28 Dec 2003
Dear Sister Clubley,
Your own experience with anemia and survival is something for healthcare providers especially doctors to ponder - that severe anemia is tolerated by many young, otherwise healthy patients.
May I share with you my experience as an anesthesiologist practising bloodless medicine and surgery. I gave anesthesia to a 21-year old male who suffered cardiac tamponade from a stab wound to the heart. Patient is a son of a Jehovah's Witness. In the perioperative period he received asanguinous (non-blood) fluids and his hemoglobin dropped to 4 gm/dL. I gave him injectable iron daily for a week and oral iron also starting on the 3rd day when diet was commenced and of course IV fluids (including colloids) to maintain his blood pressure. He went home on the 7th day and is now working in Manila. A second patient, the wife of an infectious disease specialist, had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. The husband requested that no blood be given (they are not Jehovah's Witnesses). Postoperative hemoglobin was 4.8 gm/dL. The surgeon did not honor the request and blood was started. Soon the patient developed rashes and an asthmatic attack. The blood was discontinued and intramuscular iron was given for 7 days. She went home on the eight day improved.
In the hospital where I work (in central Philippines) some obstetricians and surgeons are no longer scared of anemia although many of them still fear the legal implications of withholding blood transfusions.
I continue giving lectures to doctors and nurses in many hospitals all over the Philippines on the adverse effects of allogeneic blood and what alternatives are available.
Kind regards,
Angelina A. Gapay, MD
Dept of Anesthesia
Divine Word Hospital
Tacloban City, Leyte
Philippines
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Originally Posted by sister clubley
 Hi, I am new to NoBlood.org.
I would like to share my story of how I survived with non blood products.
In 1997, I became seriously ill with mononucleosis. In addition to this and as a complication I had Hepatitis A. Which of course caused jaundice and then haemolytic anaemia. I never do things by halves!!
Anyway. As my blood cells were just dissolving, I was encouraged to have e-poetin. Before I became too ill to make a decision, I had already decided that if it was not genetically engineered that I would not have it, as it contains some blood and this is against my christian conscience.
The doctors here in England wanted to give me a blood transfusion as my blood count had gone down to 4.8! They gave me a 10% chance of living that night, and I can assure you that mentally and indeed physically, I fought with all my life that night. They gave me steroid treatment and saline drips. The upshot was that I spent 3 weeks in hospital. The doctors could not understand why I had survived. They then discovered that if they had given me a blood transfusion that I would most certainly have died. I did not have the immune system to cope with it.
Today, I still suffer a little from tiredness due to the glandular fever, but other than that, I have a 20 month old son and am very much alive and kicking!!!
Never be scared to stand up for what you want. It's your right as an individual, and as a patient.
If anyone out there needs encouragement, send me a private e-mail!
sister clubley |