All in a day's work
Zion, my neighbour Barbara and I cut loose from our Sunday morning tradition today. Instead of walking in Arlington Park we went to Sarasota County's Urfer Family Park.
https://www.scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/492/4251
We liked it well enough, and afterwards we enjoyed our usual Sunday morning Coffee at either Panera Bread or Starbucks.
Barbara prefers Starbucks, I prefer Panera
but we agreed that Arlington Park is a better venue for our Sunday morning peregrinations.
-----------------------------------------------------
Then everything changed.
My friend R. had invited me to his home for Sunday lunch. I arrived at his home in good time. He did not answer my door knock so I walked into his thankfully unlocked Condo.
'Twas then that I discovered, (via something that I must keep private), that he'd had a seizure on Saturday night and had been admitted to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
I raced to the Hospital and was able to visit R. in the ICU. He was his usual cheerful self, but his words made no sense. He gave me three different accounts of what had led him to the Hospital. And he expressed his anger that Donald Trump had visited him in the hospital.
Them's the bare facts. The splendid RN on duty told me as much as he could in the light of HIPPA (Health Information Personal Privacy Act). This RN is trying to track down R's brother in Ft.Lauderdale.
BUT my dear friend R does not have a Living Will, nor a Health Care Proxy, nor a DNR document. It was only by luck or god-incidence that I discovered that he was ill and thus was able to see him today.
Not to be smart but I have a ton of information as to who to call in the event of a medical emergency (including who should be asked to take care of my dog).
This information is on my fridge door, in my car, and in my wallet/bill-fold.
I have a regular will, a living will, a "Do Not Resuscitate" document, and a Health Care Proxy.
There are so many end of life issues to be faced whatever our age, but more acutely as we pass from our third to our fourth quarters.
As a single man who lives alone my principles are (a) who needs know what in the event of a major medical emergency, or of my sudden death?, and (b) have I provided written information as my my needs and desires and made this information available in accessible places?
Those with spouses or partners would be well advised to create such an information document. (Think for instance of the immediate and complicated ramifications if you and your spouse/partner were killed in the same road accident).
And if you have one or two children (or more) talk to them about these matters and make sure that each child is provided with the same information in written form.
Memory is tricky so the last thing you would want is for your children to have different or even contradictory memories of your plans, wishes and desires in the event of your grave illness or sudden demise.
Just saying!
https://www.scgov.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/492/4251
We liked it well enough, and afterwards we enjoyed our usual Sunday morning Coffee at either Panera Bread or Starbucks.
Barbara prefers Starbucks, I prefer Panera
but we agreed that Arlington Park is a better venue for our Sunday morning peregrinations.
-----------------------------------------------------
Then everything changed.
My friend R. had invited me to his home for Sunday lunch. I arrived at his home in good time. He did not answer my door knock so I walked into his thankfully unlocked Condo.
'Twas then that I discovered, (via something that I must keep private), that he'd had a seizure on Saturday night and had been admitted to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
I raced to the Hospital and was able to visit R. in the ICU. He was his usual cheerful self, but his words made no sense. He gave me three different accounts of what had led him to the Hospital. And he expressed his anger that Donald Trump had visited him in the hospital.
Them's the bare facts. The splendid RN on duty told me as much as he could in the light of HIPPA (Health Information Personal Privacy Act). This RN is trying to track down R's brother in Ft.Lauderdale.
BUT my dear friend R does not have a Living Will, nor a Health Care Proxy, nor a DNR document. It was only by luck or god-incidence that I discovered that he was ill and thus was able to see him today.
Not to be smart but I have a ton of information as to who to call in the event of a medical emergency (including who should be asked to take care of my dog).
This information is on my fridge door, in my car, and in my wallet/bill-fold.
I have a regular will, a living will, a "Do Not Resuscitate" document, and a Health Care Proxy.
There are so many end of life issues to be faced whatever our age, but more acutely as we pass from our third to our fourth quarters.
As a single man who lives alone my principles are (a) who needs know what in the event of a major medical emergency, or of my sudden death?, and (b) have I provided written information as my my needs and desires and made this information available in accessible places?
Those with spouses or partners would be well advised to create such an information document. (Think for instance of the immediate and complicated ramifications if you and your spouse/partner were killed in the same road accident).
And if you have one or two children (or more) talk to them about these matters and make sure that each child is provided with the same information in written form.
Memory is tricky so the last thing you would want is for your children to have different or even contradictory memories of your plans, wishes and desires in the event of your grave illness or sudden demise.
Just saying!
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