This diary is for people who feel strongly about not ending up in the tragic position Mrs. Schiavo finds herself in. Please excuse me, this is my first diary and I still haven't mastered HTML but I feel strongly about this issue....
I have been reading the breathless updates by CNN.Com on the latest machinations to "keep Terri alive". I wanted to let you guys know that this all could have been avoided if she had signed a living will. I want you to be able to protect yourselves from becoming a pawn or a puppet in a similar situation. More on the flip.
My qualifications to discuss this are basic- I am a hospital-based physician who cares for critically ill people daily. I have had the tragic experience of being forced to place 90+ year old people on the respirator because they had not specifically clarified their wishes ahead of time. Once on the machine it is much harder legally to let someone go, even if they told everybody in their family their wishes...
Most Living Wills make your wishes known as to whether or not you would want to be kept alive artificially if in a terminal or "hopeless" condition, and many of them give specific permission to physicians to withdraw artificial nutrition or hydration in this case.
Be aware that some physicians will try not to honor a Living Will due to their own prejudices, often trying to come up with an excuse ("we can't be SURE this is terminal", etc).
PLEASE protect yourselves by signing a Living Will but also a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (a regular one for financial matters ISN'T enough).
LASTLY: Many older patients think that by signing a Living Will they are requesting not to be artificially resuscitated should their heart and lungs malfunction. A Living Will DOES NOT PROTECT YOU FROM BEING RESUSCITATED IN AN EMERGENCY. A separate "Do Not Resuscitate" form should also be filled out and signed. The State Of Ohio where I practice has a legally binding state form that guarantees your right to "die when it is your time".