A Will to Live by
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It’s never too early to make a living will. Have you started one? [Breaking news- The Georgia State Bar has made available a free sample medical directive for your use. E-mail us for a free copy.]
It could happen at any time. Walk across the street and get hit by a truck. Hop into your car and encounter a drunk driver. Suffer a sudden, acute illness and find yourself hospitalized. Any of these could end your life. Or, they could leave you mentally or physically incapacitated. If it happened to you, would you be ready? Would you have your affairs in order so your doctor and family would know what your health care wishes are? If not, perhaps it’s time to consider some sort of advance directive so you can control your own health care even if you can no longer express your wishes. Contrary to what you might think, living wills and other advance health care directives aren’t only for the elderly. Disaster can hit anyone at any age. The time to make your health care decisions for the future is now — while you can. Not only will you assure yourself that your health care wishes will be followed, you will take some of the burden off family members who might be left to make those health care decisions for you. A will to live by A living will is a legal document in which you direct your physician regarding the withdrawal of life support if you become ill and have a terminal condition, are in an irreversible coma or a persistent vegetative state. All states recognize the legality of a living will, though you should check your state for the particulars. In a living will, you can specify exactly what your doctor is to do if you, in his or her opinion, cannot recover from your illness or accident and are no longer capable of making your own decisions. At the very least, your living will should address what your physician is to do about:
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