The parson sat in the family room at the hospital with a member of his church, an woman in her sixties whose father was experiencing some medical issues. She asked the parson to accompany her as she was unsure what to do.
On the way to the hospital, the two had discussed her own and her father’s desires regarding medical care that came near the end of life. Both were of the opinion that they did not want any extraordinary measures to be taken when the results would not significantly improve their quality of life. And then they discussed the times with her father that now occupied the corridors of her memory. She laughed, and she almost whispered as she shared the tender moments.
Arriving at the hospital the parson shared some banner with her father who was as feisty as ever despite his weakened condition. and then they headed to the family room.
The doctor soon joined them. He eased himself in a chair directly across from the love seat directly opposite them. He slowly discussed all the results of various testing and answered questions she asked him. He smiled sometimes as he explained some test’s purpose. He informed them the tests really didn’t tell him what he needed to know and he would like to have her, who had the Power of Attorney for Healthcare, agree to an angiogram being performed on her father to determine if there were a blockage near the heart.
“What does that involve?” she asked the doctor.
The parson listened as the doctor explained a procedure the parson had experienced four different times. He remembered the tube being inserted in his groin and how he’d watched the progress of the tube on the monitors as it meandered up his vessels to his heart.
“What do you think, Parson?” she asked.
The parson looked at the doctor and said. “Doctor, let’s assume you do the procedure and that you find a large blockage near the heart. Now, considering the fact your patient is ninety-five years old, has already had open heart surgery for a double by-pass, and has experienced two strokes, would you do open heart surgery again to take care of the blockage?”
The doctor was silent a moment and then replied, “Well, no I suppose we would not with his age and condition.”
“Then why,” asked the parson, “would you want to do this procedure other than the government will pay for it?”
The doctor was quiet a moment. He then rose from the chair, shook the parson’s hand and said, “I guess you have a point.”
“As the parson and she walked back to her father’s room, she said, “Thank you, Parson.”
Such grace that you were there.
Posted by: gannetgirl | November 24, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Thank you Parson.
Posted by: Beach Walkin | November 26, 2009 at 07:08 PM