Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (105019)	3/20/2005 9:22:02 AM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 793834

I believe our families will be relieved that we made those difficult but critical decisions for ourselves. I trust that your use of future tense is not meant to suggest that your families do not yet know about the documents and what they say about end of life. I have those three documents, as well. Everyone and his dog either has a copy or knows where to find one plus I have quite a written record regarding my wishes. You all are among my witnesses since one would only have to search SI to know that I consider the machinations over this case an abomination and I would come back and haunt anyone who had tried to keep me alive in Terri's circumstances. And that's saying something about my seriousness given that I don't believe in an afterlife... <ggg>

To: unclewest who wrote (105019)	3/20/2005 10:06:18 AM
From: haqihana	Respond to of 793834

unclewest, One thing must be made clear to the ones that will ultimately make the decisions. There are two kinds of Powers of Attorney, and both are needed. Some have had a durable power of attorney, but when a crisis came along, found out that they also needed a medical power of attorney in order to make any decisions in a life, or death, situation. That may differ from state to state, but it is absolutely true in Texas, unless the next of kins totally agree with the means to be taken.

To: unclewest who wrote (105019)	3/20/2005 1:35:08 PM
From: Ilaine	Respond to of 793834

The instructions as to what treatment to receive if the patient is in a terminal condition - called in Virginia an Advanced Medical Directive or an Advanced Health Care Directive - need only take a paragraph or so. And these may be in the same document as a Durable Health Care Power of Attorney in which persons are nominated to make health care decisions on behalf of a patient, which don't necessarily mean questions about people in terminal conditions. I am third alternate in a Durable Health Care Power of Attorney for my elderly client who is somewhat ga-ga, because he suffers from CRS (Can't Remember Shit) and can't keep track of his Medicare card, insurance card, appointments, medications, etc. When the other people are unavailable, I am the one who keeps track of this for him. They travel a lot, so I've done it twice, but he's far from in a terminal condition. If he had a wife or a close relative living nearby the hospitals typically don't require such documents, but they do when a non-relative is involved. So if you don't want your relatives calling the shots, remember this. This is what happens to gay people sometimes (and straight persons merely living with a lover) -- the live-in lover has no say and the estranged parents do. Pick someone who feels about life the same way you do. If you want the plug pulled and your spouse doesn't believe in this, or vice versa, pick someone else.