West Palm Beach, Florida
My sister (41) and her mate (62) have been together several years w/o marriage They present themselves as husband and wife-she goes by his last name on everything but her drivers license and ss card. She even has a spouse badge for the veteran's hospital where he now is. His younger brother (living in Indiana) is his legal next of kin. Her mate has been in the hospital (with end stage liver disease) since just before thanksgiving and she is there from 10 am to 8 pm when visiting hours are over they make her leave. The brother will not let the hospital give her any information about how he is doing-they cannot talk to her about her mate other than his stats which she can see on the monitor. What can she do to at least get information if not make life saving decisions?
She has tried to get the Drs to tell her. He has a breathing tube now, but when he was aware-he told everyone he wanted her kept informed about how he was doing. He told them she was his wife and to treat her that way. He wanted nothing done to him with out her knowing first. If she was not there, he made them wait for her to get there. His brother is not right in not letting her know anything. His brother even sent Christmas cards to them, for example, "John and Jane Doe" The nurses tell her, "You know we can't give you any information". She cares for him day in and day out and they see it, but not being able to have any information is just heartless on his brothers' part. I can see him wanting any final decisions, but she sees what is happening to her mate, but isn't told why. That is not fair to her and his brother should already know that he would not want his "wife" treated like this...He already told the Doctors and Nurses that he wanted her to be kept informed when he was coherent, should that not apply still when he is not coherent?
My sister (41) and her mate (62) have been together several years w/o marriage They present themselves as husband and wife-she goes by his last name on everything but her drivers license and ss card. She even has a spouse badge for the veteran's hospital where he now is. His younger brother (living in Indiana) is his legal next of kin. Her mate has been in the hospital (with end stage liver disease) since just before thanksgiving and she is there from 10 am to 8 pm when visiting hours are over they make her leave. The brother will not let the hospital give her any information about how he is doing-they cannot talk to her about her mate other than his stats which she can see on the monitor. What can she do to at least get information if not make life saving decisions?
She has tried to get the Drs to tell her. He has a breathing tube now, but when he was aware-he told everyone he wanted her kept informed about how he was doing. He told them she was his wife and to treat her that way. He wanted nothing done to him with out her knowing first. If she was not there, he made them wait for her to get there. His brother is not right in not letting her know anything. His brother even sent Christmas cards to them, for example, "John and Jane Doe" The nurses tell her, "You know we can't give you any information". She cares for him day in and day out and they see it, but not being able to have any information is just heartless on his brothers' part. I can see him wanting any final decisions, but she sees what is happening to her mate, but isn't told why. That is not fair to her and his brother should already know that he would not want his "wife" treated like this...He already told the Doctors and Nurses that he wanted her to be kept informed when he was coherent, should that not apply still when he is not coherent?
