Wifes patient dies.

[HardDrive]

This is not a happy article or a happy post, so do not read it if its going to bum you out. I don't want to be a downer during the holidays.

One of my wifes patients passed away. We had a long conversation about him 2 nights ago. Oddly, I knew everything about the kid except his name because of privacy laws. Sometimes I will get to know a kid pretty well through my wife, yet never know their name. These are usually the cases that weigh heavily on her mind....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22025932

But there is more to the story. The article focuses on the tragedy of the boys life, his terrible upbringing. What it fails to convey is what a powerful young man this was. He didn't sulk or act like a 14 year old. He was independant, and capable. He could take care of himself, and he didn't show bitterness. He made the best of what he was dealt. He acted with a maturity and courage that would make the toughest Marine proud.

I look at the spoiled, spiteful people I come across day to day, and it fills me with so much anger and saddness that I don't even know where to put it. If people could only understand the scope of the blessings they receive.....

Count your blessings, for they are many.

[Rot 911]

Sad thing is if he had been a Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Muslim, etc., he might still be alive and having fun today.

[TerryH]

More mad than sad. How stupid can people be to follow a "religion" that puts such a small value on human life. To me JW is not religion, it's a cult. The judge should be impeached and the aunt arrested for brainwashing.

Just call me Archie Bunker.

[livi]

Agreed. I repeatadly think to myself I have been a part of children suffering and dying enough for a life time. Still, many of them act and handle themselves like this boy. Gives me a lot of strenght. What do I have to complain about in my life??

Nagging and whining is like sitting in a rocking chair. Keeps you occupied, but it doesn´t get you anywhere.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by TerryH

More mad than sad. How stupid can people be to follow a "religion" that puts such a small value on human life. To me JW is not religion, it's a cult. The judge should be impeached and the aunt arrested for brainwashing.

Just call me Archie Bunker.

OK Archie.

I am a JW along with a few others on this board.

We are taught to respect blood as sacred not to take blood into our bodies in any form. this goes for some vaccinations. We take it pretty literally.

Cults follow men. Guess what? I have no clue who the president of the he Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc, I do not worship my churches elders, who BTW do not draw salaries from the cong. They volunteer their time to help. since I have no clue who our leader is does that still make us a cult? We are taught its not important.

This family made a moral choice based on their beliefs. How great would it have been if the kid did get the transfusion the docs wanted to give and he contracted aids or Heb on top of the cancer?


If you honestly care about what we believe and want to know why, follow this link.
http://www.watchtower.org/e/vcnb/article_01.htm


Please keep slamming away at the JW's.

If you think for a moment those parents are not heartbroken over this your mistaken. To understand whey we believe and what hope God gives us beyond this life helps us to cope with loss.


Flame away...


Hmmm.. No mention of what religion, if any, the drug addict (now clean) parents are who have not seen their son in 2 months even though he was dying of leukemia.

[TerryH]

I hate to see any child die needlessly. If an adult wants to toss his/her life away, I don't have any problem with that. However, 14 years old is not an adult in any shape or form. I think the system failed in this case and no one was looking out for what was best for this child.

Fifteen years ago my neice had acute type leukemia. She was 17 and through agressive treatments including numerous blood transfusions she survived. Today she is happily married and the mother of 2 beautiful kids.

It's hard to fathom an rational thinking person would throw in the towel when the child has such a good chance of full recovery and leading a full and completely normal life.

I do apologize for my gut reaction that offended anyone, but my feelings are the same pertaining to this child.

[Vipergrün]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

OK Archie.

I am a JW along with a few others on this board.

We are taught to respect blood as sacred not to take blood into our bodies in any form. this goes for some vaccinations. We take it pretty literally.

Cults follow men. Guess what? I have no clue who the president of the he Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc, I do not worship my churches elders, who BTW do not draw salaries from the cong. They volunteer their time to help. since I have no clue who our leader is does that still make us a cult? We are taught its not important.

This family made a moral choice based on their beliefs. How great would it have been if the kid did get the transfusion the docs wanted to give and he contracted aids or Heb on top of the cancer?


If you honestly care about what we believe and want to know why, follow this link.
http://www.watchtower.org/e/vcnb/article_01.htm


Please keep slamming away at the JW's.

If you think for a moment those parents are not heartbroken over this your mistaken. To understand whey we believe and what hope God gives us beyond this life helps us to cope with loss.


Flame away...

Yeah, but don't you understand that "your" God gave you a brain and the ability to reason and have common sense? The belief system of JW's seems incredibly selfish and not compassionate...

I don't buy the argument about HIV or HEP in the blood, it's an excuse to justify means.

However, how great it is that we are in America where anyone can practice the religion they choose.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by bb80sc

Yeah, but don't you understand that "your" God gave you a brain and the ability to reason and have common sense? The belief system of JW's seems incredibly selfish and not compassionate...

