My frequent readers know that I am a huge supporter of DNR and MOLST rights here in New York state. That would be Do Not Resuscitate and Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. Basically, these documents first tell first responders to not take any action to save my life.
The MOLST is used in the hospital and in my case, I have it set so that nothing is done to save my life and the only thing that I’m not allowed to waive is “comfort care.” I have a little library of material on this matter and you can read it for yourself.
In previous posts, I talked about the steps that I took to get where I am today. I shared my experience receiving the bracelet last year. Well, it has been a year and I decided it was time to make a change. Up until now, my bracelet stated that my documents are in my wallet.
Well, they’re way too big for a wallet and I don’t put mine in my back pocket. That might give first responders an out. They could claim that because there was no wallet, the bracelet is invalid. Well, I’ve now taken that excuse away from them!
The bracelet, which arrived yesterday, now advises EMTs and so forth to turn the bracelet around. There, they see instructions that the documents that they need to stop working on me are now in my back pocket.
I used the same company that I used last year because of how pleased I was with the product. StickyJ Medical Bracelets did my last bracelet and they did a fine job. This new bracelet is wonderful too. The only bad part is that they have a hard time giving me a bracelet that fits well, so I had to use a paper clip to get it tied down so that it doesn’t slip and slide. But that’s not really their fault, because my wrist is kind of skinny.
Now as for those documents, I have them on my person at all times and in my back pocket so that there can be no misunderstanding. My supervisors at work are aware that no one is to play the hero and try to save me. They are to stand down.
Yes, they have to call 911, but they can wait five minutes before calling. That way, the ambulance won’t arrive for at least a total of ten minutes and by that time, I’m beyond saving anyway.
The same goes for church. My priests know and they will hopefully prevent anyone from being an asshole. They too know to hold off on 911 for five minutes. But then again, it doesn’t really matter, because my bracelet is legally recognized in this state and all ambulance companies that I spoke to confirmed that their personnel are well-versed in DNRs and are trained in how to handle such calls.
My supervisors were curious as to why I would need a DNR at such a relatively young age. My answer to that was simple: medical conditions that could, in the worst case scenario, severely damage my right to a good quality of life.
- A-fib, a condition that drastically increases the potential for a stroke. Sorry, I will not live like that. I will not wind up a drooling, incoherent boob in diapers.
- Neurofibromatosis Type 1, something that, in later years, adversely affects the brain and spine. If my NF1 were to present with symptoms pertaining to those things, my quality of life would likewise be ruined to the point of no return.
- Severe bowel obstruction, something that can kill. It initially presented as colon cancer. As one might guess, this condition takes away the ability to have a bowel movement. Things get backed up and at some point, death can occur if immediate action is not taken. As of the time this article was published, I haven’t had a bowel movement in three weeks. Obviously, things are backing up and sepsis is likely to follow. I’m surprised that it hasn’t happened already.
The reason that I won’t get the surgery for the obstruction is simple. If something goes wrong, I might have to spend the rest of my life with a colostomy bag. I refuse to do that, so surgery is out of the question. I don’t care if I get the best surgeon in the world who can do it effortlessly. I’m not taking the gamble.
Clearly, the conditions that I mentioned have the ability to make life unpleasant on many levels. I’m sure that you can understand why that although I am not going to do anything to actively cause my own death (suicide), but I simply don’t want intervention if my heart and breathing stops or if I wind up in the hospital, which would be against my wishes. I do not consent to any form of medical treatment whatsoever.
Yes, I am aware of the possibility of dying whereas I could have been saved absent my documents, but I have to assume the worst, which is why I took all the steps I took to get the paperwork. The local hospitals have it on file as well.
StickyJ offers DNR bracelets for a variety of states. You can go on their website and choose the DNR drop-down menu options. There, you will find the states that they offer bracelets for. StickyJ has done their research and when you order from them, you can rest assured that your bracelet will be accepted in your state.
My only concern, and it has nothing to do with StickyJ, is that, if I am out of state, that state might not honor a New York bracelet. Accordingly, I have not left the state in over a year, just to be safe.
Anyway, I’m very happy with my new bracelet, and they have the details on file so that if something happens, I can easily order another. The price is reasonable, by the way. All told, I paid $59.70 this time around. Shipping was free and only took a few days. $55.79 was the actual cost of the bracelet with the rest being, of course, taxes.
The bracelet is sturdy and can handle everything life can throw at you. It plays nice with me at work. I sit and work on a computer all day, doing data entry at a very high speed. My bracelet handles that. My old one was not damaged, not one bit.
And yes, it can handle you and your partner, shall we say, getting busy. I’m not going to lie, I’m a freak between the sheets, and the bracelet handles all of that, saying, “Thank you, sir! May I have another?”
This bracelet brings me peace of mind, because I know that if paramedics and whomever else play by the rules, they will see my bracelet and honor it.
I have a DNR necklace too, but that’s not recognized in this state. All it means is that they should check my wrist and take it from there. I’ve done everything that I can do to ensure that I will not be worked on should the worst happen.
If you want to go the route that I did, and have the back custom made, then they certainly offer custom engraving. It’s right there in big letters: the paperwork is in my back pocket. Thanks to that custom engraving, there is no mistaking it.
One final thing: make sure that you’re ready to share your valid DNR paperwork. They won’t let just anyone get that given the seriousness of the decision. In my case, my state’s DNR paperwork couldn’t possibly be any easier than it is, so I was able to prove myself when I initially ordered last year.
Anyway, if you are interested in a DNR bracelet, StickyJ is the way to go!