Eighty-year-old Mary Wohlford has informed family members of her wishes should she ever become incapacitated. She also has signed a living will that hangs on the side of her refrigerator.
But the retired nurse and great-grandmother now believes she has removed all potential for confusion. She had the words “DO NOT RESUSCITATE” tattooed on her chest.
Wohlford said she is healthy; in fact, she cares part-time for two other women. She said her decision to enter a Galena, Ill., tattoo parlor in February was the culmination of what she witnessed during her almost 30 years in nursing and during the Terri Schiavo controversy last year.
“I’ll be darned,” said Bob Cowie, a Decorah lawyer and chairman of the Iowa Bar Association’s probate and trust law section. He added, “There are easier ways to do it than that,” such as signing a living will or authorizing a medical power of attorney.
Said Wohlford: “I don’t believe in lawyers too much.”
Rock on!
I’m sure she did this for public education also. I do encourage anyone that wants to avoid prolonged life by advance medical intervention to create a living will and heath care power of attorney. Once they start the ventilators it can be damn hard and expensive to turn them off. Most good insurance plans will have a $1-3 M lifetime maximums. You can hit that with several months with full life support. Not only is there no quality of life, but you leave your estate and heirs with a ton of medical debt.
Wanna bet they still ignore it??
We don’t get to see it???
2, sure they could ignore it, but hey, who is going to pay the bill for the unnecessary work performed?
Come on Mr. Fusion…..we both know that either her insurance or Medicare will pay the bill. Doctors ignore *do not resucitate* orders everyday.
As a paramedic, unless I saw a legal Do Not Resuscitate order, I would code her–tattoos or not. If I don’t, it’s criminal negligence.
My comments to her is “ROCK ON!!!” *hums “iron man”*
I am a buyer of the Ernest Hemingway Insurance Plan, a 12-guage shotgun when retirement becomes a burden.
I know an M.D. who had D.N.R. tattoed on his chest.
Barrett (#6) makes a good point, though. These issues get squirrelly.
Yes I’m the do not resuscitate” “tattoo” granny! One has to think “outside the box” and advance with the times.
i feel all young ones should also get a tattoo “Organ donor” also tattooed on their chest- that’s the modern way to go!
Congrats, Mary, for doing what you believe in. You never were one to keep quiet when there was something on your mind! Earl T. would be proud!