Just put an end my misery if...

[R!XTER]

Just put an end my misery if:

- I have a decube that you can fit your fist in

- I have fungating breast cancer that you can fit your fist in

- I am 500 lbs and pregnant

- I am 500 lbs, have an EF

- I am 500 lbs. Period.

- I am 94, severely demented, combative, and curse at my caretakers

- I have multiple sclerosis and cannot even move my own arm at age 35

- I have a colostomy, peg tube, foley catheter, and am on hemodialysis

But most of all, please put an end my misery if I am young and healthy, but insist on being rude, obnoxious, and threatening to those who try to help me.

[OCNRN63, RN]

OP, sometimes threads go in other directions based on a comment. It just happens. I responded to something that was said. In the grand scheme of life, that really was no big deal.

Back to your regularly scheduled thread, before I get nailed for going OT a second time. (Oh, the humanity!)

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

I think that's what burned me out on ICU. After coding an 84 year old, and getting her back. After taking care of a 94 year old where her family insisted everything be done, who would then turn around and tell this poor LOL that we (the nurses) were the ones insisting on torturing her. After having a 78 year old with end stage cancer who ended up having to be intubated traumatically. After having an 86 year old who had a hip sx go bad, intubated, tons of blood products and living for our ICU for months, before finally going to heaven. After talking to family about totally appropriate cases for comfort care and getting screamed at about how we better do everything because even though the patient is in the 80s-90s with TONS of comorbities they definitely have plenty of good years left. After seeing cases where the family members are definitely keeping the patient alive so they can continue to live at their house off their social security. After all this, I frankly became so disgusted with the unrealism and just plan...selfishness of our society. I couldn't walk back into the ICU again.

The families aren't there when we're cleaning and dressing these gigantic wounds, turning these screaming elderly, who often have few visitors and spend the majority of their time staring at the television or the wall. How sad to lose the quality of life you once had and be forced to be present in a place you probably have no desire to be.

My great-grandmother was 92 and started spending each birthday wishing she'd never have another birthday, although she loved us all, she said she was more than ready. When her mind started to go she was even more frustrated and just wanted to pass away peacefully. She got pneumonia, we made her comfort care and she finally got her wish at 98. Isn't that so much more peaceful than being tubed everywhere with tons of procedures that don't extend anything but being a cabbage in a vegetable garden?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I understand you are venting, I really do but I find this really disturbing for some reason I can't exactly put my finger on.

AHA, I got it!

I am going to get a lot of flack for this but you know what? I DON'T CARE because it's MY opinion. This post reeks of judgement, a gross lack of compassion/respect for other human beings.

I'm so sick of people judging others and their decisions without ever walking a mile in their shoes.

I am not judging you.....I am just saying that someday you may find yourself in a place you didn't ask for.......I was simply representing another point of view. Why you have reacted so strongly? My post was an informative point of view and I meant NO disrespect. I removed my father from life support when recovery the way he wanted wasn't possible, and I have limitations too.......they have just changed since having kids and then changed when I became ill. I am however unclear as to how y post is a gross lack of compassion/respect for other human beings when I was asking others to walk in mine.

I still have a purpose and plenty to contribute. You are right opinions are like...uhmm.......Like noses, they come in all shapes and sizes no two are the same but one nose isn't necessarily better than the other......they are all used for breathing.

If you are so annoyed with people judging others without walking a mile in their shoes....that was all I was suggesting and I fully agree that there are fates worse than death. I am sorry you feel that my post lacked compassion and respect that was never my intention for sharing my opinion and personal journey/ If in fact you were referring to me.

Peace....:paw:

[DookieMeisterRN]

I am not judging you.....I am just saying that someday you may find yourself in a place you didn't ask for.......I was simply representing another point of view. Why you have reacted so strongly? My post was an informative point of view and I meant NO disrespect. I removed my father from life support when recovery the way he wanted wasn't possible, and I have limitations too.......they have just changed since having kids and then changed when I became ill. I am however unclear as to how y post is a gross lack of compassion/respect for other human beings when I was asking others to walk in mine.I still have a purpose and plenty to contribute. You are right opinions are like...uhmm.......Like noses, they come in all shapes and sizes no two are the same but one nose isn't necessarily better than the other......they are all used for breathing.If you are so annoyed with people judging others without walking a mile in their shoes....that was all I was suggesting and I fully agree that there are fates worse than death. I am sorry you feel that my post lacked compassion and respect that was never my intention for sharing my opinion and personal journey/ If in fact you were referring to me.Peace....:paw:

Oh gosh no, I wasn't meaning your post you made prior to mine. I should have clarified by meaning the OP. I don't judge anyone for being obese (even though I'm not), smoking (been there and quit), being poor without insurance (been there too), sick family wanting to die naturally (honored their wishes), sick family that wanted everything done despite clearly explained poor and painful outcome (honored those wishes too), plus other less desirable scenarios that I would never post on an Internet forum.In a nutshell I don't care if others feel they should be put out of their misery because their R arm doesn't work, it's in very poor taste IMHO to put this out for anyone to see.

