Posts by nsrn

20

questions?

by nurse in

jw
friends

i'm a nursing student and i have to do an essay.

the case study i'm doing is of an elderly gentleman who is a jehovahs witness and i'm wondering if any of you can tell me besides refusing a blood transfusion, if there is any other beliefs that would affect medical care?

i'm not a jehovahs witness but would be very interested to hear your comments and thank you in advance!

nsrn

Regarding nursing care plans for Jehovah's Witnesses: (observations from 25 yrs in nursing)

In a critical care setting: they won't welcome a visit from the hospital chaplain or want prayer said by anyone but a witness. They don't believe in guardian angels or dead loved ones 'waiting' for them in heaven. They believe you 'sleep' in death, so a comforting thing to say to a dying witness is, "You've done a great job, well done, you can rest now." as opposed to "take Jesus' hand and go with Him" (that wouldn't make sense to them).

In an extended care area, they won't attend a service in the chapel (even non-denominational or inter-denominational). They won't go to a 'gospel sing' or Christmas carol. They won't gamble--so no casino night or bingo. They may not want to socialize with 'worldly' people much, and will try to preach to other patients. They will need good lighting and somewhere prominent in their room for their Bible and literature. In a Catholic facility, they won't want a crucifix on their wall in the room.

I know I'm rambling, but you are also welcome to p.m. me. I was raised a witness, out 25 years.

31

"WHERE ELSE WOULD WE GO?"

by bonnzo in

jw
friends

i have a rather lengthy question/statement, so please bear with me.

i would like to apologize in advance if i offend anyone with this post.

i dont mean to judge anyone here.

nsrn

Hi, Bonnzo,

I don't think anyone 'goes' from JW to another organized religion overnight. At least, not in my experience. People leave over various issues, and I know I didn't have ANY use for religion for several years. It wasn't until I started yearning for something else that I was open enough to even consider 'somewhere else'.

Life's a process. I'm still tearing down walls.

28

Assembly Hall Intermission Music

by JH in

jw
friends

.

remember that dull kingdom music.

what music are you thinking about that would have been more appropriate?

nsrn

John Doe, I was just thinking the same thing. I played that song and immediately remembered every word. Made me want to cry...Remember the sound of thousands of folding chairs scraping concrete as we all stood up? Remember all the magazines and programs being fanned at fussy babies? And the food service bags of fruit?

I'm kind of a new poster, forgive me if this rambling is totally off topic.

38

I'm an Organ Donor

by prophecor in

.

nsrn

Thanks, Sad Emo. Yes, there are representatives from the organ bank that counsel with the donor families. These are most common in larger hospitals with trauma centers, where patients are on ventilators after severe head trauma or overdose or such, and they can 'harvest' every intact organ while they are still functioning. In the more rural area where I work, the nursing supervisor or charge nurse (sometimes me!) approaches the family of a freshly dead patient and asks if the patient ever expressed a desire to be an organ donor. If so, we have them sign consent and a team comes up from the organ bank to 'harvest' eyes, heart valves, muscle fascia, skin, and long bones. There is no cost to the donor family.

38

I'm an Organ Donor

by prophecor in

.

nsrn

Okay, I'll take a risk and be the lone dissenter. I do not wish to be an organ donor. I realize that if my child needed an organ, I'd probably change my tune. So I'm probably being totally illogical. BUT, as a nurse, I've seen both sides of the process, and the whole business reminds me too much of a vulture, circling the dying prey.

I have mixed feelings about alot of things. I administer blood transfusions regularly, but I still feel wierd about it. I celebrate Christmas, but I still hope my parents don't stop by and see the tree. I have a strong faith and a wonderful church family, but I dodge a witness at the door like they have the plague.

12

Oprah Winfrey

by Madame Quixote in

does anyone have any contact with oprah winfrey?

i think she could do a great show on the misrepresentation of medical and secular facts issue.

let's just visualize this show: hlc members, elders, litigants (who won against the wtbs), the author of the essay, kerry louderback-wood, the baylor u. ethics professors, the woo-hooing audience, etc.?

nsrn

Thanks, Annie!

He is Paul Blizard, and his website is "Watch the Tower". I remember that he gave his phone number on the show (pre-internet days), and I really had to work up a lot of nerve to call him. He sent me my first 'apostate literature'. I'm so glad he did!

