OK, pass this true story around...

[Raven]

never thought I would be living this again but I guess it's worth reliving for a purpose.

I've recounted how my 88 year old father left the house on a Friday afternoon for routine tests and was dead on sunday morning. He threw a blood clot to his brain. He had no living will. In the intervening hours, my brother and I had to tell 16 different hospital people 16 different times what meds he took until my poor brother finally erupted with "Don't you people commnicate with eachother? Doesn't anybody take notes?"

Then, when all my Dad's organs began to fail, they put him on dialysis. In the middle of the night on Saturday/Sunday his heart stopped and they brought him back and called us to come in. I walked into his room in the ICU and he was on 6 machines which were pulsing, beeping and flashing. These machines were living for my father. I took the Doc aside and asked him what the prognosis was and he told me that my Dad was effectively gone and only being kept "alive" untill we got there. I instructed the Doc to remove the machine support. He did and by beloved father was gone within a minute or two.

The Doc then asked me if we would like an autopsy...an autopsy! After all of this. An 88 year old man. Another procedure. Useless. For nothing. A violation of a body that had already been through enough.

I live with this memory. I wish my Dad had had a livig will. I wish these hosputals didn't think up procedures to inflict on 88 year old people that they don't need and just violates them.

Obama's been there. I've been there. Many others know this pain. We need to confront these viscious lies told by people who don't have a clue.

[Historic NY]

1. I made sure I have a proxy & living will all done legally.

[Raven]

2. You have done your family a favor, believe me!

[Historic NY]

8. I've seen the down side with close family w/o it.

[donco6]

3. I have one and my partner has power of medical attorney.

It's essential. My dad had this, too. He was incredibly thoughtful all this life.

[hedgehog]

4. I'm very sorry this happened to you. It may help you to know that

the hospital may have been trying to do the family a favor by keeping your father breathing until you could get there. I had one aunt in a terrible car wreck and another struck down by a brain aneurysm. In both cases they were kept breathing until the immediate family could be gathered to say good-bye.

Some people want an autopsy so they know what happened. They need the comfort of knowing they couldn't have stopped the person from dying.



About being asked over and over again about medications: my son was at the county hospital to get some tropical immunizations and was taken ill. He was sent over to the ER and ended up in and out of the hospital for several months with an emergency appendectomy and other complications. My dad was there and told each and every person that my son had just gotten back from India. Something was wrong but no one could figure it out. I think he really got better on his own but would have been in trouble without supportive care like the IV drip.

He went to see his GP a few weeks later and talked to the partner from India. He told her his symptoms and she told him he'd had a routine complication of malaria. If any of the doctors or residents had paid attention to the medical history, they might have figured that out!

[Rick Myers]

5. I've been there, Raven

Same thing with my mom and stomach cancer... It's a nightmare, but there comes a time where you know it's time to let go...

The ghouls running this astrotuf war are parasites...

[grantcart]

6. Sorry your father had such a difficult passing Raven, your story is very instructive.

[Fire1]

7. I am becoming increasingly aware of the importance of a

living will. Thank you.

[Rick Myers]

9. A living will is very important...

Both my parents were in need of their own decision... Sad, but respectful...

Anyone dying is horrible for dozens of people. But, people DIE. Do these nut cases think the insurance companies want them to live forever?

End of life is NOT pleasant, but it's something we ALL have to deal with...

[Fire1]

10. At some point we all have to come to grips with our

mortality. Making wills is just a responsible thing to do.