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Sep. 22nd, 2007 04:32 pmAnyone who can tell me about the logistics of death, autopsies, medical examiner vs. private vs. DC vs. MD, whether there are jurisdictional issues, who could talk to me in any capacity would be appreciated. Similarly, anyone who can talk to me about MD vs. DC as far as funerals, cremation, burial, and those logistics - I don't quite know where to start.
Well isn't today a whole new world of suck! Ah...the world is fine, I'm just facing some necessary transitions. I'm sick, so I ... thankfully ... can't go to the ICU. I wonder what his neighbor has - the person 2 doors over has signs on their room saying "gloves and gown required" so they must have some neat communicable. My minor cold makes me feel just bad enough that I know not to work out, and I can't go to the hospital, so I get to ... have to ... relax for a bit.
But I just had the conversation with my dad's wife. A neurologist, who she hated, thinks he's probably already completely brain dead. "That part of him that you loved isn't there anymore." She thought he was horrible, but what she related sounded like he was trying to be nice. They don't say why, but with little prompting they've changed his orders to not doing drastic life-saving interventions. Monday we'll have a talk with the doctors and neurologist who will analyze his EEG.
His wife might want to sue, thinking that this whole episode was preventable and that for all we know he was brain damaged from lack of air due to negligence on the part of hospital staff. I have been impressed with the level of care, and don't necessarily feel that a lawsuit would be appropriate even if there was an error. I also don't feel as suspicious as she does that any negligence caused this - I think he's just dying of cancer in his own way. She's torn up that he never got to express how he wants to wrap up his affairs - so am I. She's worried about how the holy hell she's going to pay the bills when he does die, and feels crass for talking about it. I've already started shifting funds to help or pay in full for both funeral expenses and keeping her afloat for a while.
Never ask me how my dad or "things" are going. As they teach lawyers, never ask a question you don't already know the answer to (or to which you don't know the answer). If it is good news, then it isn't important. If it's bad news, then I have already shared it with who I'm going go share it with and you're just digging up bad thoughts that I'm trying to get away from by going out.
Well isn't today a whole new world of suck! Ah...the world is fine, I'm just facing some necessary transitions. I'm sick, so I ... thankfully ... can't go to the ICU. I wonder what his neighbor has - the person 2 doors over has signs on their room saying "gloves and gown required" so they must have some neat communicable. My minor cold makes me feel just bad enough that I know not to work out, and I can't go to the hospital, so I get to ... have to ... relax for a bit.
But I just had the conversation with my dad's wife. A neurologist, who she hated, thinks he's probably already completely brain dead. "That part of him that you loved isn't there anymore." She thought he was horrible, but what she related sounded like he was trying to be nice. They don't say why, but with little prompting they've changed his orders to not doing drastic life-saving interventions. Monday we'll have a talk with the doctors and neurologist who will analyze his EEG.
His wife might want to sue, thinking that this whole episode was preventable and that for all we know he was brain damaged from lack of air due to negligence on the part of hospital staff. I have been impressed with the level of care, and don't necessarily feel that a lawsuit would be appropriate even if there was an error. I also don't feel as suspicious as she does that any negligence caused this - I think he's just dying of cancer in his own way. She's torn up that he never got to express how he wants to wrap up his affairs - so am I. She's worried about how the holy hell she's going to pay the bills when he does die, and feels crass for talking about it. I've already started shifting funds to help or pay in full for both funeral expenses and keeping her afloat for a while.
Never ask me how my dad or "things" are going. As they teach lawyers, never ask a question you don't already know the answer to (or to which you don't know the answer). If it is good news, then it isn't important. If it's bad news, then I have already shared it with who I'm going go share it with and you're just digging up bad thoughts that I'm trying to get away from by going out.
