Do Not Resuscitate Orders, ID Bracelets & Experiences

Great, but I don't keep my meds in the medicine cabinet.....neither do most of my friends.

From Healthline:
"You may not be able to donate blood if your (tattoo) ink is less than 3 months old.
Giving blood after recently getting a tattoo can be dangerous. Though uncommon, an unclean tattoo needle can carry a number of blood borne viruses, such as

*hepatitis B
*hepatitis C
*HIV

People with new tattoos have traditionally been advised to wait a year before giving blood in order to reduce their risk of unknowingly transmitting these viruses.....Its best to work with licensed artists who work in state-regulated shops. Oftentimes, their certifications are prominently displayed on the shop walls." Thank you, Dr. Google!

While I was donating blood to my local hospital, (donated 4+ gallons before MGUS was diagnosed) I felt wistful about getting better eyebrows tattooed around my skimpy wisps. Then read the ink used would have contained iron, which might interfere with brain imaging, should that ever be necessary. That vanity is tossed aside for good! Call me Bald Brows!

A wonderfully helpful Ikon on our smart phones shows a red heart on a white field. It has the word "Health" beneath it. Have you ever opened it and filled it out? If more people even knew that it exists to be helpful, our shared concerns about DNR and other requests could be easily remedied. Yet when I stopped in at my local fire department those heroes-to-the-rescue didn't know it was there. They also were uninformed about their team members' health requests. So I sat down at the table with them and suggested they take out their own smart phones and start filling them out. I keep mine up to date and hope others will do the same. Stay well!

I want to share an article that I found to be extremely informative: Is a do-not-resuscitate tattoo a valid advance directive?

In addition to tattoos, I read that -
-Just as important as an advance directive is the conversation with family and friends.
-If you wish to avoid aggressive treatment in an ambulance, emergency responders can honor your wishes, but only if you have a Physician Order for Scope of Treatment
or are wearing a state-approved community do-not-resuscitate bracelet. While this information is specific to Minnesota and Wisconsin, the information about what to consider in a planning your D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate) extends to all of us and our families and loved ones.
- Talk with your health care team if you wish to have a do-not-resuscitate bracelet or would like to discuss advance care planning and complete these documents.
- It's critical to know that emergency responders cannot follow advance directives in emergency situations.

Here is the link to information from Mayo Clinic Health System:
- Is a do-not-resuscitate tattoo a valid advance directive?
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/featured-topic/is-a-do-not-resuscitate-tattoo-a-valid-advance-directive
How does the information contained in this article affect your thinking on getting a tattoo or a medical ID bracelet?

@raye

Hi,
My grandson is a licensed tattoo artist, educated at a licensed tattoo school, working in a licensed shop. I was amazed at what he learned and how they practiced their techniques. Instructions are strict, classes small and before they can get their certificate, they will actually do a tattoo on one of their classmates . The Health Department randomly makes checks on shops and they are very nit picky which is great. Certificates have to be on display and everything labeled and , of course, the shop is clean. On my grandsons first random check he had 2 bottles with no labels (not ink) and got points deducted from his score. He knew what was in the bottles but that didn’t fly with the Health Dept. His station is cleaner and neater than his room ever was growing up lol.

“Dr Goggle” offers a lot of misinformation on all subjects. Any of the tattoo ink should not get into the bloodstream as a good technician will not go deep enough for that to occur. But yes, it can happen. It depends on the skill of the artist. The ink must travel past the epidermis into the deeper dermis level. If ink does get into the bloodstream, the immune system immediately goes into action because it is a foreign substance. Inks also have evolved over the history of this profession and most don’t contain the harmful and toxic heavy metals they use to. However, like everything else, it depends where you get your products from. Artist generally buy their own inks and needles and equipment along the way.

So the caveat is to go to a reputable shop. Believe me, a shop does not want to get the whiff of a bad reputation in this very competitive business and a Junior artist has to work 2 years to attain Sr artist status and there is always a lead artist or owner (years of experience) present .

For ongoing tattoos (working on a full sleeve for example) there is a 2 week waiting period for healing purposes and to see if there is an allergic reaction before continuing. I asked him about the 3 month waiting period you mentioned and he said he would suggest 3 weeks before any blood drawing. But it is what anyone is comfortable with.

I think everyone here is somewhat knowledgeable about the tattoo industry now? 😀…it’s good to know though.

FL Mary

@rosemarya I honestly do not know what my state recommends/has in place. Talking to our local ambulance service and fire department are things I hadn't even considered doing! I have a registered POLST [portable order for life sustaining treatment]. All my doctors and clinics have a copy, I retain the original. There is also an advanced directive, medical power of attorney, with my husband knowing where all those are located. We keep copies of our important documents on a stick, and a second [same info] stick resides off-site with my bonus son.

As others have mentioned, there is no time like the present to have things in place.
Ginger

I know nurses and other medical professionals who favor the tat! Not all religions allow it, though. I keep my DNR in my purse and on file at both local hospitals. However, I have heard some hair-raising stories about attempts made on very frail very dead family members. So I also accept that what I want may not happen. Obviously hospice will help, as no 911 call. Best to all of you.

My son, a firefighter/EMT told me that when there is an accident or 911 call, the EMT/Paramedics are there to stabilize the patient and transport them to ER or hospital as quickly and safely as possible. They are trained to look for a medical ID Bracelet for possible medication allergies or medical condition like diabetes, immunosuppression, and medical devices etc. A fireman or EMT does not look into purses or wallets. That is for the Police to do.

I was told by my Mother’s nurse that if 911 is called you are giving permission to resuscitate, so the EMT was doing his job. Her advice for my Mother was to wait an hour before calling anyone if she stopped breathing.

I think it depends on the state, when my dad was with me on hospice I was told to keep the DNR close at hand. I am sorry you are dealing with this.

I was a nurse many years ago and I am not signing a DNR until I am in such a condition that it is actually appropriate. I will not sign one “just to have for later when I need it”. Don’t assume that all support personnel will be fully advised of your condition except your doctor.