Quote Originally Posted by silver View Post
So, at the risk of upsetting Mr. I'm going to post a little about the issue that we are faced with.

This is difficult for Mr. and he needs a little encouragement.

He is an only child and his parents are in their late 70's. They live in an assisted Living Home that is very near us and I help them with doctors' visits and shopping and any needs.

His father is declining and yesterday the doctor advised me that it may be time to .....well....I don't know how to say this in an appropriate manner.....but think about how to let him go with dignity.

He's still doing OK and may have plenty of time but the doctor has suggested that make arrangements that if he has an emergency that the EMTS and nursing staff at the home NOT initiate CPR/defibulater/intubation. The doctor said that we should still direct that he get IV fluids/nutrition, antibiotics, diabetic care in the case of trouble but that he would be unlikely to come through the trauma of CPR/defibulation with any quality of life. EMT's are obligated to do this unless we take action to request that it not be done.

In order to do that, we must discuss this with him and have him sign a form stating this fact.

I'm willing to discuss this with him but Mr. is not.

Obviously, Mr. is having a trouble with this. Please give him some positive encouragement and ask him to please forgive me if he's upset with me for posting about this.

If would also be helpful if anyone else have experience on how to deal with these issues in a positve manner and with the most dignity possible.
Hugs to you both. My dad died of cancer in may and he spent the last 2 days in the hospitall(if he came home- we were doing hospice) and DNR(do not resc) was his request as well w/ power of attorney signed over to my mom. He wasn't as old as Mr.'s parents, but It's hard with parents. We don't want to lose them and when they are ill, it's just that much worse, but you don't want them to suffer either. The only way I know is to break it to him as gently as possible and make sure nothing else stressfull is going on at the time. My heart goes out to you. Jennifer