[pnut8377]

yes - put me out of my misery when I have decided that it is fun to finger paint with my poop :-(

ME TOO!!

[GiGi223]

Jesus I knew someone was gonna do this. There is always an exception to every blanket statement. Would it be better if I amended my original to state that almost every application of a PEG tube I see as torture? Suite you better.

LOL! I was thinking the same thing when I read it.

[beckster_01, BSN, RN]

i have thought about this (op) sometimes while at work and see a real sad case. what trips me out sometimes is how old some of the open heart\cabg patients are. they seem to doing these surgeries on patients in their 80s now.

i was actually going to post about the 92 year old i am caring for that had an avr. there is nothing more heart breaking than a fully a&o little old man who looks at you in the eye and says "this isn't worth it, i shouldn't have had this surgery."

our surgeons do some amazing things, i just wish they weren't so over-zealous. how about we clearly explain to our patient what the recovery process for this surgery is, and let him make a well informed decision before we break his sternum?

[Vespertinas]

LOL! I was thinking the same thing when I read it.

Okay okay, I became "that person" for a moment over a personal issue. Both my great-grandmother and grandmother died while on PEG feeding and my grandmother had died literally the same week I wrote my post. I got really annoyed with hearing how many people said TO ME at the funeral how a PEG feeding was tortuous and they would never want it done to themselves. Meanwhile they hadn't been in my family's shoes and were basically criticizing our treatment options for OUR loved one as nearly inhumane.

That Guy's quotes around "loved one" sounds biting/sarcastic/judgmental. Of course the people making decisions for the patient love the person they're caring for, that shouldn't be what's questioned here. The question is whether those people are informed about the appropriate indications for certain interventions and the likelihood of a good outcome after implementing it. Someone who is failure to thrive... evidence says not helpful. Someone who is advanced dementia... evidence advises against. Someone with a neurological deficit who is undergoing rehab... sure! It's even okay in ICU because hey... we are are working toward an end-goal of getting this pt out of the ICU, right? It maybe LOOKS bad if they're on all kinds of equipment and what-not but if you don't believe that many of those patients will make a recovery then what are you doing in ICU in the first place?

[Vespertinas]

I was actually going to post about the 92 year old I am caring for that had an AVR. There is nothing more heart breaking than a fully A&O little old man who looks at you in the eye and says "this isn't worth it, I shouldn't have had this surgery."

Our surgeons do some amazing things, I just wish they weren't so over-zealous. How about we clearly explain to our patient what the recovery process for this surgery is, and let him make a well informed decision before we break his sternum?

Oh no! They have CoreValve option now for patients like him! It's still investigational but basically instead of open-heart surgery, it's a percutaneous transcatheter femoral artery approach where an expandable bioprosthetic valve implants itself in place of the old AV.

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

I deserve to be treated fairly. I desreve to be around for my family. I deserve to contribute to life anyway I can.

All of that should be up to you though, and people should be expressing these feelings via advanced directives. The problem lies in the fact that not enough people have these things spelled out for them until it's too late! And it leaves people's children to make these decisions for them and usually make poor decisions due to guilt, selfishness, or erring on the side of caution ("what if mom would have wanted to live at all costs, and I choose wrong?")

[beckster_01, BSN, RN]

Oh no! They have CoreValve option now for patients like him! It's still investigational but basically instead of open-heart surgery, it's a percutaneous transcatheter femoral artery approach where an expandable bioprosthetic valve implants itself in place of the old AV.

They are just starting that procedure this June in my area. From what I understand it is still in trial, and will only be done on those that are still ineligible for a normal valve replacement. I know we sent a placement to Cleveland clinic for it last year, but this man is quite healthy fir his age, and I don't think he would me all the criteria despite being 92.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

I have the worst fear of being in the Nursing Home with a dirty, sticky, and itchy butt, . . .in a catatonic state.