Posted on 09/08/2011 5:29:45 AM PDT by SanFranDan
FULL TITLE: Right-to-die grandmother has 'do not resuscitate' TATTOO on her chest (and PTO inked on her back!)
A grandmother who wants doctors to let her die if she falls ill has had 'Do Not Resuscitate' tattooed across her chest - and 'PTO' on her back.
Joy Tomkins, 81, decided she did not want to be brought back to life in a medical emergency following the slow death of her husband Malcolm.
The mum-of-two, who is not terminally ill, visited a tattoo parlour in January this year and paid £5 to have 'Do Not Resuscitate' written across her chest to ensure that doctors respect her 'right to die'.
Mrs Tomkins has also had 'PTO' and an arrow inked onto her back so that paramedics will read the words on her chest if she collapses face first.
The grandmother-of-six, who suffers from arthritis, Reynaud's disease and diabetes, said yesterday that she does not want to endure a slow, lingering death. She said: 'I do not want to be half dead, I want to be fully dead. It might have been different when I was 51 but I am 81 now.
'Everybody has to die sometime but I do not want to end up as a vegetable. I hoped I would get away at 70 but I'm still happy to be alive now.
'I am afraid that the medical profession will, with the best of medical intentions I hope, keep me alive when I don't want to be alive.
'I dont want to lie for hours, months or even years before dying. I don't want my family to remember me as a lump.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Why PTO? Why not DNR?
PTO = “Please Turn Over” ?
RFs=FRs (first responders) need coffee.
Your daughter is a kind person. I am sure it is hard to watch someone pass. However, many people who have watched a family member suffer through life support... don’t want the same death for themselves. I guess they figure they lived a good life and if it is their “time” then they are ready to meet the Good Lord.
PTO = Power Take-off?
I wonder what God will do when he sees that?
Why did she bother? The Brit health care system rarely pays attention when a terminal patient begins to tank.
That should scare him into compliance.
That takes care of one person in the medical profession. How about the millions of others?
ha
Once committed to takeoff, stay committed to takeoff. I, however, am reminded of the old saying “a tattoo is a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling.”
That ‘old saying’ is a Jimmy Buffett song.
My sister has been a nurse for over 30 years and she says the same thing about when she was in the recovery ward. She is in pre op now, so it is not as bad.
Yes and I think the woman in this story explained it well - she wouldn’t have done this 10 years ago but it is her decision.
My wife and I both have what our attorney tells us is a legally-binding document that if one of us is revived in conflict with our wishes, the remaining one has the right and ability to sue the offending medical facility.
I think that that provision would make any hospital or rescue service think twice about going against our wishes.
Money talks.
This is the UK health care system. So this is something she need not worry about.
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