The other day an 18 year old young man came in with what turned out to be a
clavicle fracture for which he (and his girlfriend) was treated. Also, he
did not failed to proudly exhibit his tattoo just above the left nipple
which, grammatically correct, one could read, black on fair skin, character
size of (approximatelly) 15: DO NOT RESUSCITATE. Wondering at the vast
expanse of nothingness that may lodge in between his ears in a medial
direction, I asked him if he knows what that may mean. It appeared that in
a succint, and rather sporadic, episode of having too much blood in his
alcoholic system, he decided to have it inscribed. I did not engage with
him in further discussion as it would have headed towards a monologue
exercise from my part, and of which conclusions may well have eluded the
(very) narrow open port that by-passes primary monosynaptic connections.
The question however remains, how would one should approach a case like
this with a clear DNR instruction on the chest, on a patient that you don't
know. Has a DNR form signed on a piece of paper more weight that an
instruction tattooed on the wisher's skin? Is it a potential no-win
situation?
Tudor Codreanu
staff grade
dr gray's hospital
elgin
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