I Have Done What I Ought to Have Done - By Don Ridley - DEFENDING THE RIGHTS FOR BLOODLESS MEDICAL TREATMENT

In the 1980's,  it was not uncommon for doctors and hospitals to override the request of an adult Witnesses to be treated without blood products.  Pregnant women faced greater obstacles because judges often felt that the women had no legal right to turn down a transfusion.  Judges reasoned that if a transfusion was not administered, the infant might be left without a mother. 

On December 29, 1988, Sister Denise Nicoleau suffered severe hemorrhaging after giving birth to her son. Her hemoglobin dropped below 5.0, and her physician asked her for her consent to transfuse blood.  Sister Nicoleau refused.  The next morning the hospital sought to obtain a court order authorizing the hospital staff a hearing or even informing Sister Nicoleau or her husband, the judge authorized the hospital to administer the transfusions. 

On Friday, December 30, the hospital staff transfused Sister Nicoleau despite the objections of her husband and other family members who were at her bedside.  That evening, several family members and one of two elders were arrested for allegedly forming a human wall around Sister Nicoleau's bed to prevent the transfusions.  On Saturday morning, December 31, the New York City and Long Island news outlets were reporting the arrests. 

On Monday morning, I spoke with the presiding justice, Milton Mollen. I described the facts of the case, stressing that the trial  judge had signed the transfusion order without a hearing. Justice Mollen asked me to come to his office later that afternoon to discuss the facts and relevant law.  My overseer Philip Brumley accompanied me to Justice Mollen's chambers that evening. The judge also invited the hospital's attorney to join us. Our discussion was heated. At one point, Brother Brumley made a not on his legal pad telling me that I should  "tone it down."  In hindsight, that was good counsel because I was getting very worked up in refuting the attorney's  arguments.

Next time: I Have Done What I Ought to Have Done - By Don Ridley - Conclusion of  DEFENDING THE RIGHTS  FOR BLOODLESS MEDICAL TREATMENT

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