A Living Will

[ProfessorM]

They finally took the tube out of that poor women in Florida. But now she has to starve to death.

news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&u=/ap/20050318/ap_on_re_us/brain_damaged_woman&printer=1

Society is screwed up sometimes. It's considered immoral by society to euthanize someone, but it's completely alright to let them starve. Make sure that this does not happen to you or any of your friends or family members. Make sure that you and each of your family members has a Living Will:

www.uslivingwillregistry.com/register.shtm
www.uslivingwillregistry.com/forms.shtm

www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=prob&group=04001-05000&file=4700-4701


I just found out that it is not enought to just have a living will. You need to make copies of it and give them to family members or friends. Make sure they know where the original is and that they have the ability to get it in a hurry if need be. For me, I think that I will leave it up to a couple of good friends. I don't think that my family would be able to make the decision that I would want if it came down to that.

[ProfessorM]

That poor woman....
www.sptimes.com/2005/03/20/Tampabay/Schiavo___Come_down__.shtml


The Daily Show
homepage.mac.com/onegoodmove/movies/ds032105schiavo.html

NPR interviewed the physician that the courts had appointed to determine if she was, indeed, in a "vegetative state". He testified that she was. This conclusion has since been independently verified by other doctors. There was also mention that the husband was at the clinic and at her side far more often than her loving parents. Any attempt to denigrate this man's character because he's trying to see her expressed desire to not be artificially sustained carried out show's a ruthless lack of respect and decency. The extent of the damage to her brain makes it highly unlikely that she is able to experience either thirst or hunger. She is as totally unaware that she's not being fed as she is that she's being heartlessly used for political ends.

[ProfessorM]

There are actually threee important documents that everyone should have:

Make sure to file a:
1. Living Will - A document that sets out guidelines for dealing with life-sustaining medical procedures in the eventuality of the signatory's sudden debilitation. Living wills would, for example, inform medical staff not to provide extraordinary life-preserving procedures on their bodies if they are incapable of expressing themselves and suffering from an incurable and terminal condition. www.uslivingwillregistry.com/register.shtm

2. Medical Power of Attorney - allows you to assign a person to make any and all medical decisions on your behalf in the evet that you become unable to make those decisions.
www.finance.cch.com/tools/poaforms_m.asp

3. Pre-need funeral directives - allow you to make, and even pay for, your decisions about the disposition of your body, whether you are to buried or cremated, where you are to be buried, where your ashes are to be buried or scattered, etc.

(I'm still looking for an easy method for this one.)


And make your wishes known and designating your partner/family member/friend as the one able to act on your behalf. Make sure that copies of these documents are easily available to these people.

[ProfessorM]

Schiavo Case Highlights Poor Care for Dying in US
story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=594&e=1&u=/nm/20050323/hl_nm/rights_schiavo_care_dc


Parents File New Federal Appeal in Schiavo Case
story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=1&u=/nm/20050323/pl_nm/rights_schiavo_dc


Memo, Obtained by ABC News, Was Circulated Among Senate Republicans. This memo proves the intent of the GOP. Mrs. Schiavo is being used as a pawn to kowtow the religious evangelicals.

abcnews.go.com/Politics/Schiavo/story?id=600937

[ProfessorM]

Here is another interesting story about Living Wills:

3 all-too-common flaws of living wills


Terri Schiavo didn't have a living will to ensure her end-of-life wishes were followed. But it might not have helped. Here's how to make sure your living will does.

moneycentral.msn.com/content/Retirementandwills/Planyourestate/P97069.asp