Journal BarbaraHudson's Journal: Filling in a DNR or Advanced Medical Directive is sobering. 9
With people living longer, and with the possibility to extend life even when doing so would be undignified, and distressing to everyone around you, eventually you should ask yourself "do I want to live like that?" Nobody wants to spend their last years unable to recognize anyone, in diapers, eating through a tube, and being the source of continual stress for friends and family.
I've seen people whose quality of life is pretty low and will never improve. I would never want to be like that, and neither do my sisters. So, figured I'd fill in a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) and Advanced Medical Directive - ot doing so is just too cruel to allow it to happen.
The forms are an eye opener - they make it real. And it's not a simple case of saying "No advanced measures if I'm going to be brain damaged." Gotta fill in a bunch of use cases, appoint someone who knows your wishes if a situation comes up that hasn't been anticipated in the directive, get it witnessed, give copies to several people, stick it in your hospital file, update the hospital's medical card to indicate that there's an advanced directive on file (and make sure they have a copy), as well as giving a copy to every doctor you deal with outside a hospital setting.
Most importantly, keep a copy on you so that EMTs won't do something that results in you receiving enough care to live, but not enough to live like a human being.
Only 14% of people who receive cpr in a hospital ever leave it alive, and only 2% in the field. It's not worth taking the risk.
One of the 14%. (Score:2)
Only 14% of people who receive cpr in a hospital ever leave it alive, and only 2% in the field. It's not worth taking the risk.
I'm one of the 14%. And I assure you that I'm not a vegetable.
Just something to think about.
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I'm one of the 14%. And I assure you that I'm not a vegetable.
I am very glad to hear you were rescued. It would be no fun here on /. if we had to start calling you "Zucchini the Mindless"
Live long and prosper!
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another wrinkle (Score:1)
I've heard that medical staff don't have to follow these directives. They'll have their own policy that they'll follow, for broader CYA purposes.
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What you heard is wrong. It is illegal for anyone to continue to provide assistance [google.ca] once they've been alerted that a DNR is in place. Continuing to work on you at that point is assault, illegal imprisonment, and all medical bills should the patient not make a full recovery.. You can't help someone who has refused to grant their consent, and that's what advanced medical directives are - a refusal to grant consent to medical treatment. So says the supreme court.
It's my body, my decision, same as what you wan
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Oh no, what it is I've heard is the opposite, that if your medical wishes are to be kept alive by any and all means possible, medical staff will say eh, no, and make their own judgments about your expected "quality of life" (a big Leftie meme) and cut you off when they feel it's warranted, no matter what you specified.
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The code of ethics forbids that
So I was right; my medical wishes get respected, only if they align with the Left's.
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Seems to me that it's the right who is supposed to want as little intervention in their lives as possible by anyone, including not forcing medical treatment on people when they don't want it. Unless you now want to redefine "Left" as "Right." Oddly enough, the religious right saw such things as DNRs and advanced medical directives as sinful - "God will take them when HE wants to". Same with their opposition to euthanasia, again interfering in people's personal autonomy.
The current court challenges to our e