Conversations: the reality of promoting Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment
My feisty mother died in her 90th year. She entertained 15 family members to dinner on Friday night and on Saturday suffered a stroke. My brother and I were clear…
Author Archives: Isky Gordon
New knowledge
Andrew, a retired industrialist was referred to me via his GP. He expressed an interest in planning for his advancing years. While chatting he explained that his 92 year old…
Making an Advance Decision
A retired medical colleague called me up when he heard about the MyLivingWill website. Philip, now aged 83, lived on his own and had been diagnosed with early vascular dementia.…
Understanding Advance Decisions
I was invited to talk to an elderly couple as she had noticed that her memory was failing her. Claudia, an outgoing friendly 78 year old, was well supported by…
An expert opinion
I had the opportunity recently to discuss My Living Will with a senior healthcare professional. She subsequently wrote to me in encouraging terms: ‘Given the sensitive and difficult nature of…
Hard to anticipate
K, an 81 year old friend, asked me to help her write her Advance Decision to refuse treatment. K is relatively well, and physically and mentally quite active. When we…
Motor Neurone Disease
Mr D, a 65 year old man, developed Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a condition that affects the nerves that control the muscles. He read extensively about MND and went to…
Talking about resuscitation
Doctors are often reluctant to start conversations about resuscitation decisions. In a recent issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), four articles discuss decisions on “Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation”…
Tom’s Club
Haringey Memory Clinic has ‘Tom’s club’, a place where carers meet to share experiences and have conversations. I had previously visited the club for a morning discussion with carers and…
A decision to refuse further treatment
A palliative care physician asked me to visit his patient at home. At the agreed time, I was greeted by his very friendly wife and teenage daughter who invited me…