Keep your friends close, but keep your DNR closer

[NNN0LHI]

This is going to be a morbid subject and I will not go into any great detail here because of that. Anyone who is about my age(57) better start thinking about this earlier rather than later.

If you ever go down with a massive heart attack keep in mind that when the ambulance gets to you and has you all hooked up the EMT will not be the only one watching that bank of monitors. At the hospital there will be a doctor sitting there looking at a nearly identical bank of monitors showing your vital signs. And that doctor will be calling the shots.

And if that doctor concludes he is about to "lose" you he is going to order the EMT who is working on you to do some very unsettling procedures that I am not going to describe here to keep your heart beating. If you don't understand what I am saying here ask your doctor or someone who works on an ambulance for more details about this. What that person tells you will not be pleasant to hear. So be prepared for the answer you will be given.

My wife and I keep our DNR's right where we know they are and easily accessible. We put ours into plastic zip-lock bags and keep them in the refrigerator so we know exactly where they are at all times. We don't want to be fumbling through a box full of old papers trying to find these documents when the time comes. Because by then it will be too late.

Just something to keep in mind.

Don

[Lars39]

1. Given that you don't know when, it would be

Best to keep DNR papers on your person, if possible. Keep a lot of copies, too, because each hospital admittance starts everything over.

[dembotoz]

2. my 91 yr old mom has one

she lives at home
she has gone to the hosp a couple of times last year
now doing fine enough for someone 91 years old.....

when she goes in the first thing out of her mouth has been her requested dnr status
she tells everyone and anyone.

it is hard to listen to
but i understand and comply with her wishes

[KurtNYC]

3. The big one is defibrilation which is very common in EMS and hospital settings

Your heart stops and they have a 74% chance of ROSC. Problem is if your circulation stopped for more than 60 seconds or so you will could have some pretty severe brain damage.

Type of Arrest / ROSC / Survival
Witnessed In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest 48% 22%
Unwitnessed In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest 21% 1%
Bystander Cardiocerebral Resuscitation 40% 6%
Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 40% 4%
No Bystander CPR (Ambulance CPR) 15% 2%
Defibrillation within 3–5 minutes 74% 30%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation#Effectiveness

Another one, while were on the subject, is cremation. If you want to be cremated you should definitely put it in your Will. If you live alone or don't want to stress out your next-of-kin, you may want to pre-pay for your cremation (about $700) as this leaves no doubt as to your intentions and will ensure that your wishes are carried out.

[NNN0LHI]

5. Defibrillation I wouldn't mind

But if that doesn't work I don't want a heart massage. I understand what it takes to gain access to the heart for that procedure.

Don

[unc70]

6. Reason for new treatment protocols

Have a family member who went 12 minutes without pulse. Five shocks to restart heart. They induced coma. Recovered with no brain damage.

[TwilightGardener]

8. They lower body temperature now, too. Basically slow metabolic processes until

adequate perfusion can be restored.

[unc70]

9. That was the treatment in my example

We were lucky it happened near one of the first hospitals routinely using that technique some years ago.

In the last five or so years it has become the new standard nearly everywhere, at least around here.

I urge everyone to keep doing chest compression CPR until help arrives. There are some incredible success stories. Do the best you can and try not to pause too often.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Know your State laws, for advance directive rules vary by State...

http://www.noah-health.org/en/rights/endoflife/adforms.html

[TwilightGardener]

7. I've seen and done resuscitative procedures, there's nothing terribly disturbing about them, except

for the fact that they often are unsuccessful.