I'm really sorry that I had trouble posting the first time since I think this is a very important issue and unfortunately ended up with alot of sarcastic comments at the beginning.
To those who asked about my health, I think I'm still in 'fight' mode and since getting home have just little surges of energy. The hyper-alertness in the hospital, along with the entire physical ordeal has made me weary.
A visiting nurse is giving me shots in my belly until coumadin reaches therapeutic levels. I don't know how that will affect me on a daily basis but I'm hoping to be 'normal' real soon.
Although I'm being a mostly compliant patient, I don't think I'm willing to make the changes that being on blood-thinners will require. I will learn more tomorrow when I see the doctor and even more next week when my 'real' doctor returns from vacation.
The doctors and nurses took my case extremely seriously. It was good that I sought attention as early as I did. Less than an hour after getting to the ER, I had a significant episode that brought alot of attention to my bedside. Another episode occured an hour or two later.
It's a little overwhelming but I think that two things are sticking in my brain: Coumadin is for old people. The treating physician has told me to sell my motorcycle (the one I just bought 2 weeks ago).
I'm not old. I don't want to sell the bike.
As far as the elder's visit, it was rather embarrassing, too, because the conversation with the elder took place at the foot of the bed of another patient. Me standing there with IVs tubes in both arms. I was dumbfounded.
I will absolutely have a visit with hospital administration. I am very interested in support from my friends here and your specific comments and verbage will help me in filing my complaint.
Do I keep this just within the hospital? Do I take this to a different governing agency??
Thanks again for support, direction, concern and encouragement.
-Aude.
Aude_Sapere
JoinedPosts by Aude_Sapere
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63
Elders Will Be Notified & WILL FIND YOU in the Hospital
by Aude_Sapere indon't wait.
update your advance medical directives before you find yourself in my situation.... .
my left arm was feeling 'odd' last friday morning as i was getting dressed for work.
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Aude_Sapere
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63
Elders Will Be Notified & WILL FIND YOU in the Hospital
by Aude_Sapere indon't wait.
update your advance medical directives before you find yourself in my situation.... .
my left arm was feeling 'odd' last friday morning as i was getting dressed for work.
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Aude_Sapere
Don't wait.
Update your Advance Medical Directives BEFORE you find yourself in my situation....
My left arm was feeling 'odd' last Friday morning as I was getting dressed for work. I decided to visit the Emergency Room - just in case there was serious problem. (No pain but it felt odd: heavy, puffy, numbness on and off for about 30 minutes.)
During admission, I told the intake nurse that I had an Advance Medical Directive on file from many years ago and wanted to void it and complete a new one. - I told her twice that the old one was completely INVALID and no longer represented my wishes. She said that she made notation but also told me that I should be sure to update it later after I left the ER.
After a few hours in the ER (lots of testing), I was admitted to the hospital for a Sub-Clavian blood clot. That was Friday morning.
Friday afternoon, two nurses came up to my room for regular intake information (a repeat of all the info asked in the ER but different nurses, different admit, etc.) Again I repeated: There is an Advance Medical Directive on file here from many years ago. I want to void it completely and file a new one. Nurses said OK, we'll have a case worker take care of that for you. When they got to the question of religious preference, 'Jehovah's Witness' showed on the screen. They verified the info and I emphatically said "NO. Please remove that comment." I watched while it was changed.
They asked what I was now. I said 'Happy. Very happy. And please have a new AMD brought to me so I can complete it - I also have a new Health Care Agent.'
I busied myself with contacting work and family and trying to keep up with all the tests and such and trying to get answers about what was wrong and why and what treatment options were being considered for me, making various arrangements, etc.
Somewhere along the way I remember asking yet another nurse to assist in voiding my AMD and getting a new one completed.
Saturday afternoon, my Vascular Surgeon (former Chief-of-Staff at this hospital) comes in to tell me that they will do a CT-Scan of my chest and then proceed with treatment (thrombolitics via catheterization and possible venoplasty). I understand the treatment and give verbal consent but tell him that he needs to know that I have an AMD on file that I wish to VOID. The current one refuses blood and that is no longer my position. I will accept blood if it is required.
10 minutes later an aid walks in with a fresh AMD and tells me that a case worker will be in to assist me. I don't wait and start to work thru the booklet by myself.
About an hour later, as an aid is on his way to take me to radiology, the woman who brought me the new AMD happens to walk back in to my room. She asks if anyone had come to help me complete it. "Nope. But I did the best I could and even hand-wrote a note."
[My note said: "I am no longer one of Jehovah's witnesses. I no longer wish to be visited by them for any reason nor will I follow their medical beliefs. This has been my conscientious decision since Oct 2004 (after MANY YEARS of complacency.) To that end, I WILL accept blood transfusion at recommendation of my physician(s) following consultation with myself and/or my designated agent(s). (my name) (date & time) (signature) (SS#)]
I was informed that my new AMD was not valid because it needed to be witnessed by two people and hospital staff were not allowed to sign the document.
My room nurse offered to attempt to find visitors of other patients who may be willing to witness my AMD while the transport aid was waiting to take me downstairs.
Two women in nearby rooms agreed to sign my document and I verbally told each of them that I was wholely and completely rescinding an AMD already on file and this new one also names different Healthcare Agents. They were kind and agreeable. Signed my documents. Copies were made and distributed and I went down for treatment.
