Dear Judy,
My father was not a believer in prolonging life, when life is really over. He had a Living Will. I — his daughter — was the agent of that Living Will. And he was pretty insistent that “Do Not Resuscitate” meant what it said: If his heart stopped, and at 80 he had a very bad heart, he wanted to die.
Guess what happened? Two weeks ago around midnight, my father was in the hospital with congestive heart failure and other issues, and they completely ignored his DNR card which he always kept with him, and restarted his heart.
Dad is outraged. So am I. Fuming in fact. I told the hospital personnel I wanted to sue, but am not sure this is possible. I was at home when the event took place — I had just left my Dad a few hours before.
Judy, I don’t know what to do. What can a person do — a smart, educated person — to make sure his last wishes are followed to the letter by ignorant medical personnel?
Any ideas or hints would be very much appreciated.
Lacy
Dear Lacy,
Marc Levine, a prominent Bethesda, Md attorney, has some very good advice to offer on this very subject. But it will not make you — or your father — or a lot of people – happy. Here’s his view:
“People should understand how DO NOT RESUSCITATE orders work. In the Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia areas for instance, an individual cannot issue his own DNR.
“Only a doctor can issue a DNR – and there are no uniform “resuscitation cards” that will work. An emergency medical technician in this area will ALWAYS resuscitate unless he or she sees the doctor-signed DNR form.
“A card or even your full Health care directive will not work.”
What do you do to give yourself and those you love better odds that your last instructions will be followed? One answer is to avoid dying in, say, Maryland.
But another, says Levine, is to talk to all your doctors about your wishes beforehand — before any emergency arises.
There will be more on this subject from Levine — and me — in next week’s blog.
Meantime, I thank you for writing
Judy
Marc Levine has the right answer. However the mere thought that a person in this country is not allowed to choose to die is really a failure of our Constitution to provide for this “right”.
While it is unikely there is enough political support, this is a natural for federal regulation.
Adam
Congratulations, Judy, on advising people that it is preferable to talk openly to a doctor rather than to debate with other family members, advice columnists and friends, who may be well- intentioned but frankly (don’t take offense Judy!) also ignorant!
And who have absolutely no authority…