This is why people should talk in person. Typing does not show inflection or emotion. Thank you all for your comments, I really enjoy when people take the time to express their own thoughts. That is how people learn.
On that note, you all misread my blog. I am a nurse first and foremost and I most certainly would not deny anyone any care for any reason. I may think differently and may not agree but I still give the highest standard of care. I made that oath when I got into it. In the beginning of the last blog I stated that my job is challenging as far as ethics goes and there never is a right and wrong answer and that is why I love what I do! It is not easy saving lives and it really sucks when you know you can save someone and they won't let you, especially when you have patients down the hall that you have worked so hard to save to no avail. Nursing is challenging because it is very emotionally charged work but you cannot get too involved with each case because you would go crazy. I deal with death every single day! It can be really hard to watch people die constantly, feeling absolutely helpless sometimes, even with all of the technology you have at your fingertips. I constantly meet new people and learn about all kinds of cultures and religions. I do not have to believe and like every single one of them and I do not have to understand them. Every time a person dies I stop for a moment and silently shed a tear for that loss but then I have to move on and deal with the ones still living because they need me.
I do not believe I wrote about a double standard. Blood transfusions are not a technology and we do not consider it as such. They have done that since the 1800's. That is like fluid in hospitals. It is a natural medicine. And there is a big difference between 1)getting a blood transfusion to save your life with little or no side effects and a great life and 2)having a ventilator and manufactured, unnatural medicine to keep your heart and blood pressure going and not being able to move any of your extremities. With these comments aren't you carrying the double edged sword? Once again, the first example was being kept alive against her wishes since the daugher was calling the shots. The second lady was doing everything she wanted which is fine. My point was why even have a surgery at all that more than likely will require a large blood transfusion and go through all of that if you will not have the transfusions? Why even use medicine at all? Why is using anesthetic, scapels, ventilators (all manufactured, unnatural things) acceptable and yet the most natural thing BLOOD is not accepted? I just do not get it and I do not understand why Jehovah's witnesses believe this. I am not religious that is who I am.
I am not religious. That is my right. It does not mean I am a bad person. I think rationally first and that is just how I am programmed. It also does not mean that I will hate you because of your religion. I have had friends that were Jehovah's witnesses, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. I like learning about all of them. I just wonder with so many ones out there, how come some people think there's is the best and only? Religion just seems to bring out the worst in people some times and they do not think with their brain. How many wars have there been with religion as the cause? How many people have died just because someone thought they had the wrong religion and killed them?
What does my vehicle have to do with this? This was a religious topic!! I bought a car with my beliefs! Deal. It looks good and I like Ford, I am a Michigander what is wrong with that? Mustangs look good and we do not drive it everyday anyway. For 6 months it will sit in the garage since it is not a snow car. It is a fun car. We work hard and earned it. The Mustang is an icon and we wanted to own one for the historical value and the hotness. Get over it. I will never own a foreign car! In Michigan that is just what you believe.
5 years ago
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Hi Susanne,
I have no doubt that you take your job seriously and that you care for your patients. And I can understand your frustration when a patient refuses a standard procedure.
For what its worth, you may be interested to know that in recent years the medical community, with the help of Jehovah's Witness patients, has been making tremendous progress in bloodless surgery and the results have been very promising. It not only soves the problem of blood shortages, but patients have had less complications and tend to recover much quicker. Here is what some in the medical field have said on the topic:
"Bloodless surgery is not only for Jehovah’s Witnesses but for all patients. I think that every doctor should be engaged in it."—Dr. Joachim Boldt, professor of anesthesiology, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
"What started as religious belief is evolving into medical preference and advanced technology . . . Bloodless medicine and surgery, motivated in part by the doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, is moving far beyond the needs of a spiritual society into operating rooms nationwide."—AHA News, published by the American Hospital Association.
And every one of Jehovah's Witnesses has been well educated on the topic and we continue to learn more as the science moves along. Just this past August, our Awake! magazine featured a series of articles on blood. Medical director Dr. Michael Rose is quoted in it as saying, "Any patient who receives bloodless medicine is, in essence, the recipient of the highest quality surgery that is possible." The magazine also breaks down the components of blood with colorful graphics and explains fractionation.
When the Witness was at your hospital, there should have been a Hospital Liaison Committee member there working to help the doctors understand our position and direct them to transfusion alternatives. If you are interested, this Committee would be happy to provide you with the DVD, Transfusion-Alternative Strategies--Simple, Safe, Effective. This program features world-renowned physicians discussing effective strategies currently used to treat patients without blood transfusions. The National Blood Service in the UK even distributed this program to all blood-bank managers and consultant hematologists in the country for viewing.
You can watch a preview of it online here. At the bottom of the page is the phone number that you, as a medical professional, are invited to contact to get more information.
Even though you do not understand our objection to blood, please know that Jehovah's Witnesses are very interested in receiving the best medical care available and we are very appreciative of medical workers, such as yourself, that work so hard to help us when we are in need of it. We only refuse procedures that go against our Bible-trained consciences.
TJ
Some surgeries just are not bloodless and you can never predict when one will need one. If you loose 6-10 units of blood from a leak, and I have seen this, you have to replace it some how. Then what?
Thanks Paul. It is good to know that I have some good friends out there to back me up.
That's right, Paul. I have such low self-esteem that I come to "snipe" on people's blogs to make me feel better. Is your doctorate in psychology satisfied with itself now? Because if it is maybe we can move beyond your petty posturing and have actual discourse.
