LTC, DEATH AND DYING

[oramar]

Bless you, I hope there is someone like you around when I draw my last breath. Many, many people have said to me when I was at my most vunerable, "how can you do this all the time," or "I could never be a nurse". I think in the future I am going to say "how can you not be".

[sandigapeachlpn]

last night was such a shock. we had one of the most courageous people i have been priviliged to know go so quickly on me. at the beginning of shift he felt that something was wrong. immediately he called for me. he was shivering from head to toe and the fear in his eyes was so evident. i knew that he was fixing to spike a temp. i could see from a quick skin assess that he was mottling already. he had copd and he had two huge decub's. the dr said the decub systemic would take him out. but it appeared to me that his chf did it first. i got a quick o2 sat and he was only 77 on 3 lpm. i knew this was it. he had been with us for apprx 4 months and initially he fought with all his might, but with the last pneumonia about 2 weeks ago, all the sudden he decided to stop the AB and let nature take its course. he had a fantastic dr that gave him lasix prn and ms prn sq. so when he started going i told him i would keep him comfortable. i get so wore out supporting the families. i absolutely hate the phone calls in the middle of the night. and then the family asks me to call the daughters and the sons and i have to tell them too. and i have to steel myself when i tell them who i am and where i am calling from, because for a moment they don't breath.... because they know that i am not calling for casual conversation. please don't think i am complaining because god knows what i had to deal with is nothing in comparison with the support, pain and loss that they had to. i just needed to vent. i can't sleep even though i am exhausted, i feel such a loss too. i guess the nights like these make me appreciate the rest of my brood that i still have time to take care of. although it's ironic; sometimes i think it's the other way around because of the moments that they give me.

tell me, do any of you out there think that once they were living in my shoes. vital, working, loving, going home to their families. at one time they were at my age.

[donmurray]

Death and Taxes, the two certainties in life. Taxes, I can't help with, but, when quality of life is going, or gone, then a quality death is the best I can do for anyone. I'm not suggesting euthanasia, but a warm, caring, compassionate, pain free exit. Many previous posters have put it so eloquently, I am renewed in my pride that I chose Nursing.

I often feel priveledged to have known my patients, not least because of discovering that even the most "ordinary" people have, at some point done extraordinary things. Death is seen by many as merely the end of one phase of our existence, and the start of another, better one. It can and should be a positive experience, for all concerned, including the nurse.