fredfam1

What I don't understand is why did doctors not advise this family to
bank blood in case it is needed? Pregnancy is risky and doubly so
for twins. If I were a pastor in this church, when I married people
that would be my first premarital counseling. "These are our beliefs,
so here is how to stay within that belief system and keep yourself
safe." Why couldn't that be a part of the Premarital Counseling?

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Pepsi

A doctor had said on t.v. that they (jw) won`t take blood but, they will eat meat?

TrickPony

A man from Fla is not a JW got very angry suing the Hospital for Aids which he recieved a blood transfusion from someone, hes angry, very angry that he had wish he never got the blood transfusion from another human being, I hellva would not ever take blood transfusion from a human being, because of AIDS/HIV and Many nasty sexually transmitted diseased, NO THANKS! I'll go for water blood instead of a human's blood.

by the way I did reads article on a little girl who is one of JW had a heart transplant successfully survived without a blood transfusion, shes very much well alive today.

Another JW did take water blood instead of real human blood also still alive too.

Wonders why the mother didn't take the water blood instead, didn't she know about it, I have no ideas, would like to find out more about it.

Wokamuka

Saline : salt & water solution - used to treat dehydration

Polyheme, et al. : saline with other products - used to "buy time" before blood transfusion


In the hospital, nurses/doctors have a protocol where there can override a parent's decision when a child's life is threatened. (I forget what it's called.)
It doesn't work on parents because adults are seen to be informed enough to commit suicide.

The same group that comdemns blood transfusions (because of it's "life" properties) is the same group that, for religion, rejects life.

This thinking sounds similar to those who wear bombs and walk into markets.

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Dixie

OK Im not an RN Im a former EMT and here's the protocols from the pre-hospital care side (though blood transfusion in the field NEVER happens)

If a child's life is endangered and the mother is not stable enough to be comprehensive then we write the mother as LOC on the PCR and triage from there giving priority to the child over the mother.

Polyheme is used in the field however for severe truama cases where blood loss is significant (IE - Momma's just been plowed over by a semi) and in the pre-hospital sector we're also seeing positive results, but when things are that bad we are going to call in for a bird and have them airlifted to the nearest truama center that can better handle the blood loss in a controlled enviroment vs. us ambulance guys out the in field where stuff changes moment from moment. We're just there to buy time for the fella til we get them to a hospital. Saves in the field are uncommon and theres a reason Medics brag about em' when they do happen.

But 9/10 times we are going to give NS to replace lost fluids during times of shock, load n' go. If its an MCI the medics are going to stay and play though.

I do know that Medics in Iraq are using polyheme quite often given the long response times to rescue there and the constant 'oh-shits' over there.

Doug if Ive omitted something from a lagging memory please correct where needed.

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netrox

That happens often, even non-religious people can be imprisoned by false ideas that literally end their lives.

rockin'robin

Growing up, my best friend and her family were JW's....they did not believe/celebrate Christmas and she was not allowed to wear makeup or even pants.....She was not a happy camper!

She's grown up now with a family of her own, has broken from the Church, and celebrates Christmas and wear what she wants to, even wears makeup. Her parents practically disowned her.

Cowpuppy

I think some religions simply make some rules to stand out from others. Or one person's passing thought in head. Silliness. As for kids care.....child abuse to deny them. Self-righteousness can be a bad thing.

souggy

Comon... don't bash them.

I know many that refuse transfusion that are turning them down for non-religious reasons-- usually in form of boycotting the Red Cross, or preventing from past errors from repeating again.

Not even sure why this article was "news-worthy" anyway.

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KristinaB

The reason I will never ever allow myself or my children to have blood transfusions is:

Back in the 1980's before they tested for anything other than HIV/AIDS, my mother had to have a transfusion due to a massive blood loss due to an infection caused by issues in the hospital after a simple D&C. A few years later, during a routine physical for insurance through her employer, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Here, almost 20 years later, mom is still somewhat okay, but we found lst year during a different medical crisis, she now has cirrohsis of the liver due to the Hep C she got from the transfusion. she is going through the beginning stages of dementia, going through liver failure and since the surgery to her leg a year ago, we still have to bandage little sores that pop up weekly. I have a full pharmacy of antibiotic creams, bandages and latex-free gloves all to take care of my mother. I have the red infectious disease bags for her bandages and have to take it to the doctor's office weekly to dispose of. All because of a simple 1 unit of blood from a transfusion. I will never subject my children to any possibility of this horror. They already have to help me at times with my mother.

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Jiro

Kristina - back in old day, it was bad... but nowadays - it's more stringent. More screening, better regulation. My friend's mom had emergency transfusion and she got Hep C too. That was long long long time ago. Now - haven't heard of anybody with tainted blood via blood transfusion. the cases are not as bad as before.

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KristinaB

My cousin's younger son, just 5 years ago, had to have a transfusion, got HIV and was so distraught at age 16 over this, he committed suicide. My cousin was a nurse at the hospital that did the transfusion. She quit and is now a teacher. She is also suing the hospital and blood bank that provided the blood.

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rockin'robin

Lord, that's tragic!

shel90

I agree...wow.

