April 7, 2015 – CI Keys – CSU Channel Islands

In regards to end of life, I have very little experience with the subject from a family perspective. The most recent death in my family happened to my grandfather when I was 7 years old, so I barely remember the details from the event. One thing I do remember, however, is how my mother reacted after the fact.

My mother is very religious, and I think watching her father slowly decline neurologically and physically was very hard on her. She has told all of us in our immediate family that she does not want to be resuscitated if she dies, or put on life-sustaining measures (such as ventilator, tube feeding, etc.) if something were to happen to her. Interestingly, she has not signed an official DNR order yet, but she feels very strongly about the subject and doesn’t want to be kept alive artificially.

I feel like that has sort of rubbed off on me a bit, too. I’m not as religious as she is, but I’d definitely prefer not to be on a ventilator or kept alive by artificial feeding if I’m in, say, a serious car accident. If I went into cardiac arrest for some reason then yes, I would like to be resuscitated, but I’m not worrying about that too much right now. This topic parallels what we discussed in advanced assessment, and I’d like to iterate what I said during that discussion: if I were to find myself dying or in a resuscitative situation, I’d want my family around me. They’ve always been extremely supportive of me when I’ve been ill, and that has made those experiences better. I love my family very much, and having them be by my side in that type of situation would be very reassuring.

I’ve not heard too much about this topic from my peers in class. While I know some have had traumatic experiences with friends and loved ones being sick or passing away, I think that we as healthcare practitioners have learned to become much more resilient to those kinds of events. Not only have we become more resilient, but we have also become more empathetic towards those going through such difficult times, and that has made us much better nurses as this program has gone on.

Overall, this is a weird topic for me to be thinking about personally, but learning and thinking about it has definitely enhanced my ideas and feelings toward the subject of death and dying.

Looking back

April 7, 2015/in /by Sean Anderson

Posted from Camarillo, California, United States.

New Orleans is easily the most amazing place I have ever been and I will never forget my experience with the ESRM 492 class. I was inspired by the kind nature of the city’s residents, the phenomenal musicians, and the diverse culture that blessed New Orleans.

Exploring the French Quarter during our first days in town gave me an impression of the people native to the area. Absolutely everyone I encountered had a smile and kind words for the work the class was doing for the city. Paul Sanchez strengthened this impression with his pronounced “thank you” to our class with free CDs and a public mentioning of our hard work. I was also inspired by the care that the city’s residents had for New Orleans and what it meant to their history, culture, and family.

Everywhere the group went, it seemed that there were street musicians, artists, and other performers that livened the scene. Every club, social establishment, or venue we visited had some of the most talented musicians I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. These musicians were well versed in the music history and culture of the city and assisted in making my New Orleans trip even more unforgettable.

The liveliness of New Orleans was most evident in the parades the city seemed to have most nights we were there. There were parades for St Patrick’s day and St Joseph’s day and a small parade for every wedding that took place in the quarter. I was amazed by New Orleans’ friendliness with artists and street performers. Unlike Los Angeles, I can actually believe that a performing musician can make it comfortably in New Orleans.

The work the group did in the wetlands was grueling and labor intensive but impossibly rewarding for all of us when we thought about what the city meant to us and any body else who has ever experienced the crescent city. We were reminded of this sentiment whenever a loud soul would shout CORNBREAD at the top of their lungs to raise moral in the swamp. That food will forever be a rallying cry for the group that took this trip to the beautiful New Orleans.