Posted on 04/02/2005 10:00:50 AM PST by Grampa Dave
Instead this is a subject that all of us need to address with our loved ones.
We need to let them know what our desires are and how to carry them out. If we have adult sons and daughters, they need to discuss this and get their wants/desires in writing like we need to do.
There are alternatives to living wills and hopefully someone will post them.
Please try to avoid flame wars and try to help each other here.
I will be off the board most of today and tomorrow. If I don't respond, I'm off the board/computer.
Please ping your lists.
Regardless of what side of the Terri mess we are on. We need to make our wishes/wants clear and documented for our loved ones. Don't leave them in the dark and yourself at the mercy of the courts.
Take the time to discuss what you want, spell it out, have it witnessed and maybe notarized. We did this when we set up our trust two years ago, and we will revisit those orders we set out and make some changes.
thanks for posting this.
I have a Living Will. Though I expect to be hale and healthy for at least another fifty years, the whole point of these things is "ya never f'n' know".
"Being prepared is EXACTLY what we should be doing....."
Absolutely! In private freepmails and emails and in person I have discussed how we all need to set down and discuss this and be prepared.
This article/oped by Suze is an excellent vehicle for us to do it.
The members of my family are being sent this article by Suze with one question, have you done this?
The way the courts work now, they'll take your carefully-crafted living will, stuff it down your throat and let you suffocate on it.
We have the trust, the agents and other documents. However, we may make some changes. We have a great lawyer, and she will be glad to do this at probably no costs as this is such a critical issue.
"No hope that you will emerge" = Brain death, in which case no one needs to be told what to do, since you will be dead.
We have a carefully crafted trust with a lawyer who specializes in this. So far she is batting 1,000 with her trusts.
Her and her peer's batting averages with the wills was appalling. This is why she doesn't do wills anymore.
Oh, that's different. Carry on, then.
Here's my problem: I guess I'm not sure myself what to have them do. In terri's case, they made a new law AFTER the fact that included feeding tube. So when (and if) she made a statement about machines keeping her alive, she couldn't have meant feeding tubes. Now what is I say ya, no heroics and I'm in there (afterwards) very much alive saying, "forget all that...dang it...I'm alive in here" OUCH Too late.
I did this before I went over to Baghdad....
the wife has done it now too, at my urging. Except that I doubt I would ever give up on her...
I guess my point is...Is that 100% accurate?
It will only help to talk to loved ones if they are, indeed, loved ones. If someone has married a person who is abusive, talking it over won't help. Putting it on paper might, if copies are left with the right people. Even then, a spouse's wishes might trump the paper.
I think that the real point should be what you would wish, and who you trust to make sure that happens - regardless of bickering over technical definitions of various mental/neurological states.
Choose the line you don't want to cross. Communicate that line. Get it in writing. Get the backup mentioned above. Avoid another pathetic circus. Period.
Good grief! I certainly hope not!! PBS does enough of that already!!!
Yuck!!!
Teresa Schiavo was not brain dead, and neither was anyone else who "woke up", since the correct definition excludes that possibility.
National Right to Life – What is a Will to Live and Why You Need to Sign One
Good for both of you.
Getting our younger relatives on both sides of the family to even discuss this is like trying herd mountain lions.
We have a lot nephews and nieces on both sides of the family both married and single. The married ones have from one child to four. None of them want to address this potential mess, and who should look after their kids if the ultimate horror happens.
When our sons were babies, we designated my wife's younger brother and his wife as guardians if we were killed, and they did the same.
yeah and since they dont want to face the mess, that is more the reason to get it done.
Think of the mess it will be should the most unfortunate of events happen....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.