In 1964 when I was 13, my mother the pioneer was due to deliver her 4th child, she had three of us 13, 10 and 8 and anothe on the way. As she had had the 10 yr old c-section and the 8 year old not c-section (he was a small baby and delivered within minute of arriving at the hospital), the doctors insisted number 4 be by c-section. When on of the three doctors in the practice found out she was a JW and would not have blood....he refused to deliver the baby, baring in mind this was a week before she was due to have surgery..... he was "not going to risk his record by having a patient bleed to death because they wouldn't have blood." My mother "stood firm in her faith" one of his older associates agreed to deliver the baby and everything turned out well! However, even at 13 I couldn't understand why my mother would be willing to die and leave the 3 of us older children without a mother, if a blood transfusion could keep her alive. I never said this out loud, she was going through enought without having a daughter brought up before the committe of 3.
In 1975 my son was delivered by the same doctor that delivered my sister.......my non-believing husband assured me if I needed blood I was going to get it! I was relieved he was willing to take the decision out of my hands. I had a difficult, long, bloodless delivery!
In 1987, I found myself pregnant for my daughter, at 5 months one of the Doctors wanted me to have an amnio done to make sure there were no problems (because of my age and the prior problem delivery) I refused telling him that if abortion had been an option I would have had one at 6 weeks not 5 months. He had a hissy fit....his associate...yes the doctor that delivered my sister and my son agreed to do the delivery......however there was a twist with this one...I had standing by at the time of delivery 7 pints of artificial blood.....it seems by non-believing husband's business partner was a medical doctor that was part owner of a company that manufactured this very expensive product. I did not need it however......and the hospital wasn't sure what to do with it (they tried charging me for it until I explained it was mine, sent for my use and they weren't charged for it and couldn't charge me for it).....I contributed it to the local blood bank!
NOW, they're changing their minds....??? all those parents that watched their children die of lukemia because they couldn't have blood or bone marrow transplants....those little hemopheliacs......???? it makes you want to cry.
I can see the problem with blood transfusion because of hepititus C or HIV/AIDS infection....but for crying out loud they test it now.....! I guess it's a case of "do as I say, not as I do" or maybe it's a case of "what's sauce for the goose may not necessarily be sauce for the gander".
