Group warns against living wills

World Net Daily ^ | April 1, 2005 | staff

[dixiechick2000]

LOL!

From one optimist to another...

I hope it's a hoax, too. ;o)

[Salamander]

Oh good.
I thought I was only one sitting around with my fingers crossed....;))

[MindBender26]

Whoa, try the decaf...

Would you prefer to live in intractable pain?

Would God want you to?

[backhoe]

I always thought that the purpose of a Living Will was to make your wishes clear to your family, and thus relieve them of the burden of having to make, and live with, choices on your behalf. In other words, it is a kindness to the family of the person who is ill. It also defuses potential family squabbles about what Dad would have really wanted. I never considered a Living Will to be legally enforceable, only a method of instructing your LOVING family. I emphasize "loving" because, of course, if your family doesn't give two hoots about your wishes, then it doesn't matter anyway.

I think you have the right of it.

Moreover, there is no substitute for having a spouse who knows what you want and is willing to fight for it. Failing that, a child, then someone else down your line of blood relatives.

Until the Terri affair came up, my wife of 20 years and I saw exactly eye-to-eye on this subject-- we both belonged to the "try to save me if it looks like I could come back and enjoy life-- otherwise, let me go" school of thought.

Now, I haven't changed, but she wants to "live, regardless." And that is fine by me-- knowing this new information, I'm perfectly willing to fight like a tiger to keep her going.

[John Lenin]

I agree, I was trying to think how to word my living will and the last thing you want to do is give some judge the ammo to take your life before your time might be up.

[libstripper]

As a lawyer, I hate to appear to be advertising for my profession, but here it goes. After Terri Schiavo's judicial murder, it's vital that just about all of us have a living will, or similar document, to keep the same thing from happening to ourselves. As noted in the article, a standard form document may enable one's care givers to starve and dehydrate one to death. Thus, it is highly advisable to have a living will, or equivalent document, and to sit down with a lawyer and CAREFULLY DISCUSS EVERY CLAUSE AND THE MEANING THEREOF, REVISING EACH TO DEAL WITH YOUR OWN SITUATION.

[Dog Gone]

I don't know if it requires a lawyer or not. It's not a terribly complex instrument. I'm a lawyer, also, and I think a good percentage of people are savvy enough to understand what the provisions mean without professional legal help.

However, it's an important enough document and decision that, if there's any uncertainty, obtaining legal advice would be money well spent.