living will & advanced directives

Friends, I generally don't write so directly - mostly because I write for myself - but in this case I'm writing to you who read this blog frequently and in-frequently because this topic is something that is important and equally urgent. I'll get right to the point - if you don't have a living will or have not taken the time to communicate in some way, shape, or form your desires for your future medical care in the event you are unable to make your own decisions - you need to get a living will and make advanced directives for health care today. That's how important this is. If you are married [and have children] you needed to get a living will yesterday. My wife and I are in our early 30's and have living wills in the event either or both of us are tragically killed. It makes no difference if you are 30, 60, or 92 - you need to get a living will and you need to [at the very least] communicate with a loved one what to do in the unfortunate event you are incapacitated in such a way that you require sustained life support or the like. I hope I'm not coming on too strongly here. So where is all this emotion coming from?

I have had the privilege to serve as a chaplain at a local hospital over the last year. Yesterday was a difficult day for me at the hospital as I met with a family and their physicians to determine the future care of their loved one who could not speak for himself nor did he have a living will or advanced directives. When a patient has not expressed his/her desires, the difficult desicions concerning their care rests upon next of kin [or whoever has the power of attorney]. The family needed spiritual guidance on this issue because they wanted to make the best decision for their loved one. These decisions are the most difficult decisions surviving loved ones have to make, so please do yourself and your loved ones a great service and get a living will and make your desires for medical attention known to someone - your spouse, a family member, a confidant, someone you trust with your life.

Bottom line: If you don't have a living will - get one. It's worth the cost [not only to you financially but to those around you who won't have to make the difficult decisions].

Second bottom line: By getting a living will and advanced directives, you will relieve the burden of guilt that your loved ones will feel if they have to make the decisions in your place.

Peace.