[hummingbird]

The lesson to learn from the Schiavo mess is to have a durable medical power of attorney in place. Those who still don't have one after the events of last year, have learned nothing.

Yes and yes. I had minor outpatient surgery last week and while filling out the medical forms, the nurse asked me if I had a "Medical Power of Attorney" and a "Physicians Directive." I'm embarrassed to say that I only have a durable power of attorney. The nurse gave me copies of the two forms but at that point it was too late to do the paperwork. (They like to get you in and out quickly at daysurgery.)

The night before I went in for the surgery, I called my parents, siblings and a couple of friends and told them that should, God forbid, something go wrong, I did not want to be treated/murdered like Terri Schindler.

I also wrote a few things down and was tempted to take a black marker and write on my chest..."Do not let be done to me as it was done to Terri Schindler."

The need for daysurgery came up so quickly that I did not have "my ducks in a row." I'm getting those ducks lined up NOW!

[linda_22003]

I think hospitals in general are more aware of this issue these days. I had major, planned surgery more than a year before Schiavo became a cause celebre, and during a pre-op session a week before surgery, those of us who were having it on the same day were instructed about the medical power of attorney and urged to get one before the big event. Some people in the room looked startled, hearing about it for the first time. I was very glad we had done ours at the same time we did the rest of our estate planning, several years earlier.