What can you do to protect your family from the elders?

by Dragonlady76 16 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  crazyblondeb

  I called a doc I that goes to the same 12 step program I do, and asked him how he would handle it. He said he'd have to look at the big picture. Are the papers in line with the states requirements? What mental state were they in when they were signed? Are they able to make their wishes known? Is this a medical condition that doesn't have to be life threatening?

  If family is who signed them in and answered questions-don't volunteer that they are JWs. Restrict visitors--notify security if you think they are going to gang up. When someone is registered in the hospital, you have the option of not allowing their name to be made public. If somene asks what room they are in, they won't even show up on the computer as a patient. He said personally, he'd loose the blood cards(oops) and try to have new papers signed. Also, if you should be made Durable Power of Attorney, in Texas it supercedes the Power of Attorney for Healthcare. Now,keep in mind this is some stuff from the doc, and some is what I've learned working as a nurse.

  The last thing the Doc said was that it's really up to the doctor to decide what's in the best interest of the patient. And since elders are not his favorite people, either forget to call them!!! I have had security escort them from the property and ban them from returning. (One of the best times of my life!)

  When in doubt, before something should happen, check with hospital administration. If a problem should ever come up, they'd be ready for it!!

  Hope this helps a little. Don't take my word as gospel--double check before an emergency happens. Also, restraining orders against cults (JWs) that don't act in the best interest of the patient are WONDERFUL!!!!

  shelley
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  No Apologies

  
  Sorry, I too think you are totally out of line here. If your parents have made their wishes clear regarding the use of blood, you have no business interfering or trying to override their wishes. Would you want them trying to talk you out of a blood transfusion?

  Of course, many older JWs have no idea about all the treatments that the Society has now said are permissable. Most of them think of it as very simple, black and white issue: no blood. In some circumstances it might almost be better to get the HLC involved, I know when my brother-in-law was resisting taking albumin, the elders were practically begging him to take it, and he finally did give in, fortunately.

  But the idea of trying to force a medical procedure on someone, especially an adult, is abhorrent.

  No Apologies
• 

  DelTheFunkyHomosapien

  All well and good to say that until your faced with it yourself.
  

  Seek out a lawyers advice DL
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  joanne_

  hi dragonlady, I dont know what the real law is about all this, but i do know of one instance where an older brother was in a car accident, had his blood cards, and the two brothers came to stand up for him, but, when his own sons came along and said no bloody way...the brothers backed off...it was like the family had more right than the blood cards did. or maybe it depends...the brothers may have not wanted to really interveen if the family members were adament about the whole thing. but anyways, the brother did die, too many injuries. but at least his sons were left alone and not pressured to do the wts's will. i dont know, but all i do know, is leave the family alone when they are going through this, no one but family has the right to make decisions for the person at a time like that.

  joanne
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  rebel8

  States have different laws on this. Basically though, living wills (which the blood card is an attempt to mimic) are not mandates--hospitals do not have to follow them, but most do. A living will just makes your wishes known. A healthcare proxy is a document the patient signs designating someone to make medical decisions for them if they're unconscious or unable to do so.

  If they are conscious and able to make their own decisions, a hospital would most likely abide by their wishes. In the absence of a healthcare proxy, if one of them became unconscious or unable to make their own decision, the legal decision-making would fall upon the spouse. Then if the spouse can't, it falls upon all the living children.

  The only way to have total power over their medical choices would be to have your parents sign a medical power of attorney to give you that authority.

  That's the basics. You'd have to find out how it works in your state.

  My $.02: I realize some people might think it would be wrong. I also appreciate what it's like to have to sit by and watch someone die unneccessarily to comply with a crazy cult's rules. I don't think there's a right or wrong in this situation.
• 

  Sunspot

  The last thing the Doc said was that it's really up to the doctor to decide what's in the best interest of the patient. And since elders are not his favorite people, either forget to call them!!!

  I wasn't going to mention this (only because I don't know when I taped it) but I am a big fan of TLC, The Learning Channel. I tape a lot of their shows and watch them when I have the time. I don't know when this was aired, but I watched one late the other night.

  These are true incidents that they film in various hospitals. There was this 17 year-old boy that had either gotten stabbed or cut himself badly. I don't recall the details because I was reading at the time----but-----the moment I heard "Jehovah's Witness and won't agree to blood for her son" I did one of these .

  The staff told the mom that if her boy didn't receive blood he would die. No maybe's about this. She again told her stand on blood and the doctors then took it to the legal desk. Time was of the essence and there they were---dickering around wasting precious time with this nonsense.

  The Board met and and ultimately the boy got the blood. When the mom was asked about how she felt about this-----her response was.........I prayed about this and left it in God's hands. Since he allowed the doctors to make the decision to save his life by giving him that blood, I am happy with that!

  I have often said that deep down so many parents will give the proper lip service ala WTS policy, but would really like to have their loved ones or themselves take the blood!

  So it might very well be, that a good part of the JW population would rather have the "normal procedures" that hospital policy allows---to save their lives! What they say or do in front of the congregation may be very different that what they would do if they were left alone on all this.

  *I* would pursue every possible angle and avenue until I had totally exhausted my resources. The medical world looks at the JWs as misled and foolish----which is at the heart of this matter. They are.

  I say GO FOR IT!

  hugs,

  Annie
• 

  confused412

  respect your parents and their rights this is a greedy world and their not its time to go let them go it is better to sleep then live in this horrible world for another world i know that is hard but if it ever gets to that please think of them and not yourself i know that is easier said then done but all we have here is suffering and pain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!