eleanor.tanno

Making an advance directive can seem overwhelming at first. However, once you learn some of the common terminology and become familiar with your necessary state forms, it is pretty straightforward. The most difficult part is really the thought you put into your medical wishes and the conversations you have with your medical decision makers (usually […]

What does it mean to be Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)? The more informative question is, what does it look like to be resuscitated? A resuscitation is attempted when your heart is not beating and you are not breathing. In other words, you are dead. Once your heart stops beating, blood is not flowing to your

THE ONE QUESTION YOUR FAMILY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER ABOUT YOUR ADVANCE DIRECTIVE “I would want to live as long as I could still ___.” This is one of the most critical questions to define your end-of-life wishes. It is so critical that I have termed it your “Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Litmus Test.”

What is a MOLST form? A MOLST is a simple, two page form that provides medical orders for physicians to follow in case you are critically ill and not able to speak for yourself. In some states, a MOLST form is called a MOST, POLST, or POST, but they are essentially the same document. Think

The first time many people think about their own end-of-life wishes is when they create their first Will and Testament with an estate attorney. The Will process usually results in some form of advance directive as part of the documents. This first edition of their advance directive is often about the time people have kids,

“My mother died earlier this year. It came as a complete surprise. She was in great shape. I mean, she was 88, but she was so healthy.” I am sitting across the white exam room from my patient. She is sitting in a black plastic medical chair, her leather purse at her feet, with manicured nails. Her

I am sitting in my primary care office exam room facing my patient. I ask whether she has an advance directive. In a not so uncommon response, I hear a defiant “my family knows to pull the plug!” In my head, I ask, “but do you even want to get plugged in?” My mind flashes

“My lawyer has all that” or “it’s in the safe!” is the answer I often get when I ask my patients whether they have an advance directive. These words are often accompanied by a dismissive wave and tone that says, “I took care of that and I don’t want to think about it again.” Here’s

A man and his wife have been married for 65 years. Yes, if you’re doing the math, that is a really long time and they are in their nineties. As a tradition, every night after dinner, they mix up their favorite cocktails — his a manhattan, hers a martini — then sit on their couch

When someone is admitted to the hospital and is in critical condition, it usually comes at an unexpected time for the family. Local family members show up within hours to the hospital, while those who live out of town trickle-in a day or two later. The local family (usually an adult child) is often more