Posted on 12/07/2011 1:11:20 AM PST by JerseyanExile
I did read the article. I understand and agree with much of the thrust of it. I also agree that issues such as advance directives are the business of the patient, his/her family and the doctors.
But what I read in the article is frankly a sneering dismissal of the value of cardiopulmonary resuscitation when I have seen it work to great benefit. (With, of course, rapid application of defibrillation).
I just think that the author needs to to be less dismissive in his assessment of CPR and and a little more clear in the fact that he questions the value or wisdom in it when applied to a clearly terminal patient.
” ...think...author needs to be... a little more clear in the fact that he questions the value or wisdom in it when applied to a clearly terminal patient.”
I just think the author was perfectly clear with his point as you have come around to seeing it.
Granted, the good doctor didn’t make a full case about CPR/AED saving lives, but I also have seen that CPR may save a life occasionally, but the majority of CPRs effect no lasting good for the patient. It depends on the age and the health of the patient. Over all, I agree with him. CPR can also have debilitating effects, as well. Some do CPR far longer than needed and even though the patient might come back, they are never the same again. If the patient is young, has a young family to care for, and otherwise good health, the chances are good. But that is not the majority of patients getting CPR.
I’m 63, my kids are raised. If I need CPR, I have already stated I do not want it. When I was younger, yes. I’d like to see my grandchildren grow up, but not from a nursing home bed.
Interesting article. My wife just got done with full chemo/radiation for breast cancer. I don’t know if I’d have done it myself. I need to get one of those ‘no code’ chains.
I agree that outside of a very narrow window, any attempt at resuscitation is likely to be futile, or worse...
But yes, I have seen heroic efforts being expended on deceased persons even though they are cold and livor mortis has set in. I don't know why this is. Perhaps it is a product of people being afraid of liability for not attempting rescue, or because ‘medical authority’ isn't on hand to confirm what should be plainly evident, that the person is deceased. I recall back in the 80’s, when air ambulance services were getting established, having quite a few of my accident victims getting flown when they were OBVIOUSLY DOA. I guess someone had to pay for those birds - it was $2,500/hr once the blades started turning. Used to p*ss me off royally because then I had to drive 50 miles to the trauma center and find that my dead person had now been operated on (thoracotomy). Plus I now had to deal with the big city ME instead of my local coroner.
Even worse, I have seen mindless adherence to regulation resulting in deceased persons homes being turned into and searched as a crime scene, even though they have a long charted terminal illness and opted to die at home, surrounded by family, rather than in a sterile ICU with tubes in every opening. Just because someone died outside of a clinical setting. It was one of the regulations my department implemented without any thought of the consequences. Truly mind boggling.
Amen! Now is indeed the day...
A will is not the proper document for this. You need to designate the person to carry out an advanced directive for health care. Your will is not the place to do this. You may actually have an advanced directive but double check, a will does you no good
you are not talking about the frail 92 year old woman who my daughter had to resusciatate because the family could not bring themselves to sign a DNR. Look the fact is when you get old and are dying ( and yes we are all dying) the truth is you break bones rather easily....like my grandmother whose ribs were broken by her youngest daughter trying to reposition a pillow. The stories from hospice nurses are countless. Please do not confuse CPR on the terminally ill and those who are healthy
And of course your call of BS is based on non-sweeping generalizations??? What is your experience with the terminally ill?
if you are doing CPR correctly, you are pushing hard enough to break ribs. Yes, you are expected to compress the person’s chest a good 2 inches in order to compress the heart to circulate blood. There is no such thing a “gentle CPR”.
if you are doing CPR correctly, you are pushing hard enough to break ribs. Yes, you are expected to compress the person’s chest a good 2 inches in order to compress the heart to circulate blood. There is no such thing a “gentle CPR”.
if you are doing CPR correctly, you are pushing hard enough to break ribs. Yes, you are expected to compress the person’s chest a good 2 inches in order to compress the heart to circulate blood. There is no such thing a “gentle CPR”.
if you are doing CPR correctly, you are pushing hard enough to break ribs. Yes, you are expected to compress the person’s chest a good 2 inches in order to compress the heart to circulate blood. There is no such thing a “gentle CPR”.
Reminds me of Roger Ebert's story----certainly the most gruesome I've ever read----he has no lower jaw, cannot eat, drink........
Earlier, he was being treated for throat cancer---then saw an online story that radiation might cure it. He did so but later found the radiation destroyed micro-cells. When doctors attempted micro-surgery for his condition....it would not work. He had to get radical surgery......
But he seems very upbeat---despite his condition.
Same with Steve Jobs----when diagnosed with cancer, he opted for health foods and such. But had he had the recommmended treatment, he would have prolonged his life....since cancer develops in stages......and his became inoperable.
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Yet another endorsement of death panels.
I'm curious, do you support this death panel approach?
Nifster, I have worked in health care for over 25 years, 15 of those in direct patient care, many of them terminally ill oncology patients or patients with various other afflictions, many of whom I came to know quite well due to their repeated visits to me over the course of years. (Years, incidentally, that were in many cases possible for them to experience due to the health care delivered to them by a system this author appears to abhor.)
My wife is an RN who has worked in her career as long as mine in every job from unit receptionist to charge nurse in all critical care areas with all types of patients. Being married to her is an additional form of education for me.
I have pretty good knowledge of hospital care for many types of patients, including terminally ill patients. I am not writing articles for extremely left-wing websites that are shilling for Obamacare, so even if I am not impartial to the subject from a conservative point of view, I am not swinging all the way to the other side either.
And my experience with the terminally ill is not wholly professional, either.
I stand by my point that this slanted viewpoint presented by the author is far from universal, though he does not present it as such.
I have yet to meet any doctor that turned to homeopathic medicine when real medicine was indicated. Not one.
I had triple bypass surgery three years ago. My wife and children needed me to be around for a long time yet, and there are no alternative or homeopathic remedies that will open multiple 100% blocked coronary arteries. My health is better today than it has been since I was in my twenties.
And whether to treat cancer depends solely on the odds of beating it. I know of no doctor who would refuse chemo/radiation treatment for a curable cancer.
This article is little more than propaganda for the death panels that are an integral part of ObamaCare.
It appears that this doctor failed statistics, since his conclusions seem to be based on little but his experience with one person. The author, imho, is pro-death.
I should have pinged you to my post #99.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2817046/posts?page=99#99
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