"What does my vehicle have to do with this? This was a religious topic!! I bought a car with my beliefs! Deal. It looks good and I like Ford, I am a Michigander what is wrong with that? Mustangs look good and we do not drive it everyday anyway. For 6 months it will sit in the garage since it is not a snow car. It is a fun car. We work hard and earned it. The Mustang is an icon and we wanted to own one for the historical value and the hotness. Get over it. I will never own a foreign car! In Michigan that is just what you believe."
Honestly, Sue, if you can't recognize how similar your adherence to your belief in buying American is to a Jehovah's Witness' adherence to their own beliefs, then you didn't understand the point I was trying to make. Though you did just make it that much more clear with the above statement. Thank you.
"I really hate how religion runs people's lives. It is all fake people and you are just using it as a crutch so as to not face your real life and problems!!"
This is what upset me the most. The fact that you would lump all of religion into one very negative description and all religious people into the same thing.
"It also does not mean that I will hate you because of your religion. I have had friends that were Jehovah's witnesses, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc."
Do you tell those friends that their way of life is ruining their lives and they should get rid of their crutches so they can face their own problems?
We are all in this world to live as we may live. With religion or without. Driving American or driving a rice-burner. Wishing to finally let go or fighting for life with every tool science has given us.
We all live with our beliefs. One set is no more worthy than the other.
I just read a lot of negative judgement on your part of the second woman. I can understand your frustration, but I can't understand your intolerance.
And TJ, I was beginning to wonder why you were so intent on posting/arguing on a blog for someone I think you've never met before (and bringing in the Holocaust where it was unnecessary). Your last comment about bloodless surgery and respect for health care workers won back some of mymy respect.
Thanks Paul. It was never my intent to argue, just to explain our position, as we are rational people. I happened upon this blog via a search, and when I explain our position to strangers it is hard to know what will tread with them. After reading the second post on this, I figured it would be good to bring out that we are not just making life-or-death decisions on the spot without any kind of support system in place. This is an area that we plan well in advance for and have been working hard with the medical community to find alternatives that benefit not only us, but everyone.
Some surgeries just are not bloodless and you can never predict when one will need one. If you loose 6-10 units of blood from a leak, and I have seen this, you have to replace it some how. Then what?
Many doctors and nurses are concerned with these types of questions. Now I don't claim to know all the specifics, but Witnesses will accept other types of transfusions, just not blood. Information on these alternatives can be obtained from the local Hospital Liaison Committee or from our Hospital Information Services located in New York. I do know that they provide doctors and hospitals with a loose-leaf folder entitled, Family Care and Medical Management for Jehovah’s Witnesses. These are loose leaf so that they can be continually updated with new information answering questions like yours above.
Jehovah's Witnesses have even set up information booths (as approved exhibitors) at the Congresses of the International Society of Blood Transfusion, in order to spread information on the bloodless alternatives. Many doctors have expressed gratitude and appreciation for the information. So this is something we not only take very seriously, but we are proactive in helping medical professionals prepare for our unique circumstances.
TJ
Reuben, this just proves that you do not even know me. Why do you hide behind a letter anyway when you speak "your mind". At least I and most other people use their real names. I am not intolerent and I believe that is exactly what I wrote:
It also does not mean that I will hate you because of your religion. I have had friends that were Jehovah's witnesses, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. I like learning about all of them.
I disagree with you and it does not mean I will tell you that you are living your life wrong to your face. My true friends know this. I like for people to tell me about their beliefs in a civilized way so that I can understand their faith. I simply wrote that I did not understand that one religion ecspeially in that situation and it continued into my frustration with all religions of the world. I was emotionally charged because as stated earlier it is frustrating when you could easily save someone and they choose for you not to when you are constantly surrounded by cases of patients that fought like hell and still died. I do not hate religious people, I am anti- organized religion and I am an atheist. I do not like the religious people who are egoists and live bad lives. I have met a lot of negative and evil "religious" people and I don't understand how people can be such hippocrates. How can you preach love thy neighbor and yet go out and tell gay, and people of other faiths that they do not deserve to live and massacre them. Or the priests that tell the children they are safe and go ahead and molest them.
I believe in myself and I believe in having good friends and good people all around me and not surrounding myself with negative people.
What do you do for a living? What are you doing for humanity? I am out there everyday saving lives and I constantly do voluteer work to help all? What have you done to contribute? I have a right to be frustrated from time to time.
About the whole car thing. I stated that I liked the car and so I bought it. That does not say anything about my beliefs in people. I am a fan of Ford and I like the car they made. So what?
I do believe religion is a crutch for most people. They hide behind their faith so that they do not have to deal. A lot of people that I know that are religious say "I thank God for this" and "God will help me". Why don't they have the self worth to say I worked hard and fought hard for this and I am happy for it. So many people drone around in and join religions and cults because they are depressed and angry and need to feel like they belong. This seems to be the way of organized religion these days. I also do not believe religion should run our government at all. It also astounds me that with so many religions out there that people think their religion, that they were probably born into, is the one and only. Christianity and all of the "God" religions are newer religions. The multi-god and natural faiths came first. If I were relgious I would choose Buddhism or Wicca beause at least they are peaceful and believe that the true power lies within yourself. I have more respect for them because they are living life and do not put their life in "God's" hands. These are my beliefs and I do not mind having my own belief's.
TJ, thank you for all of the information you provided. I did not know most of this. Thank-you for being civilized as well.
And many thanks to you Susanne, I have benefited from this discussion as well.
Take care,
TJ
Kien, you are way more eloquent than R ever could imagine to be. I think that you have something there! I love you Kien!
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