tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post8964524937466838071..comments2024-03-18T09:00:31.992-04:00Comments on Doctor Grumpy in the House: I Ain't ComingGrumpy, M.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09858110332436246760noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-81058259373927654602009-11-24T15:01:13.353-05:002009-11-24T15:01:13.353-05:00I think too many people are watching House MD thes...I think too many people are watching House MD these days. It seems to be exactly what they are looking for: Surely there's a brilliant Dr. out there who can just give mama the right thing and she will be dancing rings around us in no time....Mathi Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02958119599854924770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-86293404233923427212009-11-23T12:35:17.023-05:002009-11-23T12:35:17.023-05:00I haven't read the other posts, so I may be re...I haven't read the other posts, so I may be repeating someone else. Anyway, you're not obligated to do so but what if you did the consult and then sat down with these people to explain the torture they're putting their loved one through?<br /><br />It's high time people learned to accept mortality in this country. I know it's difficult to lose someone but it is downright cruel to keep them alive just because they can't handle death.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-47560775905893993242009-11-23T10:33:48.224-05:002009-11-23T10:33:48.224-05:00Thank you, Doc.
My MIL spent almost 7 years in a ...Thank you, Doc.<br /><br />My MIL spent almost 7 years in a nursing home with AD prior to her death in September, 2008. When we admitted her in 2001, I refused to fill out the full-code paperwork for my FIL, saying that I wouldn't be a party to torturing her. My husband was shocked, but I had a very frank conversation with both of them, saying that today was as good as it was ever going to be, and if she had a heart attack or another stroke, it would be best to let her go.<br /><br />It took a year before my FIL came around to my way of thinking. She never did have any episode that would have made a decision necessary.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11787451361223768758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-7927857222157606082009-11-22T18:46:45.688-05:002009-11-22T18:46:45.688-05:00I often wonder when people will realize that death...I often wonder when people will realize that death is as much as part of life as living. It is selfish to think that our loved ones should go on without quality of life just so we don't have to feel the pain of saying goodbye.<br /><br />Thank you for your values and ethics.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-14439030884425598732009-11-22T18:35:00.288-05:002009-11-22T18:35:00.288-05:00To the person that thinks this is "love"...To the person that thinks this is "love", it's selfishness.<br />It isn't about the person going through it, it's about the person watching who thinks it can all be better.<br /><br />I hope I am never loved as this woman was.Bertie Woosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13900272759173134078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-85126158674029665872009-11-22T18:03:49.130-05:002009-11-22T18:03:49.130-05:00What really gets me is that these are the types of...What really gets me is that these are the types of cases that the pt is still on Aricet, and familes swear it is actually doing something......then, hospice gets involved and we try to get them off of it, in vain.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-3202793659348634862009-11-22T17:06:38.453-05:002009-11-22T17:06:38.453-05:00Mr. Tokyo (not real name, but close enough), who s...Mr. Tokyo (not real name, but close enough), who suffered his final ‘big one’ with TnI up to 60s, who had seen his brother suffer the ‘blue plate’ special 17 years ago (i.e. chest compressions and ACLS): he wanted nothing of it, DNR please. When undergoing his 3rd inguinal hernia repair he eventually suffered the ‘big one’ but his family (namely his new wife) refused to let go. He languished in the ICU for 3 weeks while he spiked his troponins if someone passed gas in the room, intubated and sedated. His wife insisted that ‘he will be singing Christmas carols’ by December. It was July. He died 2 days after I left the service, suffering through the ‘blue plate’ special after an attempt at a bed-side trach. I called my parents during this month and made sure they expressed their wishes, which is not to be kept alive if the person they would be was not who they were. I will let gratefully let them go in peace knowing they had not suffered through the indignity of ICU care. I hope I am never in that situation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-69824904870310619582009-11-22T16:10:20.229-05:002009-11-22T16:10:20.229-05:00Yep, lots of families just refuse to let go, racki...Yep, lots of families just refuse to let go, racking up the dollars on end of life care. <br /><br />I don't understand it. Never did.The Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15157821003454766570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-53914293413396439162009-11-22T13:50:47.629-05:002009-11-22T13:50:47.629-05:00>>A glimmer of hope, is what most people wan...>>A glimmer of hope, is what most people want.>><br /><br />I don't agree.<br /><br />Even if I did, I don't think it's my job to provide "hope" - even though it's tempting to take the path of least resistance.<br /><br />In my experience, most people want to hear the truth, explained with compassion in terms they can understand. The vast majority want to know they've done everything reasonable and when it's okay to let go... not too soon, and not too late, which is a different point for every family. Some of the most grateful families I know have thanked me for this input. It's the last gift I can give my patients when it's hopeless. (I'm known for being extremely aggressive when there is hope, incidentally, which probably helps my credibility.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-19747505334350182852009-11-22T13:44:32.763-05:002009-11-22T13:44:32.763-05:00A good example of why everyone, while they are hea...A good example of why everyone, while they are healthy and have all their faculties, should have a living will with end-of-life directives --- this is what I WANT, and my family is to abide by it.Frantic Pharmacisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15804872250102867314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-21833795878067207852009-11-22T11:35:18.832-05:002009-11-22T11:35:18.832-05:00Hospital Lab Tech:
