Retired GP Reports Blood Transfusion Dispute and Power of Attorney Challenge
Professional Observation from a Retired GP
My good friend, Julia, has ovarian cancer. She requires surgery to remove it before it spreads. Julia also has psychiatric diagnosis, which is well controlled on medication. Due to this, her husband, Paul, has always been the one to make major decisions for her – he has power of attorney. Julia is agreeable to this.
I know them both very well. Paul is an extremely intelligent man and highly respected in the IT field. He is rational, logical and loves his wife dearly. He would only ever choose what he considers is best for her.
Both Julia and Paul are aware of the dangers of the Covid-19 vaccination and of the risks of receiving vaccinated blood should a transfusion be required during or after Julia’s surgery.
However, NZ blood bank refuses to store blood for her from a compatible unvaccinated donor (who is ready and waiting to donate) and they also refuse to guarantee that Julia’s own blood would be available for her to use should she arrange for an autologous transfusion (ie use her own stored blood). The blood bank actually said that it is most likely that they would give her unvaccinated blood to someone else instead of to her!
This week Paul received a letter from the DHB saying that the psychiatrist who saw him to assess whether he was of sound mind to be power of attorney for his wife (this was done due to his insistence that Julia not receive vaccinated blood should a transfusion be needed) has diagnosed him with a delusional disorder based on his belief that the Covid-19 vaccinations are unsafe.
This has now led to the risk that his power of attorney will be stripped and the hospital or Julia’s pro-vaccine family will be given the right to make her medical decisions.
Paul has done all he can to be helpful. He has sourced and screened a compatible unvaccinated blood donor who is willing to give blood and to travel to where-ever he might be needed to do so. Paul is willing to pay all costs associated with blood donation and storage and transfusion. All he has asked is that the NZ blood bank and the DHB concerned be willing to accept this.
It should be an easy situation. Instead it has become a battle because it goes against the narrative. The only other option is to travel to Montana in the USA where there is a hospital that will be willing to proceed with surgery as per Julia and Paul’s wishes. But even that might now be impossible given that Paul has been diagnosed as delusional and unfit to make judgements regarding his wife’s medical care.
This is what has become of our once great and free nation. Everyone should be very concerned indeed.
