Schiavo Lessons Learned - Protect Yourself TODAY
From: Dr. Jai Maharaj (usenet_at_mantra.com)
Date: 03/25/05
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Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 20:43:44 GMT
Schiavo Lessons Learned - Protect Yourself TODAY
By Jason Smith
Generation Why?
Thursday, March 24, 2005
If there is anything positive that can result from the
avalanche of media attention on the case of Terri
Schiavo, perhaps it's that more people will become
educated on the importance of Advanced Directives.
There are several types of Advanced Directives that can
be constructed.
Living Will
A living will only comes into effect when you are
terminally ill. Being terminally ill generally means that
you have less than six months to live. In a living will,
you can describe the kind of treatment you want in
certain situations. A living will doesn't let you select
someone to make decisions for you. Durable Power of
Attorney for Healthcare
A durable power of attorney (DPA) for health care is
another kind of advance directive. A DPA states whom you
have chosen to make health care decisions for you. It
becomes active any time you are unconscious or unable to
make medical decisions. A DPA is generally more useful
than a living will. But a DPA may not be a good choice if
you don't have another person you trust to make these
decisions for you. Living wills and DPAs are legal in
most states. Even if they aren't officially recognized by
the law in your state, they can still guide your loved
ones and doctor if you are unable to make decisions about
your medical care. Ask your doctor, lawyer or state
representative about the law in your state.
Do Not Resuscitate Order
A do not resuscitate (DNR) order is another kind of
Advance Directive. A DNR is a request not to have
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops
or if you stop breathing. (Unless given other
instructions, hospital staff will try to help all
patients whose heart has stopped or who have stopped
breathing.) You can use an Advance Directive form or tell
your doctor that you don't want to be resuscitated. In
this case, a DNR order is put in your medical chart by
your doctor. DNR orders are accepted by doctors and
hospitals in all states. While most Advance Directives
are written by older or critically ill people (ie.
someone with terminal cancer might write that he does not
want to be put on a respirator if he stops breathing),
you might still want to consider writing an advance
directive if you're young and in good health (Terri
Schiavo was 26). An accident or serious illness can
happen suddenly, and if you already have a signed advance
directive, your wishes are more likely to be followed.
Advance directives do not have to be complicated legal
documents. They can be short, simple statements about
what you want done or not done if you can't speak for
yourself. Remember, anything you write by yourself or
with a computer software package should follow your state
laws (here's a list of forms by state).
http://www.uslivingwillregistry.com/forms.shtm
You may also want to have what you have written reviewed
by your doctor or a lawyer to make sure your directives
are understood exactly as you intended. When you are
satisfied with your directives, the orders should be
notarized if possible, and copies should be given to your
family and your doctor.
Let's make a difference. Once you've completed your
Advance Directive, go to Generation Why?
http://texasrainmaker.blogspot.com/2005/03/lessons-learned-who-will-speak-for-you.html
and leave a comment telling others just how easy it was
and together we can make sure that others don't have to
go through what Terri Schiavo and her family are going
through.
http://texasrainmaker.blogspot.com/2005/03/lessons-learned-who-will-speak-for-you.html
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Posted on 3/25/2005 11:26:08 AM PST by TexasRainmaker
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-To: TexasRainmaker
My husband and I have discusses this. Due to the Terri
case, he is concerned that a doc will tell him I have no
chance of recover, and be LYING. He feels he would have
to fight for my life no matter what, because he wouldn't
trust the doctors.
SO many different doctors have said so many different
things about Terri.
Posted on 3/25/2005 11:33:05 AM PST by housewife101
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-To: TexasRainmaker
National Right to Life has Advance Directives available
by state to download for free. Forget Living Wills. There
was an earlier article that has made me believe these are
designs of the death cult.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1370458/posts?page=1
Posted on 3/25/2005 11:38:34 AM PST by PistolPaknMama
(Will work for cool tag line.)
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-To: housewife101
You mean, you're concerned that the doctor would
intentionally misdiagnose? What's his motivation?
Posted on 3/25/2005 11:40:34 AM PST by billybudd
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-To: billybudd
The misdiagnosis can come from a personal philospophy of
what kind of life is worth living, or from a triage-like
consideration that others are waiting for an empty bed.
It is hard to keep philosophical and economic
considerations from a medical diagnosis in extremis.
Just for the record, if I were in Terri's condition, I
would like to be fed and given water.
Posted on 3/25/2005 11:54:13 AM PST by Marylander
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-To: PistolPaknMama
You're right about living wills. Do you know how much
legal weight the Right To Life Directive might have. The
options listed in the article all seem to have down
sides. I wonder if just a straightforward power of
attorney would carry more weight. I'm not even sure
someone can have your power of attorney unless you're
deemed incompetent.
I really wish there was a way to guarantee your
protection.
Posted on 3/25/2005 12:07:05 PM PST by isrul
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End of forwarded messages
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
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