I don't buy the argument about HIV or HEP in the blood, it's an excuse to justify means.

However, how great it is that we are in America where anyone can practice the religion they choose.

I can only say I hope my faith is strong enough to make the same decision this 14 y/o kid made in the face of death. To hold strong to my religious convictions and trust that what I have learned about God (my God) is true.

Do you wonder why this kid took to the religion so strongly so fast? Look at the first 10 years of his life. His life was a disaster, it seems to me when he moved in with his aunt he finally found a place in this world where he was finally loved and had stability.

I can imagine to someone who has no understand as to what a JW believes all they can do is damn them.

[frogger]

Very sad. Very, very sad.

[Moneyguy1]

Religious convictions are fine, but can lead to errors in judgement, since these convictions are based upon someone's interpretation of the word of the Creator. I am sure that those who believe that killing infidels will warrant them a place in heaven have convictions as well.

I am not in any way comparing beliefs, simply that all beliefs have to be tempered with the knowledge that no human would ever be capable of understanding the mind of aCreator.

OTOH, God gave us the intellect to overcome certain diseases and disabilities. Why would He do that if not to use these methods?

The world has changed over the centuries. Even some of the things in ancient beliefs made sense given the times. Today, these prohibitions are irrelevant, and most people understand that. Those prohibitions, if still practiced, are done so as "tradition".

I respect different belief systems, as long as they do not endanger the lives of their followers or others.

[Nostril Cheese]

There's nothing noble about this boy declining treatment. Pisses me off...

I'f you're a JW, fine.. believe what you want to. I'm inclined to believe that God loves a fighter. You keep kicking ass no matter what.

I'm real f***ing mad about this...

[motion]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

I can only say I hope my faith is strong enough to make the same decision this 14 y/o kid made in the face of death. To hold strong to my religious convictions and trust that what I have learned about God (my God) is true.

Do you wonder why this kid took to the religion so strongly so fast? Look at the first 10 years of his life. His life was a disaster, it seems to me when he moved in with his aunt he finally found a place in this world where he was finally loved and had stability.

I can imagine to someone who has no understand as to what a JW believes all they can do is damn them.

You are 100% entitled to whatever your beliefs are as an adult.

A child is not.

There is a difference.

This is sick.

Livi, I hope you chime in here HEAVILY about how valuable a child's life is. You should know better than most of us, even if we are parents.

[sjf911]

This is just another example of the idiocy of ignorance. That boy was not in any way an adult or really ready to make an adult decision. Raising a child with that kind of indoctrination is really a form of child abuse and should be treated as such. JW's do not deserve the social status of and respect as a "religion" and should be treated as a criminal cult along with the christian scientists. It is bad enough seeing adults make idiot decisions like this but then that is Darwinian evolution. Programming of children like this is criminal.

[HardDrive]

Wow.

You guys missed my point entirely.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Wow.

You guys missed my point entirely.

I totally got your point, the kid got a bum deal in life. Crappy parents from birth to 10 years old then diagnosed with Leukemia and then had to make a life or death decision.

Not once did he whine or complain about the crappy hand he got in life.

Makes you wonder why? I know why.

I knew this was going to be a JW bashing thread as soon as I read the article.


It was o.k. the parents of the kid abandoned him when he was little, chose drugs over him and in his dying days had little contact with him except to grandstand in a courtroom.

Hardrive you met the kid and I am SURE your wife discussed his options with his aunt and him right up to the end. I am sure you have more insight as to why he made his decision and why he was at peace with it.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by motion

Livi, I hope you chime in here HEAVILY about how valuable a child's life is. You should know better than most of us, even if we are parents.

I think Livi is still trying to find out why so many children are dying in Darfur and no one in this country gives a crap.

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Wow.

You guys missed my point entirely.

I don't think we missed your point about what a well rounded stand-up guy this kid was, especially in the face of death. It sounds like he convinced everyone around him that he was an adult, but he wasn't.

There is another point. That our judicial system failed this kid miserably.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

His life was a disaster, it seems to me when he moved in with his aunt he finally found a place in this world where he was finally loved and had stability.

His life was a disaster yes, and then he moved in with his JW aunt and that was the kiss of death.

Had he moved in with rational people he would be alive today.

Tragic.

[john walker's workshop]

just more proof.

[Dottore]

Thinking about this some more just makes me angry. I think we are all being far too polite about this.

Medical science is perhaps mankind's proudest achievement: the ability to cure illnesses, alleviate pain, improve the quality of life and prolong it.

In this context, to allow a 14 year old boy to die because he has been brainwashed into the primitive belief that a blood transfusion is "unclean and unworthy" is beyond tragic. It's barbaric and stupid and morally reprehensible.