Phinney Estate Law
Follow Us or Like Us
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Profile of Jamie Clausen
    • Profile of Michael Ballnik
    • Holistic Approach
  • Practice Areas
    • Estate Planning & Disability Planning
    • Probate & Trust Administration
    • Guardianship & Elder Law
    • Mediation & Conflict Coaching
  • Blog
  • Fee Schedule
  • Free Classes
  • Client Reviews
  • Contact Us

Disability Planning Treatment Choices: Antibodics

10/4/2011

3 Comments

 
Picture
Another area of medical treatment that your family and/or health care agents may need to make decisions about in a medical crisis is the use of antibiotics.  Because antibiotics are such powerful and common drugs, some health care planning documents, including the Washington State POLST form, ask for decision from patients about whether to accept or refuse all antibiotic treatment.  At Phinney Estate Law we find that this all or nothing approach isn't always the best way to think about the issue of antibiotics.

It is important to understand that when antibiotics are prescribed to treat infection the purpose can be both treatment or comfort care.  Think about your answers to the following questions:  Would you want a simple five day course of antibodics to treat a UTI, even if you had terminal cancer knowing that a UTI infection is unlikely to be fatal and can be very painful if untreated?  How about a six week IV antibiotic treatment for sepsis or pneumonia at time when you had such extreme dementia, knowing that either of these infections, common in those who are frail, would otherwise cause a fairly painless death in a relatively short period of time? 

The answer to whether you would want antibiotics in any given situation may depend on your quality of life absent the infection, whether the pain and symptoms of the infection can be otherwise managed, and whether withholding antibiotics is likely lead to a speedy death or merely additional prolonged illness. 

In our experience, agents are best able to make those choices if they have an understanding of what gives your life meaning and the picture treatment goals you would have in different states of health rather than a black and white thumbs up or down on antibiotics altogether.

3 Comments
prada replica link
4/28/2014 07:14:45 pm

Many individuals about limited costs which would not have insurance policy are getting with out important treatments and also health-related assists which they will need.

Reply
hublot replica uk link
11/2/2014 04:32:12 pm


Rates good cowhide leatherette used for ones the most insurance.

Reply
roblox robux link
1/22/2017 10:28:09 am

I must say that you can get free robux for the game workshop roblox and it is very to get.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    PEL Blog

    This Blog is written by Seattle Attorneys Jamie Clausen & Michael Ballnik.
    It is made available for educational purposes only. Its purpose is to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. Reading this blog does not create an attorney client relationship between you and Phinney Estate Law. Because each individual and family is unique, the Blog should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

    Archives

    May 2023
    March 2022
    April 2020
    January 2020
    April 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    March 2016
    November 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    Abatement
    Admemption
    Administrator
    Advance Health Care Directive
    Collaborative Law
    Community
    Community Classes
    Debt
    Disability Planning
    Discounts
    Downsizing
    End Of Life Planning
    Estate Planning
    Events
    Guardianship
    Health Care Agent
    Health Care Planning
    Holistic Law
    Immigration
    Informed Consent
    Intestate Administration
    Last Will And Testament
    Legacy
    Legacy Planning
    Legacy Statement
    Lgbt
    Living Will
    Mediation
    Organ Donation
    PEPS
    Posthumous Heirs
    Power Of Attorney
    Probate
    Probate Litigation
    Quasi-community Property
    Science Alerts
    Slayer Rule
    Social Security
    Tax
    Trust Administration
    Undue Influence
    Unmarried Partners
    Will Contest
    Word Of The Week

    RSS Feed