Blood- would you/have you given/taken it?

by Crumpet 33 Replies latest jw experiences

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  The Leological One

  Since leaving the JWs and joining my current company I get asked every six months to give blood. I've never done it and still feel as if I had an accident I would be very reluctant to have a transfusion.
  

  If its not too personal can I ask what others views are on this and your experiences if any?

  crumpet

  As a never-been JW, I can say I used to give plasma (was broke and needed $), and didn't feel my soul was being sucked out of me, etc.~!

  I actually gave plasma one time for money to go see a hardcore punk band, D.R.I., and I ended up slamming (slam dancing) all night and ended up losing half the sole of one of my shoes and a shirt sleeve and still felt totally energized by the end of the whole show.

  I didn't feel like I was somehow "changed" after giving plasma, and keeping in mind that the rest of the blood components are then re-fed back into the body, so maybe the WT would consider that drinking blood, too, even though it was my own. So sad such obvious nonsense is advocated by the WT and has caused/is causing so many needless and terribly tragic problems.
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  Country_Woman

  I am not absolutely sure but that is not due to religion: I am not fond of the idea to catch something - how little the chance may be - I was a blood donor myself until I start bleeding after a donation.... It was'nt very serious so maybe I will do it (donating) again in the future...

  I for myself don't want any transplantations (but I am saying that while I am healthy)
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  LittleToe

  The medical profession isn't in the habit of giving a blood transfusion where it isn't necessary. Storing blood is an expensive business!

  I would go with what the professionals suggested. If I need it, I need it.

  Life and liberty always came higher up Christ's scale than mere rules, and I see little censure of Saul and his men, when they ate food along with the blood. Nonetheless, that was still specifically to do with "eating"!

  I can't donate as there are prohibitions on donating your blood if you've visited lands with a high prevalence of Malaria, within a certain time-period. I'm ruled out, I'm afraid.
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  Country_Woman

  I'm ruled out, I'm afraid.

  LT is that permanent ?
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  LittleToe

  Only insofar as I keep visiting places that have high incidence of malaria
  Since I've never contracted it, if I were to stop travelling for long enough I would eventually be able to donate.
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  bem

  I have had the Rho-GAM shot, which is made from.Rhogam: Rh0 immunoglobulin, also called anti-Rh or anti-D immunoglobulin is an injectable blood product used to protect an Rh-positive fetus from antibodies by its Rh-negative mother. The idea underlying Rhogam is if anti-Rh antibody is given soon after delivery, it blocks the sensitization of the mother and prevents Rh disease from occurring in the woman's next Rh-positive child. So with each mis-carriage or pregnancy I had the shot, to keep future children from having the mixed blood factors. I am O-negative and my childrens dad is positive. Before the 60's women that had this were only able to have one child, or risked having a baby that needed a transfusion. or the baby would not survive due to the anti-bodies in the embryo or the babies system.

  After having the shots when I studied and later was baptised, I got counselling that I should no longer have children cause of the Rhogam containing blood products. A no, no. in the congo I was in.

  Would I give blood ? yes as soon as I get where I can.( health wise)
• 

  confusedjw

  I would take blood and I would give it.

  Even as a JW I had decided that IF my kids needed it I would go behind closed doors with the Doctor - tell him my situation - give the kids blood and act like it was forced. I figured IF God was going to take it out on someone it would be me and not them.

  I've gone to the doctors and expunged all references to "No Blood" in the medical records for me and my children. Wife did the same with her record.

  Tomato Soup for us!
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  purplesofa

  When the change in blood issue was announced...all the fractions and parts ....and parts of parts.....

  I thought is was very wrong for the society to expect the world to supply the jws with this and not donate themselves. It just did not make sense to take and not give.

  So yes I would give and I think if someone said you are going to die if you do not get a blood transfusion, I would get one. I don't think my conscience would let me make a decision to do myself in, as I have not already!!!!!!

  purps
• 

  rebel8

  It's one of those JW things I subscribe to. Perhaps this doctrine is written too deep in my hard drive and cannot be overridden.

  I'm betting your objection to accepting blood products is the potential for infection and not the twisting of scriptures done by the JWs. Keep in mind, the JW refusal of blood never did have anything to do with infections--it was always based upon scriptural misinterpretation predating any knowledge of the existence of bloodborne infections. They just jumped onto the HIV thing in '85, claiming it was proof their doctrine was valid--a false claim. Infection is an issue totally separate from scriptural interpretations/misinterpretations.

  To answer the OP's question, yes. Concern over infection is valid. Blood should not be taken unneccessarily. If there are other effective treatment options, try those first. Nowadays that is what is offered by healthcare providers anyway--blood is a last resort. However, there are cases every day in which people are faced with accepting blood products or dying (substitutes won't work for them). Whenever I am in such a situation, I certainly will choose life.

  PS- Thank you to anyone who donates blood. Blood saved my life a few months ago and I will undoubtedly need it in the future.
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  jula71

  Purple...great point. I didn't think of that...the only way of getting the allowed fractions is via donation. Has anyone heard if donating is "legal" based on this?