In business- if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. But, when you are dealing with your personal life, if you fail to plan, other people get to make your decisions.
If you are alive and become ill, then it could be absolutely terrible. If you are no longer alive, then your heirs may recall things with more than a bitter taste in their mouths. Consider them, prepare your choices, and act- now, before it’s too late.
Living Wills or Advanced Medical Directives (they are the same thing) were first created in the 1960’s, but the Quinlan case (the one where the woman lasted in a vegetative state [almost] forever) drove the matter home for a lot of us folks. OK. Maybe not lots of us- only about a quarter of us.
If that case didn’t help you decide on a living will, then consider the fact that technology is changing. Which makes it difficult for our health care agents- or our loved ones (hopefully, one and the same)- to know what it means when we say “pull the plug if we can’t have a meaningful quality of life”. We each have different definitions of what a meaningful quality of life entails. There really is no universal definition of that concept upon which someone can rely. Thererfore, we must spell out which cognitive [and physical] decline(s) we can and will accept.
A good way to firm up our choices is to examine the “Five Wishes” concept. This program is not free- but it’s well worth the nominal fee ($5) that it costs to complete the questionnaire. The first two sections are actually legal documents (who shall serve as the healthcare agent, and what kinds of medical treatments we consider to be acceptable). The other sections of the program address the comfort of care desired, where we will be treated and who/how does so, and the final wishes for one’s loved ones. (Yes,this becomes far more than an advanced medical directive.)
Of course, you can provide your designated health care agent with pretty simple instructions- “if you doubt, don’t treat me” is about as simple as it gets. But, I still vote for the actual advanced medical directive- that written document [here is that link mentioned above] works in every state.
Tomorrow, we will discuss Last Wills and Testaments (aka, wills). To divide up what little (or, for the precious few, how much) we’ve accumulated over the years. And, to ensure that our bills are settled, without leaving any messes for our loved ones when we are gone.
In New York there is a document called a MOLST, which my mother in law’s children had to fill out. My mother in law ‘s judgment, by then, was impaired and the children had to take educated guesses as to what her wishes would have been. It was a painful process. Please, please, discuss this with those you love. We are in the process of doing this.
That’s the “Maryland” or “Medical” Order For Life Sustaining Treatment. Similar to the more complete AMD, and a good document to consider. It really is meant for those who are on the death spiral- or slow death spiral; the last two years of life. The AMD process includes what happens after an acute experience that can lead to one’s death, as well.
Glad to see you are proceeding through the process, Alana.
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Thank you!