Did anyone else receive a Do Not Resusitate (DNR) form to be signed or am I just special like that?
This was for a post "surgery" in which they had to drain my right lung from something nasty from one of the places that I stayed.
Hey julie. I must be 'special' too my friend..lol. Before surgery, I told my family that if I was going to be in a vegitate(?) state,and/ or couldn't wake up, etc, please DNR/or, pull the plug!
I don't remember any of that being signed, but my family assure me that's what I did.
My daughter destroyed all those papers when they knew for sure that I was going to survive & have a relatively ok life....I'm so happy that she did!!
I asked one of the Dr.'s that came to see me while I was in a pre-op waiting room if I could sign a DNR, I didn't want to live as a vegetable if there came a situation in the operating room. The Dr. said that a procedure such as a craniotomy indicates a "will of life" or something along those lines. So, I was denied a DNR for the craniotomy but not for the other surgeries and procedures, which I didn't sign those since they weren't too life-threatening.
When I was diagnosed and thought I might have Brain surgery, I finally made out that living will I've been talking about for years. Also did a POA. Then filed these with my local hospital. My husband already knew my wishes but now the decision is mine and it's in writing.
I just read this great article about DNR's, I'd like to share it with anyone who's interested...
http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die/read/nexus/
@kirsti. Far be it from me to argue with your neurosurgeon but honestly any procedure that is done indicates a “will of life”. There is no logic in his/her thinking. I know for a fact that cardiac-thoracic surgeons want a DNR. I suspect the surgeon had been sued by a family member over the DNR issue. I am just happy you are still with us!
Well thanks, Barbara:) I'm glad to be here! LOL I agree with you but I honestly don't know who it was that told me this. It wasn't my neurosurgeon though. I think it might have been the nurse that comes AFTER the doctors speak with you just before surgery. She had a lot of papers for me to sign. She made it sound like I was having an elective procedure done, which is impossible because I was on Medicaid and they don't cover elective surgeries, especially not when you're on a prenatal care "plan." Idk, I can live a hemi-paretic life, Idk if I could handle worse. That's all I was worried about, but I'm not worse off so, no biggie, no DNR required LOL.
Thanks, Nicole. I think the part about needing to establish trust and delivering the news to an already hysterical family is a great point.
Thank you Nicole! I found that really interesting as I have never thought of the Doctor's side of these terrible situations.
Great article Nicole! We rarely see a doctor's perspective. Thank you for sharing this. :J