# Debunk this, Yellow Wrist Bands in CA **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2005, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214 "2005-05-03T11:34:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/1 "2005-05-03T11:34:34Z")
At the grocery store the other day, the young cashier (16-17?) said did I know what that wrist band stands for in California, pointing to my Livestrong bracelet. I said no, what? Her reply was that in CA, it means do not resuscitate. My BS-ometer started pegging when she then described a number of teenagers admitted to the hospital who died because of this. I have searched Snopes and found nothing. Anybody hear of this? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/2 "2005-05-03T12:18:36Z")
[Here’s one.](http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/2627/) Is Museum of [Hoaxes.com](http://Hoaxes.com) as reputable as Snopes? ---
**Author:** ![Kimchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Kimchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimchan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/3 "2005-05-03T12:26:15Z")
I think there was a problem in a few hospitals where their patient bracelets signifying “do not resuscitate” were similar to the Livestrong ones. But it’s not a state-wide thing. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/4 "2005-05-03T12:28:25Z")
[Here’s a link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=291793&highlight=Livestrong) to a previous thread about this topic. I am not doing this to be a prick; rather, a post made by **CynicalGabe** in that thread bears repeating. > [@CynicalGabe](#): > > I like to hope that people who spent 10+ years in college earning their medical degree could tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/5 "2005-05-03T13:47:12Z")
Well, hey, thanks all. I see that like all UL’s there’s some truth in there somewhere. And I’d have to agree with **CynicalGabe’s** sentiments. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/6 "2005-05-03T14:31:00Z")
> [@Cynical Gabe](#): > > I like to hope that people who spent 10+ years in college earning their medical degree could tell the difference. As a former doctors’ secretary, I can tell you that most doctors I’ve met can’t use a copier … but most of them _do_ know how to read. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/7 "2005-05-03T14:43:21Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > [Here’s a link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=291793&highlight=Livestrong) to a previous thread about this topic. I am not doing this to be a prick; rather, a post made by **CynicalGabe** in that thread bears repeating. That’s funny. Could you imagine: Doctor: “Send him to the morgue, he’s wearing a yellow wristband.” Nurse: “Don’t you want to read it first? It could mean something else.” Doctor: “No! Yellow wristband means DO! NOT! RESUSCITATE! Now, take him away!” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/8 "2005-05-03T16:47:30Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > As a former doctors’ secretary, I can tell you that most doctors I’ve met can’t use a copier … but most of them _do_ know how to read. Lucky you. Troy McClure SF, employee health secretary :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/9 "2005-05-03T16:56:49Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > Lucky you. Well, they _can_ read, but it doesn’t mean they do. 😛 Lawyers, on the other hand, can’t find their own asses with both hands and a flashlight. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-yellow-wrist-bands-in-ca/302214/10 "2005-05-03T18:47:22Z")
But, if they’re using both hands, what do they use to hold the flashlight? And if it’s what I think, wouldn’t that indicate they’d \*found \* said orifice? Somebody break out the hand puppets, I need a visual over here!