DNR in chronic disease

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fiona3637

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Geetings all, I have a question regarding Do Not Resuscitate orders. I have recently been diagnosed with heart failure. I work in the medical field so I see many patients with this. I know that once a patient reaches the point of coding and needing to be resuscitated, if they survive, it usually is downhill from there. There is no cure for heart failure; and while many can live for a number of years with it, I do not wish to go through the motions in what I know will still have only one possible outcome. I am in the early stages, I am still working and functioning MOSTLY normally, just a some shortness of breath and occasional chest pain and a few other symptoms. I am considering making myself a DNR this early on, if doing so is not a violation of our Faith. I wanted to make it a conditional DNR, that I be resuscitated long enough to receive the sacraments, (and an Apostolic Pardon, hehe), and then be removed from support. Is that even permissible? Sudden death is a common cause of death with my particular type of heart failure so this may all be a moot point.
 
I don’t believe so. A DNR is “letting someone die”, as opposed to causing someone to die.

You’re in my prayers.
 
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Hello.

Have you talked to your priest about this? I don’t know enough about this (and I should know more, thank you for the reminder) to properly answer your question. I do know there are some apologists on this site who could answer your question. Do you have on your medical chart to contact a priest in case of an accident or anything? Do you have the name and phone number of the priest?

Also, perhaps going to confession more regularly would help. But again, I don’t know enough to answer your question, so this is just my two cents, please disregard if it isn’t helpful. You are in my prayers, please pray for me.
 
There are some hospitals where priests do not go. This needs to be considered when making decisions.
 
Without knowing much about you, i can’t say much more than extraordinary measures are not required…

When writing a living will / DNR statement, be fairly specific in your wishes and communicate with any family. Keep these documents current and be sure they are on file or brought in for any hospitalization. Working in HC I assume you know the disease progression, and hopefully the difficulties with end of lif decisions when the patient’s wishes are not perfectly clear.
 
You should probably go to a Catholic lawyer for a living will/directive to physicians.

I’ve got extra clauses/options in mine that most Catholics choose (such as circumstances to discontinue forced nutrition but maintain hydration, unless invasive surgery is needed).

hawk, esq.
 
There is no moral problem with DNR. Natural death is God’s plan for us.
 
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