As most people know, a Will tells those you left behind who gets what – of your stuff. A Living Will is completely differnet, or different. Thanks spellchecker.
A Living Will is the document that speaks for you when you are incapacitated, telling loved ones and medical personnel what you would and would not like done to and for you. On hospital TV dramas, there is always hoopla around someone having a “DNR” – a Do Not Resuscitate order. The DNR is in the Living Will.
Personally, I don’t want to be trapped in my body. I don’t want to think of the next day’s post overnight, then blink it out like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly guy. My greatest fear is that I will be locked in my body, unable to communicate, and somebody turns on an I Love Lucy marathon on my TV. Oh, kill me. Seriously, pull the plug! “Vitameatavegamin?” Oh sweet baby Jesus, take me now!!
I strongly suggest filling out a Living Will. I’ll go so far as to say that you are selfish and immature if you don’t fill one out. Think about it. This is YOUR life. If you haven’t signed something that says what you want to have happen to you, you are leaving your loved ones guessing. Because you didn’t have the guts to make the call for yourself, you are forcing your children to GUESS what you would have wanted – HOPING they made the right call, HOPING they don’t feel guilty for that call.
When my mom was incapacitated, someone brought up the idea of a feeding tube. The doctor wasn’t the only one who disagreed with this. Thankfully, my mom had a Living Will. She’d filled one out a few years earlier, clearly stating no extreme measures were to be taken – including “no feeding tube”.
At such an emotional time, the last thing a child of any age needs is to WONDER what you would have wanted. Step up. Fill one out.
You can find these forms on LegalZoom and Nolo. Here’s another good resource.
Photo: Doctor2008
