out any and all procedures necessary to ensure my wife’s well being.
Upon my arrival at the hospital I enquired why in particular they had asked me for permission for a blood transfusion. They stated they hesitated to carry out a transfusion because her medical notes stated that she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses blah blah blah.. and although the last reference to the JW’s was the late 80's, they were just checking with next of kin to respect her wishes. I would point out here that her condition that evening was life threatening and I was told by the doctors that had they been unable to get hold of me they would have gone ahead with a transfusion anyway.
Skip forward to a few weeks ago and I am at my doctor on a minor matter. I have moved to a new area recently and my new doctor states quite innocently “Oh, I see you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses”. I quickly put him right on this but he states that I will need something on my medical file that will reflect this, and more importantly, despite my being a legal adult, prevent those family member, most specifically my parents, who are currently JW’s from trying to force their views on any medical staff regarding the blood issue.
So my question is this.
Taking the hypothetical situation that my wife and I are rendered unconscious in a road accident.
The medical staff need to administer a blood transfusion. What information can I place on my medical file and that of my wife and children to ensure that any members of our families who are Jehovah’s Witnesses can have absolutely NO input whatsoever to what medical treatment is given?
Does it require any legal documentation? Also in the event that a husband/wife are unconscious at the same time with children as described in the scenario above, who constitutes next of kin?
You may feel that such a situation is highly unlikely, but I would never have dreamed the circumstances at the birth of my daughter in 1997 would arise, so the chances of it happening are there, however remote.
I would appreciate any advice please.
Thank you
I am not a dub I am a free man.