Many years ago, before I even had children, I had a coworker who was waiting for a liver transplant. She was very tiny, less than five feet tall, so she knew she was waiting for a child’s liver. Psychologically, that was very, very hard for her. As luck would have it, since a liver wasn’t becoming available, she became one of the first in Quebec to have a partial transplant – she received part of a liver from an adult, rather than a whole one.

I’ve lost contact with her, but I know that she looked great and felt much, much better after the transplant. She was able to get out and enjoy life again. I hope she’s still doing well.

Transplantation touches us all, whether we know it or not. The decisions we make while we’re alive may affect many lives after we’re gone.

Stay tuned for a month of transplant stories.

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Image: iStock

Post from: Blisstree

April is National Donate Life Month

Researchers found that 16 percent of these patients reported refusing one or more medical or surgical interventions recommended by their physician. The most frequently refused interventions were cardiac catheterization and surgery, with refusal rates of over 10 percent. Other interventions refused included chemotherapy, radiation, intubation, dialysis, and transplantation. Hospitalization was rarely refused.

I can not count the amount of times I sent a very elderly, frail, compromised, extremely sick and helpless patient off to open heart surgery, let alone stress tests and catheterizations. And what I really wanted to do was say, “You are the boss of yourself. You make the final decisions and can say no to anything you want to. If you were my Grandfather, I would say don’t do it”. But I don’t, at least not for the most part.

What do you think about the quality versus quantity? And what do you think about getting second opinions and saying no to physicians? Would you feel comfortable questioning a clinician? I am always amazed at how patients hold them up high and feel like they have no say in the situation. When it should be them who are being held way up high. Be your own advocate. Don’t you think?

via Science Daily

Post from: Blisstree

Refusal Of Cardiac Procedures By The Elder Population Common