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KristinaB

He had been in an accident involving his quad-runner on their property in Wisconsin next to the Minnesota border. Was air-lifted to the hospital where cousin worked as a nurse. She obviously was not allowed on his case, but she was there. He had to have 4 units of blood and survived the accident. He had been home for about 3 weeks before killing himself with a gun in the basement.

They sold the house and moved into another they owned in town and tore down the old house and built a new one for sale. Her husband is a contractor and builder. They are building a new cabin on their property in Wisconsin and giving it to their other son.

My cousin is doing pretty well, all things considered.

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hohDougRN

FYI once the hospital receives the blood into their blood bank, it has already been deemed safe for administration. Whether or not it was safe or not, the distributing institution IE Red Cross is accountable for that. FDA, federal and state laws do not require hospital to rescreen a received unit of transfusion blood before administration. In addition there are more serious immidiate transfusion reactions that can occur acutely from a transfused unit of blood. This is the area where the hospital and/or staff are accountable for safely verifying the appropriate blood and close monitoring during transfusion. Aside from proper verification of correct unit of blood (type and unit #) the laboratory must check for any rare antibodies on a patient's blood cells. Those appropriate units of blood to correctly match any special anitbodies are usually obtained rapidly via separate blood bank within the region. One night a couple years ago we had a patient with such special individualized blood cells we had to fly in blood from Chicago that very night. And ALWAYS with these special cases of patients even closer monitoring for transfusion reactions must take place.

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Reba

I'm very sorry for what happened to your mom. A very similar thing happened to my mom. In 1967, she had a hysterectomy and blood transfusion. About 25 years later, she was dead from Hepatitis C cirrhosis of the liver.

Lighthouse77

My best friend is a JW, and no she won't do the transfusion. It's against her religious beliefs (what they believe is similar to what Jewish people believe when they won't eat anything that is not kosher). I hope she planned on backing up her own blood (and her children) while they are healthy.

The best thing you can do is work your way around them, and do more scientific studies that will work for them. I don't like it when children are taken away because of religious beliefs. It is very hard on them, and my best friend care and love her children very much.

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Jiro

oh my........ I'm sorry to hear that..

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Loghead

I have a good friend who's a JW. She told me that they are very against blood transfusions because they believe blood to be very sacred. They believe it is not to be eaten or transferred. This is also part of the reason why reading "Twilight" (because of the vampires) is prohibited, but she read it anyway.

Rockin': I have a feeling that my friend is on the same path as your friend. She seems to pick and choose what she does and doesn't follow (if some of the stuff I know she's done was released to her congregation, I'm sure they would give her a pretty long lecture). However, she is VERY knowledgeable on her religion and believes strongly in it. Your friend knew that if/when she abandoned her congregation that her JW friends and family would disown her because of what is called "disfellowshipping". Usually they will shun the member that has abandoned them.

Dixie

No worries, I understand perfectly. From what I remember Polyheme has been in clinical trials for about 2-3 years now?? I'm glad to know it's still showing promising results, but we need to see if there are any long term effects a patient might have that may or may not show until years after use of polyheme. Specifically in those such as Jehova's Witness and Mormons who commonly refuse blood transfusions due to their faith.

If Polyheme is a success and receives nods from the FDA for more widespread use, this could be a lifesaver for patients who are universal donors but not universal recipients. This would also be beneficial in major MCIs.

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hohDougRN

It is not practice for Mormons to refuse any blood products.

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netrox

I am afraid you are ethically and morally wrong, given the data we have now.

You just rather have your child die just because you're so worried about him getting hep C or HIV even though the odds of getting it is remarkably low and the benefits outweigh the risks inherent in blood transfusion?

And EVEN if your own child gets Hep C or HIV, it doesn't mean death sentence for him... there are quite a lot of people cured of Hep C thanks to new drugs and now, AIDS death is being less common thanks to HAART therapies - HIV+ people are now expected to live for 30+ years, not within 10 years in the old days.

Dixie

My apologies if I offended, I thought I was told once that Mormons also do not accept blood transfusions for the same reason as JWs.

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hohDougRN

Oh Dixie, no worries I don't think you offended any, at least not me if that makes ya feel any better

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Mrs Bucket

Whether you think she is ethically/morally wrong, legally she is right in her own way. She is the mother of her own child.

You are not the parent.

Frisky Feline

choices are for anyone's own desires and preferences, not me or not anyone's.

yizuman

They're not in Heaven. JWs only believe in paradise on earth, not heaven. They're taught only the 144,000 anointed JWs can go to heaven, the rest stays here.

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netrox

Not if it involves endangering a life of a minor. She can decide that for her own life, but not for her child's life.

KristinaB

My decision is based on fact and after careful consideration with all doctors my children have had. There is nothing wrong my ethical or moral [practices. I seek medical attention for them when needed, but as far as transfusions, due to history both in the 80's and in 2004, I will not subject them to that. All of the doctors I have consulted regarding that understand my position and for the most part agree. My children are 14 & 15 and understand the risks. If they should decide to do otherwise after they are 18, that is their right. It is NOT for other people to tell me that I am morally and ethically wrong.

I am sorry you feel this way, but as I said before, I make this decision for my self and my children, not for other people. I am not asking for others to believe the way I do, but I feel I have legitimate concerns.

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