My soapbox- one of many to come

Warning: This shall not be the most entertaining of posts. You have permission to go back to Facebook if you'd like, and I promise I won't be offended.

 I'm stepping onto my soapbox now. These are all just my opinions.
 
 Here it is, if you or a relative are in the hospital, you should have a conversation about advance directives. If you are elderly or have an elderly relative in the hospital, you should have a conversation about what treatment you or they want in a medical emergency.  So few people have this conversation at the appropriate time. These kinds of conversations are scary for most people and it never seems like the appropriate time to bring it up.

  There are some very old patients on my unit. As you know, age is just a number. There are people who are 94 and act like they're in their 60s. Others are in their 60s and look and act so old. I get this. However, even if your 90 year old mother has been in great health her entire life, you should talk to her about if she wants CPR if her heart were to stop beating or who should make decisions for her if she can't make them on her own. If there aren't orders for this, things can get very complicated. When done correctly, CPR breaks ribs. Depending on a ventilator to keep breathing doesn't make for the highest quality of life. If your 85 year old father wants everything possible done to keep him alive, by all means do it! However, this conversation needs to happen.

   There are a few distinct barriers that come between this conversation. Who wants to bring up the question, "what happens when I'm dying?" No one! BUT, if I'm 96 with heart disease and my heart stops beating, I think that I've lived a good life and I'm headed to a better one. Please don't crack my ribs to keep me alive for another month in a lot of pain. Another thing is that families often believe that if they have this conversation, it means they are giving up. They might believe that if they make their parent a DNR, (do not resuscitate) they think that people will stop treating her. This is not true. The healthcare team is not giving up. We're trying to help you live the rest of your life with dignity. Also, doctors have a LOT on their plate and these conversations aren't the first thing they think of when they walk into a patient's room. Most patients and families are under educated about their options. Finally, a lot of us don't want to admit that we're mortal- especially for those who aren't assured of their future with Christ. My argument is that unless Jesus comes soon, we are all going to die and we don't know when that is. Talk about it with your family.

I'm done now. I apologize for the rant. I have a good story coming up soon so stay tuned!

-C-