I donated blood today at a local blood drive and...

by stichione 14 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  stichione

  ...I feel great!

  I have been a JW almost all my life, and at a little over 40 years old, for the first time I donated half a litre of whole blood, and I am told it can be used to save 4 people! I can't tell you how terrified I was to be spotted by a JW, although they would also have had a hard time explaining their presence at the clinic.

  After I finish typing these sentences I'm going to tell my wife what I did today (she is inactive and only goes to Sunday meetings, but still has some loyalty to the Organzation, although she wouldn't rat me out since after constant bombardment I convinced her the blood doctrine is wrong).

  Has anyone here donated blood while still a jw?

  Edited because I can't spell for beans.
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  Kaethra

  Nope! Not while a jw, but I did donate for the first time last year. Congrats, btw! It's a great feeling, isn't it?

  The fact that you can't donate if you've spent 72 hours in prison gave me pause. *Must never, ever commit a crime!*

  I've donated twice so far and would have done so a third time, but I had had a Yellow Fever vaccination too soon prior to the last time the blood drive came by.

  Funny thing - my mother travels with her "no blood" card and I travel with my "blood donor" card. har!
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  blondie

  I donated for the 2nd time ever last Saturday. I go in every 8 weeks. It only took 10 minutes in the chair and 45 minutes total with the paperwork and waiting 10 minutes afterwards.

  I figure if I am going to accept a blood transfusion, I should donate if I can medically. Same with organ transplants.

  Blondie
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  Snowcrash

  I gave blood two weeks ago, and went to the meeting later that night. I passed out after the meeting was closed and I was leaving. The official story is that I stood up too fast.
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  JH

  I'll have to give blood starting soon, since I found out that I have way too many red blood cells and that's because I have way too much iron (ferritin) in my blood. The only way to decrease Iron stores (ferritin) is to give blood.

  Now I have a decision to take, tell the one removing the blood that I'm a JW, and I want that blood trashed, or not say a word.
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  TD

  Congratulations Stichione! You done good!

  I can't tell you how terrified I was to be spotted by a JW,

  The last time I donated, I went to a United Blood Services branch located in a little strip mall near my house. I was sitting there staring at the ceiling, squeezing that little grip thing they give you when I heard a man's voice up at the front desk saying something about, "Doing a public service."

  I looked over and there was male, 30-something JW. I recognized that glazed look even before I noticed that he was trying to leave the Watchtower and Awake! on the table in the waiting area.

  Apparently this gentleman was out doing "Business territory" (I think that's the correct term...) so running into a JW while donating is not entirely out of the realm of possiblity.

  When I was done, I went back into the waiting area, picked up the JW magazines and said to the lady, (She knows me) "This is the religion that teaches their members that transfusion medicine is a sin." I held the magazines over the trash can and said, "Do you mind?" "Not at all" she said.

  In they went.
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  outnfree

  I, too, have donated blood and felt VERY good about it, but only after I had left the JWs. Good for you, stitch'!

  I am LOL at TD's story. I was at the cardiologist's two weeks ago for a stress test and noticed a Watchtower among the magazines piled on one table. They seem particularly out of place in a cardiology practice when blood is so vital to open heart surgeries. I went through every single pile in between phases of the test, culling all the d*mn propaganda so I could toss them when I got home. That felt VERY good, too!

  outnfree
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  Doubtfully Yours

  Congratulation on having overcome that hurdle. I still can't bring myself to donate blood, although they're forever begging people to donate because of shortage.

  Perhaps when I'm fully out I'll donate some.

  DY
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  missy04

  Hey, good for you!

  I would like to give blood but tried one time and they pricked my finger and said something or other was too low for me to give blood.
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  stichione

  Missy04,

  Its probably because you have low iron.