So my F-I-L was taken by ambulance to the VA yesterday and while the situation isn’t completely hopeless, he’s not doing well. Hospital staff are asking my wife’s little sis what his wishes would be as far as resuscitation. Everyone agrees that he has said “no extreme measures” but we don’t really know what that means and how or if it differs from “do not resuscitate”. What surprises me is that the Docs are asking for us to interpret these terms.

So what do these terms mean or do they not have specific definitions in a hospital setting?