The Real DNR Chest Tattoo
by

Signing off: Tattoo on chest makes final wish known to medics By CHAS J. HARTMAN Georgetown News-Graphic 2/25/04

Dan Cobb looks down at the tattoos on his chest like his life depended on them. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Cobb signed “do not resuscitate” papers but wanted to eliminate any chance of a misunderstanding, so in a sense, he signed himself: He had the letters “DNR” tattooed on his chest. In the weeks that followed, grandchildren refused to believe the then-76-year-old had a tattoo. “They said, ‘Oh, it’s a stick-on,’” Cobb said. “I said, ‘Check it out.’” Cobb, now 79, wanted his intentions known to make the decision easier for family members. Just five years ago, Cobb had open-heart surgery to repair a mitral valve. It was not that surgery, though, that spurred Cobb’s decision. “There had been several deaths at the hospital, and the families didn’t know what to do,” Cobb said. “It’s a traumatic, emotional thing, and it’s far better to make the decision in advance.” Unless the family is able to provide signed “do not resuscitate” papers, hospitals and emergency workers must try to resuscitate patients in cardiac or respiratory arrest. The necessary forms are available at most hospitals, and Cobb said he knows the tattoo alone would not be enough. “Even with my tattoo, they would not honor it until they see that form,” he said. Despite the legalities of everything, Cobb still feels better having the tattoo. Getting three one-inch letters in black ink only cost $30, and the procedure lasted 15 minutes at Tattoo Charlie’s in Lexington, Cobb said. “I had to wait and get in line because there were so many people there,” Cobb said. “It was right before spring break, so all the college kids were getting fixed up for the beach.” Cobb waited about five days to start showing off the artwork. His wife, Fan, got the first glance before he moved on to his four children, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. “He’s different,” Fan said of her husband’s decision. “He likes to be prepared in every possible way.” “My father was in Boy Scouts,” Dan said. “It was a case of overkill. From the time I was 6, I was going to the camp and meetings. ‘Be prepared.’” Cobb still lives by that Boy Scouts’ motto 73 years later. Cobb would like other people his age to follow that same motto, especially when it comes to being ready for life-threatening medical emergencies. “They should take seriously their personal wishes to avoid putting their family where they have to make a stressful decision,” he said.