The presumption seems to be that the patient will want to die instead of living. This is the result of a cultural shift more than anything else. So when a patient says otherwise, he is seen as being irrational.
Twenty years ago, it would have been just the opposite. It was the patient who wanted to die who was seen as being depressed and suicidal. The presumption was that everybody wanted to live.
Just another by-product of the culture of death. Frankly, at this rate, twenty years from now living wills will be obsolete. Incapacitated patients will just be routinely put down, like horses with broken legs. If you don't want that happening to you, I suggest you make your wishes known to all members of your family and write unequivocal letters to each, stating your desires. If you're really lucky, maybe one of them will do the right thing and respect your wishes.
The biggest problem that I have with Living Wills is that they are not revokable when you most need them so. Once you pass the power of your life or death into anothers hands you have given up all rights.
Most of his family did the right thing. All it took was one to do the wrong, and now he's dead.
This man did make his wishes known, and his wife of many years said, No, my dear, you are out of here. She is the one who went against his wishes. The doctor went along with the wife (for $$$ reasons???). The only way to get your wishes performed is to do all that you can to avoid the medical system. If you can't do that, then you are essentially screwed unless your immediate family and doc all agree on what should be done. Even then, you have nurses and others on staff who are death angels.