I believe that life is sacred. We should enjoy and celebrate every moment we have on this Earth. However, when that life is nothing but a shell ... when our quality of life is non-existant ... I believe we have the right to make our own end-of-life decisions without the intrusions of politicians.
If this tragic situation with Terri Schiavo teaches us nothing else, it should teach us to communicate our wishes with our family members, friends, and physicians. Each one of us has the right to decide whether we want doctors to take extreme measures in case of an accident or illness.
There is nothing wrong with whatever you decide. If you would choose to stay on a feeding tube in the hope that a miracle cure would be discovered, that's your right. However, it's also your right to refuse those type of death-delaying procedures. In the end, no one, including our government, should take those decisions away from you.
There are various ways to get a living will. Naturally, lawyers will prepare one for a fee, however, many hospitals will help you prepare a living will for free and you can also find free sample forms online.
Some states require a state-specific declaration ... and you can download a sample Illinois Living Will right here that you can fill out and print off for your own use.
So, get a living will, fill it out, and share the information with your parents, siblings, and anyone who has an emotional stake in your well being. Give your spouse the gift of peace of mind. A living will ensures that if anything happens to you, your family already knows your wishes ... and your spouse will never have to go through what Michael Schiavo's going through.
Don't you forget
Caught in the crowd
It never ends
Talk Talk - It's My Life
No comments:
Post a Comment