I would have to know far more about the particular circumstances of your mother's death to address your comment properly.
My assertion still stands. In many cases, a living will is virtually useless in determining the proper course of medical treatment. The reason for that is that most living wills cannot possibly anticipate all of the specifics involved in a particular case. A DNR request (do not resuscitate)--is the perfect example. My understanding is that most living wills avoid stipulating specifics for that very reason.
Cardio pulmonary. A number of cardiac arrests over many years, and then illness that lasted for months until she died.
My assertion still stands. In many cases, a living will is virtually useless in determining the proper course of medical treatment. The reason for that is that most living wills cannot possibly anticipate all of the specifics involved in a particular case. A DNR request (do not resuscitate)--is the perfect example. My understanding is that most living wills avoid stipulating specifics for that very reason.
She didn't use it to determine the proper course of medical treatment; her doctors did that. She only used it to make sure she wasn't being kept "alive" unnecessarily. She filled out the forms after asking her physician questions...but she was a smart woman who had been married to a surgeon, too.
Also, I think Living Wills vary. As I said, hers was fairly specific. Strela could probably elaborate on this more than I could since she has one.
You are of course, absolutely correct. Nine years in the ED taught me this better than anything else.