gray01 Jan-Feb 2011_Gray01_Jan-Feb 2005.qxd - Korean War ...

Nan Gerson RN,ACM, Care
Coordinator, addresses
members of Ch 259 at their
November meeting as
chapter officers (shown
seated) Planning Dir Jack
Beaty, Treasurer Thomas
Shepherd, Cmdr Tine
Martine, Secretary Bill
Ensign listen
34
Ch 158’s display at the Winter Haven, FL library
181 KANSAS #1 [KS]
Thirty five members
and their ladies gathered
to celebrate the holiday
season with their annual
Christmas lunch at the
Sheraton Hotel in
Overland Park, Kansas
on December 4. Two
nights later, the chapter
gathered again at an
informal social in the
VFW Post in Lenexa,
Kansas. Everyone had a
good time at both events.
Outgoing Chapter
president Don Dyer has
passed the gavel to Tom
Stevens, who was elected
as Commander for 2011
and 2012. Tom served as
a Superfortress tail gunner in Korea and flew 27 missions out of
Guam.
Don Dyer, ddyer15@everestkc.net
259 Don Dyer (R) passes gavel to incoming Ch
181 Commander Tom Stevens
CENTRAL INDIANA [IN]
Representatives of St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana were
guest speakers at our November meeting. Their well-received
presentation was on the subject of a patient’s choices as to medical
care when near death.
Touching on a not-so-popular topic as end of life, they elaborated
on duties a person should perform before reaching the state
where they can not speak for themselves. Family members are
often faced with hard decisions regarding life-sustaining medical
care, even though there is no hope of recovery. “Advance
Directives” can be prepared that will clearly state our wishes
about “life supporting” medical procedures and equipment.
The importance of having written documents that instruct
Tine Martin, Ch 259 Commander,
Susi Plough, MSN, Rev. Susan
Jacques, Staff Chaplain, Laura
Rushinsky, MS, CCRN, Nan
Gerson, Nurse Practitioner (L-R), at
November meeting
medical care staff in advance can ease some of the pain for
loved ones. These directives should be readily available to hospital
staffs in case of a patient who is traveling away from home.
A card needs to be carried making it clear that last wishes have
been declared and are in written form and properly witnessed.
Some state laws are different in regards to “last care options,”
but medical facilities will honor the written instructions of nonresidents.
The presentation covered many aspects of these subjects to
include consideration of religious beliefs, patients’ knowledge of
what care would be available, and the outcome of such treatment.
Members left the very informative meeting with a new sense
of preparing their families and future care givers for the final
arrangements that we know will be made necessary.
John Quinn, Saggi32@aol.com
289 MOUNTAIN EMPIRE [TN]
On 23 November 2010, we held our fourth annual Pumpkin
Pie party, at the Community Living Center (CLC) in the VA hospital
in Johnson City. There was plenty of pie for patients, their
visitors, and staff.
Bob Shelton (L) and Bill Reed of Ch 289 assist Santa at Johnson City, TN
VA hospital
January – February 2011
The Graybeards