Terri Schiavo's Gift

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Terri Schiavo's Gift By Vicki Rackner MD

Terri Schiavo and her family have given us a gift. They

remind us that planning for your death is your final act of

love.

For the past few weeks, we have witnessed painful lessons we

would prefer to ignore. Death is a part of life. Tragic

medical events befall even young people, often at unexpected

times. And difficult decisions accompany the final days of

life.

When you enter the medical system, your job as a patient is

to make choices. The process, called informed consent,

involves weighing the risks and benefits of one intervention

and comparing it with alternatives. While these are called

medical choices, they are really personal choices,

reflecting your values, preferences and spiritual beliefs.

That’s why, according to US law, medical ethics and common

decency, you as the patient are the one who chooses.

You always have the option of choosing no treatment at all.

Our law states that a competent adult has the right to

refuse treatment even if it means that he or she will die

without it.

One day you may not be in a position to make choices for

yourself. The medical and legal systems have provided

mechanisms to guide the decisions you would make for

yourself - if you could.

This is a good time to complete and sign two important legal

documents: your *advanced directive,* sometimes called a

*living will,* and a durable power-of-attorney. The advanced

directive outlines your wishes for medical treatment. Give

your doctor a copy and take it with you should you enter the

hospital. Let your family know where this document is. You

can also assign a durable power- of- attorney form that

identifies the person who will make the choices for you, if

you become unable to make them yourself.

The papers summarize important conversations you need to

have with your doctor and with those you love. Give those

who will make choices as clear a roadmap as possible.

You will be asked to make choices for others you love, like

your parents. This is a good time to approach them with this

delicate conversation. Say, *Mom and Dad, I’m so happy that

you’re in good health. It’s painful to even consider your

final days. I love you and want to make sure your wishes are

honored, even if you can’t state them yourself. If you

cannot speak for yourself, who would you like to speak for

you? What would you want if you were in Terri Schiavo’s

condition?*

If you find yourself in a position of making choices for

someone you love, remember this. Your job is not to make the

choice you think is best. Your job is to make the choice you

think your loved one would make for himself or herself.

You can honor Terri Schiavo’s life and legacy by planning

for your own death. Hopefully you will die in peace and

comfort, surrounded by those you love. By communicating your

end-of-life wishes in advance, you offer a gift to those you

leave behind. And in deciding how to die, may you get a

renewed vision of how you want to live.

Get the tools to live a healthier live and bounce back from

illness more quickly in Dr. Vicki's teleclass series " The

Healthy Way to be Sick. " For more information visit:

http://www.medicalbridges.com/registration.html

Copyright © 2005 Vicki Rackner, MD. All rights reserved.

Vicki Rackner, MD, president of Medical Bridges, is a board-

certified surgeon who left the operating room to help

employees become active participants in their health care.

She is a consultant, speaker and author of the *Personal

Health Journal*,and author/editor of *Chicken Soup for the

Healthy Heart Soul*. Dr. Rackner can be reached at

http://www.MedicalBridges.com or (425) 451-3777.

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