My treatment was successful and I did very well. I was awake and alert during all processes. I even got to watch my venoplasty on the overhead monitors. I was in Coronary Care for 3 or 4 days and then sent upstairs to a regular room for continuing care and treatment - blood thinners and monitoring, etc. Since I was doing so well and was able to care for myself, doctors agreed to let me leave the hospital and arranged to have a homehealth nurse visit me for daily shots and vitals.
Pleased with my progress and anxious to get out of the hospital and back to my own home and even back to work, I woke up yesterday happy and proud. I packed my stuff and watched tv while I waited for my doctor to discharge me.
6 days in the hospital. I was very ready to go home.
I got up to use the restroom.
When I come out, there he is.
A man I have never seen before is asking if I'm (myname).
'Yes. That's me. Can I help you?'
It's an elder from one of the local congregations.
Fifteen years fading. No 'shepharding calls' ever. I consider myself a successful fader. I get up to use the restroom in a private hospital and, with IV tubes still in my arms, BAM!! I am face-to-face with questions about whether or not I consider myself one of Jehovah's witnesses. Did I take blood? Am I disfellowshipped? Do I want to talk to the elders? Why did I leave? Is there anything he can do while he's there? Am I sure that no other elders have visited me in the past 6 days? because a different person is assigned for each day and I should have been receiving daily visits.
I was SO CLOSE to my discharge time. I was SUCH a good fader. I get up to use the restroom and suddenly I find that my cover is blown.
I imagine I may get one of those calls from my former congregation. (Maybe not...)
I wanted to share with everyone here my experience so you each have the opportunity to VOID/RESCIND/UPDATE your own AMDs / Durable Power of Attorneys and, if you wish to avoid an unwanted/unexpected visit from local JWs.
Update your information with local hospitals BEFORE you are admitted unexpectedly.
Thanks for all your past and future support. And thanks for reading about my little adventure.
-Aude. -
34
Haysbridge, Twickenham, Crystal palace, Dorking, Camber Sands....
by ScoobySnax innow i got your attention......(i'm gambling on those who remember these) when were you there?
what years?
and what do you remember........ they all seem like such a big part of my history.
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Aude_Sapere
July 1978 - I went to Twickenham. It was COLD.
and then it was ok and then COLD again...!!
I remember giant Biblical diaramas lined up along a wall somewhere onsite.
-Aude. -
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What is talk #45?
by z inmy friend (ms) is going to give talk #45 i told him it was posted here he said not possible because each congregation have different talk so this is not possible and the net is all bs and we know nothing here all we post is just to undermine the wts so if someone know what is talk #45 pls pls post it so i can show him we have the truth.
thx z .
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Aude_Sapere
Nice work, guys.
I would be interested in hearing what the friend has to say...
-Aude. -
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I'm going to JW Hell, I'm going to die.....
by riotgirlpeeps ini thought this would be kind of fun to do is list some of the offenses that i have committed according to witness beliefs.
i thought it might be mildly amusing considering the lack of emphasis that any of these things are wrong according to the majority of the population.
i'll limit myself to ten.
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Aude_Sapere
Bought a book: Crisis of Conscience.
Read the book.
Stopped pioneering and bought a home - as an UN-married twenty-something.
Went to my brother's wedding @ City Hall.
Once wore a mini-skirt to school (Jr High).
Kissed a worldly boy at the beach.
Chewed gum at the Kingdom Hall - couple of times.
-Aude. -
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1975
by Grouper in.
i am researching 1975 and i was curious to ask any that served as elder back then in the wtbts ever issue a directive to the congregations to stop or discourage believers from selling their property, cashing out retirements, early marriage, quiting jobs, etc., etc.................. thanks
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Aude_Sapere
My dad was a PO at that time.
He sold property and we also stocked up our basement with food in preparation for the 'Great Tribulation'.
-Aude. -
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Quiz
by RichieRich inbecause i was bored....
knock yourself out..
http://www.quizyourfriends.com/yourquiz_im.php?quizname=050711102858-962351
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Aude_Sapere
Forty.
I guess I'm bud-worthy!
-Aude. -
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HAVING IT BOTH WAYS - excellent to bookmark!
by Dogpatch inbible students online
food for thinking.
jehovah's witnesses.
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Aude_Sapere
So true.
Thanks for sharing that, Randy.
-Aude. -
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Notes from the Wallkill Printery Dedication - May 16, 2005
by acsot inyou will all no doubt want to upchuk your lunch be pleased to find out how jehovah has blessed the brothers and sisters at the expanded, updated printery at wallkill.
i have several pages of notes from that momentous occasion, but haven't a clue how to get them to post here.
one of the snippets that will make you want to vomit highlights mentioned how, in reference to one job out-sourced to a "worldly" company for the concrete floors, the foreman of said company told the dubs that "what he learned in his few months at watchtower was comparable to five years of college".
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Aude_Sapere
**Five years of college - to pour concrete floors? Too bad he didn't stick it out for another day or two, he could have had his Masters in drywall.**
LOL Best laugh I've had all day. Good chuckles!! -
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Please help me edit for correct facts. I want no misrepresentation here.
by AK - Jeff inthis is a draft of a letter to a dear friend - what do you think?.
dear xxxxx - .
i just spent two weeks writing, editing, and writing again, what i intended as a brief letter to you regarding our conversation two weeks past.
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Aude_Sapere
Your letter is great just as is.
The 607 issue and, of course, mis-treatment of victims of sexual abuse were huge factors for me.
I strongly feel that the mis-treatment of sex abuse victims is immoral and I personally could not sit in my chair at the Kingdom Hall appearing to condone it. (We were taught to pay attention to 'appearances' weren't we????)
I hope your friend reads your letter. It's a good one!
-Aude.