Are Your End-of-Life Wishes Clear?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 5, 2005

Yes they are, and i've gone over them with family.

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Apr 5, 2005

They certainlly are, Brian. I know how important that is. My oldest daughter is my power of attorney, and both she and my other daughter have a copy of my living will, my doctor has one in my file, and I keep the originals at home.

I have also planned my funeral, and am now paying for it on a monthly payment plan. I don't want my family to be burdened with any decisions after I die. They have enough with their own families.

I did that when I had the PE last April, 2001. I was the picture of death then, and it scared my family to pieces. Especially my grandson and my oldest daughter.

I am also a card carrying (not just on my drivers license) registered organ donor. Even if I should die at home, I know a lot of my skin and my corneas can be harvested.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Apr 5, 2005

3rd generation with a living will and durable power of attorney along with personal will.

In 1981, my grandfather was hospitalized with Lung CA and mets to the brain. Gentleman in next bed was restrained with NG tube beedings. Much questions asked by my family and answered by his wise physician and myself. Brother and I chose family cemetary plot too as we wanted a tree shading our spot in the summer.

19yo clearly told us his wishes last week. Guess it's time to get them in writing. All of us have organ donation on drivers license and I even had my nursing friends witness my organ donation card.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Apr 5, 2005

Yep - living will, organ donor card, have told my spouse and family exactly what i want and do not want. Picked my favorite Jimmy Buffet song for when they throw my ashes into the ocean...BUT...I am not ready yet!

prmenrs, RN · Apr 5, 2005

Saw a cartoon a couple of weeks ago, couple sitting reading the paper, one says to the other, "Honey, if I'm in a vegatative state w/a feeding tube, I want Congress to decide whether I live or die!"

I know, not THAT funny, but I laughed.

allnurses Guide · Apr 5, 2005

Can you believe it??!!? No.

Nothing legal anyway. I do have a donor card.

steph

Jamesdotter · Apr 5, 2005

DH and I each have an "advanced directive" on file at our HMO that we filled out several years ago. Recent events make me think that I should review it and make any suitable changes. No Living Will, though.

Blackcat99 · Apr 5, 2005

Yes I have all of my end of life wishes clear for everyone. I have made copies of these legal papers and have sent them to family and friends so everyone will know exactly what my wishes are. I am sleeping better at night too knowing that I have these legal papers in place. :)

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 5, 2005

My WHOLE family knows how I feel and what I wish. I only hope after I am dead, my wishes are honored to harvest what organs that can be used and cremate the rest. NO living on vents/tubes and NO heroics when it is clear I have no real shot at meaningful life. I thought of all this LONG before the Shiavo case came about. We in this country are in HUGE denial about issues of death and dying. If anything good can come about Terri's case, I hope it's coming out of this sad denial and fear of death and dying.

CHATSDALE · Apr 5, 2005

no i don't have a living will etc but my intentions are good...i was so frustrated over the terry s case i told my children that if they left me in that condition when i did die i would come back and haunt them

i don't want to live if i can't enjoy the sun and the wind...like i said i have told everybody but i haven't put it in writing yet...i have looked on line but couldn't down load anything

hope i don't die while procrastinating

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 5, 2005

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but NO---the advanced-directive papers I got when I was in the hospital two months ago are still sitting on my desk. :stone

Maybe it's because I'm having trouble making up my mind. When I was only 37, I put it in writing at my MD's office that I was to be DNR shortly after I participated in my first code. I'd decided on the spot that I didn't want to be 'saved' only to wind up with more problems than I'd started with. Then, when I had the chest pains that landed me in the hospital, it suddenly seemed a lot more important to try to hang on, so I allowed myself to be changed to full-code status.

Now, my family knows (in theory, anyway) that I really only want CPR if I have a witnessed arrest---don't be doing ANYTHING if you don't know how long I've been down---and in any case I want NO long-term intubation/IV fluids/tube feedings/antibiotics etc. I've seen too many people in that situation, and I don't wanna play! But then, I also don't want my DH making that decision.........I know he'd have a hard time letting me go, and I'd much rather have a cooler head, like my sister's or my oldest daughter's, prevail under those circumstances.

Of course, neither of them wants this responsibility---my sister simply says, "No, you'll just have to stay healthy and wait until I'M gone before you even THINK about dying" and my daughter goes, "Mom, you're not going anywhere---I don't even want to talk about this". :stone

~sigh~