Nancy

12

Oprah Winfrey

by Madame Quixote in

does anyone have any contact with oprah winfrey?

i think she could do a great show on the misrepresentation of medical and secular facts issue.

let's just visualize this show: hlc members, elders, litigants (who won against the wtbs), the author of the essay, kerry louderback-wood, the baylor u. ethics professors, the woo-hooing audience, etc.?

nsrn

I remember that Oprah show! It was 18 years ago, and I sat riveted to it--the first time I had heard someone publicly speaking out about the witnesses. I felt like that guest was speaking directly to me. His advice was to get a good neutral translation, read just the Gospel of John to start out, and ask God for help.

I did that, and that began my real relationship with God. Just an example of how a life can be touched...

Does anyone remember the guest's name? I think his last name was Hazzard, but it wasn't Danny. This guest had a daughter who needed blood, and the cold-hearted response of the elders opened his eyes. Maybe in Kentucky?

Again, thanks for the welcome.

23

Elder has Power of Attny for my Mother

by limbogirl in

jw
friends

my witness mother has a rare form of leukemia -- fortunately she is doing well and it hasn't been an issue yet.

she notified me some time ago that she had completed forms to make one of the elders at her kh her power of attorney in the event that she required medical treatment.

she told me that she did this to relieve me and my siblings of having to make difficult decisions for her at that time -- meaning authorizing blood.

nsrn

Thanks for the welcome! Believe me, the long talk about the blood components was terribly uncomfortable. I've spent 40 years trying to NOT rock the boat.

23

Elder has Power of Attny for my Mother

by limbogirl in

jw
friends

my witness mother has a rare form of leukemia -- fortunately she is doing well and it hasn't been an issue yet.

she notified me some time ago that she had completed forms to make one of the elders at her kh her power of attorney in the event that she required medical treatment.

she told me that she did this to relieve me and my siblings of having to make difficult decisions for her at that time -- meaning authorizing blood.

nsrn

My family talked all around the various blood fractions, and the final word was "nothing red"!

23

Elder has Power of Attny for my Mother

by limbogirl in

jw
friends

my witness mother has a rare form of leukemia -- fortunately she is doing well and it hasn't been an issue yet.

she notified me some time ago that she had completed forms to make one of the elders at her kh her power of attorney in the event that she required medical treatment.

she told me that she did this to relieve me and my siblings of having to make difficult decisions for her at that time -- meaning authorizing blood.

nsrn

(First time poster, long time lurker)

I went through this same thing a couple years ago with my witness parents, both in their 80's. They had appointed an elder (who is also a cousin by marriage) as their durable healthcare representative. I was SO upset that it took a few days to even reapproach the subject. I am a nurse, very active in my parents' healthcare, and the idea of giving up control of their health care decisions to that equally elderly man was unbelievable.

My parents, too, explained that they were trying to avoid putting me in the potentially painful spot of making a blood related decision for them. (Obviously the reply taught from the podium.) They did NOT know the difference between 'power of attorney' and 'durable healthcare representative' or what an advance directive meant. They did NOT realize they were giving him complete power to decide ANY healthcare related decision in the event they could not speak for themselves. The example I gave them was, "What if you have a stroke, and may very well need a feeding tube until it is determined that you can swallow safely again? Have you talked about your wishes? Do you trust him to know what you want? Do you realize he would name your nursing home, your doctor; even control whether you can have visitors?!?!?!? This is so much more than just an issue of blood!"

Then I asked, "Did you not trust me to honor your wishes? That out of respect for your decisions, I would ever dream of going against you?" Now, you would think I would have had sense enough to stop there. After all, I was already upset. But I had to ask it! "What if it were the other way around? If I were sick, would you honor MY wishes?" Of course, my Mom said, "I could NEVER let you have blood!"

Well, we later had a long sit down about "advanced directives": my parents' wishes about feeding tubes, ventilators, pain control, and blood fractions (no one was more confused than I was, but I tried to keep it all straight). They retrieved the copies of the advance directives with the elder's name on it, and they filled out new ones. And it was a good thing, too, since Mom promptly had a stroke, and then a bleeding ulcer! And Dad with multiple myeloma.

Not to drone on, but here's a little background: raised a 3rd generation witness, Dad an elder, never baptized, college scholarship, married young, long search for something missing, found it in a little local church. Now grey headed.

I love the boards! It used to be such a lonely thing--how wonderful to know I didn't imagine all that childhood stress!!!