how many of you have thought it through?

how many have an standing order on file?

what made you go one way or the other ?

DNR do not resuscitate

Asking because I was talking it over with a close family member who has cancer , honestly their biggest fear in dying is long drawn out pain and suffering, the will most likely die it is just a matter of time, might be a year might be 2 , we can hope for more but what ever they get they get.

being terminal their choice was fairly easy , sign the DNR even thought they are moving around good now and taking chemo.


knowing what I know about the process , you can have one written and until you tell your DR about it , it does nothing , but it leaves it for your family to give it to the DR when it is time.
also no ambulance knows you have one , it is something you have to present to the hospital and then they confirm it and then place a DNR band on your arm and put it in your chart.

I've found that DNR orders are not followed, even when the care providers (Dr., nurses, etc) are fully aware, unless it is in a hospice situation. Even when my dad was dieing in hospice, the staff asked nearly every day if he wanted to rescind the order. Personally, I have not signed a DNR directive. I suppose, when I feel like I'm done living, I will have one drawn up, but I am only 55 and most of my experience is watching other people die. I think I am still worth saving, at the moment. Others may disagree.

Virginia's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently changed the their name to Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), probably due to so many of their officers were scared that sportsmen would misinterpret what their former badge letters stood for...

On a serious note, my concern is that once I lose the rest of my marbles, I won't even realize it and won't have any say in whether or not to have a DNR order on myself. What if I forget who everyone is and become a biter? What if I have heart attack and they resuscitate me? Then I would become an even bigger burden on my family.

So lets say I set one up now when I'm perfectly fine. What if my wife says I'm not fine even though she knows that I am, and I have a heart attack and she says, "Just let him go. He wanted it that way."

It ain't all cut and dried is it?

Do not resuscitate should in large part be based on what the recovery will be like after resuscitation and any other medical issues. If someone will die soon anyway, DNR makes good sense. If someone is healthy and fell into water, got a bad jolt or choked on something they ate and will recover well, it makes sense to revive them.

Keith

This is a timely post because my wife's sister is looking at having the DNR order put in place. She has lost 30 lbs in 4 weeks because she refuses to eat, in a hospital the last 3 weeks, down to 70 lbs, can't stand up now, only a matter of time I think before she dies.

Depending upon circumstances. I get electric shock from a plug-in or heart attack yes. Eat up with god awful cancer? Don’t bother. Problem is if you have one before you get sick they can be sued if they touch you if heart stops during a colonoscopy!

Truth
Too many options

The attorney that wrote my father's did a great job. It is clearly spelled out IF there is ANY risk of prolonged symptoms, loss of mental capacity, loss of physical mobility, and so on then the DNR shall be observed. If there is NO risk of continued ailment, then proceed to recover.

If a DNR is signed and witnessed, make sure ALL medical agencies involved have a copy. Often they will contact the primary doctor's office to verify, however I learned that doesn't always work. Additionally, if a DNR is in place, know the procedures. If a hospice company is signed on, they are the 1st call - NOT 911. If a DNR bracelet or necklace is provided, they need to wear it.

I know things are early yet from your previous posts. Get references for hospice companies and get to know them. If/when things are deemed terminal and life expectancy may be under a year, sing up for hospice care as soon as they are eligible. Its by7 far one of the best benefits insurance pays for. Everyone has a perception of hospice = last couple weeks. NOT TRUE. Dads been on for almost a year. Having nurse stop out for weekly check up, CNS come to help with things I can't do. Its a great service for all that is involved.

if you do have a DNR order you should inform your family on these wishes also it also goes for organ donation all these things shuld be talked about seriously with anybody in your life that is over 18 it is a tough subject even talking to your kids about what their wishes would be if something horrible was to happen to them most young people dont think about organ donation or life changing accidents

Thanks , again Randy

they are actually feeling quite well right now but blood numbers were too low last week for chemo , because the doc went hard on chemo and is going to back off the drug that did that by 20% hopefully next week.

we are having supper bowl foods but zero interest in the game different music play lists are rolling on the TV

feeling good still means very tired early and not able to sleep past about 4-5am either


I was actually thinking of my own papers I am updating them at the same time I have to go to the lawyer any way.
I was thinking of signing the DNR , my family would never show it to the Docs early , they would wait till they know it is what I would want.
I figured since the ambulance would have me first and I would be probably at least 20 minutes out by the time the ER could ever get me , it wouldn't have any chance of getting followed.
not till my family got there and gave it to them.
but I like the language your dads lawyer added I think I will borrow that just as a little added insurance.

I sort of figure if they haven't revived me in 10 minutes there isn't much point
I suppose having gone through the ice might be one exception to that

I definitely agree my dad and I have had the conversation , both my grandmothers were loosing their mind when they passed , his mom was good till about 91-92 , declined and got worse in her 94th and the 6 months of 95th year was bad.

my moms mother is is 91 and has had cognitive decline since around 79 , she is like a happy 8 year old at summer camp lives in an asissted living home which is why she gets to keep living on the normal side not the memory care side of the building.

My great aunt passed at 91 this summer , he cognitive decline was really only bad for the last month or so , there were signs of it earlier in the year but when I moved her to her home in the woods she was having mostly good days and that was april , by June her daughter was living with her and evenings were not so good , she turned 91 the end of june and then mayeb quit trying so hard or whatever it was she was back at the other daughters house in early July and passed mid July. She passed the day I was going to make my last visit , my dad was able to be there that entire week and saw some good hours a few days her final decline was less than 1 day on pain meds.
That is not bad at all.

back to the conversation with my dad , he let me know plainly if his mind goes , we are not to treat any of his other issues , he is on blood thinners , those can stop. and he seems to get a leg infection near every year , just don't treat those and he will be gone in days is how he figures it.

pneumonia is the old mans best friend or worst enemy , all depends on your outlook.

I let my GP doctor know, my specialist doctors know (2 of them) and my entire family knows my wishes on DNR. Along with the rest of the legal paperwork needed I'm also registered and a card carrier for the full body donation at the University of Iowa Hospital. The local funeral home is aware of my wishes and will see I get there in the allotted time. Just hope I'm fit enough to be accepted into the program when my time comes. I'm 70 years old.