"How nice that some famil...Hospital Lab Tech:<br /><br />"How nice that some families still have that much love for their senior members..."<br /><br />In my experience as a hospice nurse, the families most reluctant to let go are the ones who HAVE been neglectful, they're feeling guilty and realize that if Grandma dies they can never go back and prove what good chidren/grandchildren they really are. <br /><br />Or, someone is living off of grandma and when she goes, the source of support goes.<br /><br />Or, people are just fearful and to see grandma die reminds them that they will also die one day. They can't handle it, so they try to prevent it. (It's ALL about control at end-of-life, and how we don't have much....the biggest struggle in dying is learning to let go of the desire to control)...<br /><br />These are just some cynical examples. Most/many families do their best to adapt to their loved one's disease process.Gertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-53513924169270599182009-11-22T09:41:45.157-05:002009-11-22T09:41:45.157-05:00Grandma was probably faking it because granddaught...Grandma was probably faking it because granddaughter was a crayzee and she wanted to be away from her.Nurse Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06408755992926959084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-5859695844010818852009-11-22T09:32:50.792-05:002009-11-22T09:32:50.792-05:00Thank you,
-FlaviusThank you,<br /><br />-FlaviusFlaviusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-83049278550534526782009-11-22T09:30:40.002-05:002009-11-22T09:30:40.002-05:00Good on you, Dr. Grumpy. That poor family... that...Good on you, Dr. Grumpy. That poor family... that poor woman. <br /><br />The best thing that happened to my grandmother when she was in the hospital after a massive stroke (it was at the back of the head -- she died 2 days later) was the compassionate clarity of the nursing staff that this really was the end, and to please keep that in mind when making resuscitation decisions. <br /><br />I hope this family has someone in it who finally is able to see the facts through this blinding grief.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14775794907218052899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-70137358037606623642009-11-22T08:57:02.178-05:002009-11-22T08:57:02.178-05:00I just want to take the families side for a moment...I just want to take the families side for a moment. They want as much done as they can. It is very hard to let go. If you talk to most families, they really have never experienced death. So, all they can do is hope. Hope that someone, will help them. The majority of the time, there is nothing more that can be done. A glimmer of hope, is what most people want. <br /><br /> Most are not like the rest of us, in the medical field. We see people suffering on a day to day basis. Most watch way too much TV, and they think a miracle could happen, (and I am sure they do, somewhere).<br /><br />I am glad Dr G., that you turned down this consult. <br /><br />Being in the medical field, I can very clearly see both sides.<br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />mmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-89605764256224037402009-11-22T08:09:33.307-05:002009-11-22T08:09:33.307-05:00Good job. Sometimes there is a choice between what...Good job. Sometimes there is a choice between what is right and what is easy to quote from Harry Potter. It would have been easy to go in, do the consult and pocket the cash.ER's Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203520439121823165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-69305113379126450622009-11-22T08:03:56.655-05:002009-11-22T08:03:56.655-05:00awesome!awesome!J-Quell'nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01878522077562588401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-85993190754654855932009-11-22T06:39:48.020-05:002009-11-22T06:39:48.020-05:00Maybe now they will get the message and accept wha...Maybe now they will get the message and accept what is. You did the right thing.ToBlog todayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15215485087602615189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-16527325149982887982009-11-22T05:47:34.084-05:002009-11-22T05:47:34.084-05:00Good job!Good job!Kristyn, RNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15667329278603974344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-61905861668483859052009-11-22T05:29:15.374-05:002009-11-22T05:29:15.374-05:00Oh how sad. Whilst your decision is clearly the ri...Oh how sad. Whilst your decision is clearly the right one and I expect that you are correct about them being in denial. On the upside, isn't is wonderful that there are still families out there who still have that much love for their more senior members? How often do we hear tales of neglect and loneliness of our older generation? So let that call make you smile that at least one elderly lady has a loving family who are clearly distraught at the prospect of her imminent demise.Food Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16413887520614296421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-90255816367764129362009-11-22T05:18:56.815-05:002009-11-22T05:18:56.815-05:00On my first placement as a nursing student I was p...On my first placement as a nursing student I was put in the medical ward. Seeing this is exactly the reason I am never stepping a foot inside a medical ward or aged care home again. Ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-34632817650736040362009-11-22T04:02:33.956-05:002009-11-22T04:02:33.956-05:00Absolutely right!! And a little voice spoke in my ...Absolutely right!! And a little voice spoke in my ear - "let someone else prescribe the fentanyl patches" - but I'm sure that never happens anywhere, ever.John Woolmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14103272578479980723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-11909932254576179272009-11-22T02:59:06.726-05:002009-11-22T02:59:06.726-05:00Good for you. And thank you for being a good doct...Good for you. And thank you for being a good doctor.Tachyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00310801041254033838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-60780145176112123442009-11-22T02:40:30.904-05:002009-11-22T02:40:30.904-05:00How do you feel about physician assisted suicide?How do you feel about physician assisted suicide?Filet-o-bitch RPhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150522997875773024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-52865654583382352312009-11-22T02:35:13.680-05:002009-11-22T02:35:13.680-05:00Good for you! I agree, Grandma would be mortified ...Good for you! I agree, Grandma would be mortified and is probably screaming in her head for the family to accept what is going on.Samsmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11169303081015977579noreply@blogger.com