Worried about my friend

by pharmer 21 Replies latest watchtower medical

  • pharmer
    pharmer

    I have a friend who has been a JW for a couple years (baptized). She might have to undergo gallbladder surgery. I'm worried for her (about the blood issues)and have made that known. I pointed her to a couple of articles on jwfacts and freeminds. She says she is open to examining this issue (and others). (I'm sending her my copy of Crisis of Conscience and warned her not to let others know she will be reading apostate material (she laughed and said she wouldn't get df'd for that)...so I pleaded that she not tell others for my own peace of mind then.)

    Anyway, she says she doesn't understand the intracacies surrounding the blood issue, and she wants to look at that more. She says she ordered the WTS' DVD on the blood issue. I don't know how convincing that material is, but she seems open to looking at other view points as well before she makes a decision. She is a single mom and is rightfully concerned about complications.

    I've already given her and highlighted areas of inconsitencies I discovered within the WTS' position (like vaccines, organ transplants, blood fractions), and she says she wants to look at that history and review how those conclusions were made. She concluded by saying she still believes their basic teachings are true. I completely respect her.

    I'm so thankful she is willing to discuss this with me prior to making a decision...I'm so scared for her. I care a lot!

    Please give advice...please.

  • Black Sheep
    Black Sheep

    You can lead a horse to water ....

    You actually did quite well so far. Don't get too much in her face, you might frighten her away from you.

    Ask questions, so that she has to do the research & thinking and tell you the answers, instead of you doing most of the talking.

    Good luck

    Chris

  • Bangalore
    Bangalore

    Welcome to JWN,Pharmer.

    Bangalore

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    Welcome Pharmer!

    Definitely with Black Sheep on this one.

  • cofty
    cofty

    Welcome to the forum pharmer. You will find loads of current information about blood at http://www.ajwrb.org/

    I hope things go well for your friend. She needs to be aware of the complexities of the organisation's stance on this life and death issue. They are changing their views on it constantly. It is extremely unlikely anybody will get DFd for accepting blood, they are becoming too afraid of the legal risk but she needs to be discreet.

    ps - she is definitely at risk of getting DFd for reading COC

  • AnnOMaly
    AnnOMaly

    The blood issue may not even come up (always best to be informed, nevertheless) if she's having Laparoscopic or 'keyhole' surgery which they can very often do on gallbladders. Wish her all the best.

  • hotspur
    hotspur

    Don't you find it ironic that you stand more chance of being disfellowshipped for reading a book than taking a blood transfusion? Both are ridiculous I know, but reading a book? Sheeesh!

    Welcome by the way!

    (Actually, AnnOmaly, my wife had this procedure a couple of years ago and the consultant said there was a quite a high risk of blood loss, even laproscopically, which surprised me)

  • pharmer
    pharmer

    Thank you all. Cofty, I will check out that ajwrb.org site and send my friend a link, thanks! Hotspur, I recentyl had watched a video (youtube) that was on freeminds, and it was a healthcare professional lecturing about this blood issue. She spoke of a case where a gallbladder was removed via laproscopy (jw patient), and the surgeon had nicked a blood vessel that resulted in serious blood loss. I don't doubt it is a real risk. Thanks for the info.

  • just Ron
    just Ron

    It's good to inform your freind but I'm with AnnOMally on this one. Finally Awake had the same surgery and it's was all done laparoscopicly. The recovery was quick with no complications.

  • alanv
    alanv

    I had my gall bladder out a couple of years ago. It was done by key hole surgery and is a very common operation with minimal chance that a blood transfusion is needed.

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