Comments on: Russell Fox on Terri Schiavo and consistent life

By: Caitriona

Caitriona — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 14:48:47 +0000

> Some don’t require you to “have it filed with your
> doctor” (which wouldn’t do much in a case where
> you are in a hospital other than the one
> affiliated with your doctor, anyway).

Although not all states require you have such documentation on file with your doctor, and not in all circumstances would you be in a hospital associated with your doctor, having it on file in your doctor’s office as well as with family members would show legally that what is in the document is indeed what you wished done. It would help to show forethought.

By: bmmg39

bmmg39 — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 14:42:02 +0000

My problem with this is people who say, “Well, I know I’D never want to go on living that way,” and then use that as their defense for pulling out her tube. It doesn’t matter what WE would do in that situation; we need proof (not assumptions) that SHE doesn’t wish to go on living, or else it CANNOT BE REFERRED TO AS A RIGHT-TO-DIE case, since we wouldn’t know for sure if she wants the right to die…

By: mythago

mythago — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 04:19:01 +0000

It depends on your state. Every state’s rules are different. Some require a notary, some require witnesses. Some don’t require you to “have it filed with your doctor” (which wouldn’t do much in a case where you are in a hospital other than the one affiliated with your doctor, anyway).

I wish they gave me a cut for recommending them, but they don’t: Nolo Press (www.nolo.com) has excellent books and free resources for this kind of thing.

There’s all kinds of paperwork–wills, guardianships, medical directives–that we all should have, and too many don’t. The results are as predictable as they are heartbreaking.

By: Caitriona

Caitriona — Mon, 21 Mar 2005 23:18:29 +0000

The one positive thing to come from this is that, according to reports I heard on the radio this weekend, more people are realizing the need to write a living will so that there is documentation of how they want issues such as this handled. It’s not enough any more to just tell your family and friends. You have to have it written, notarized, and filed with your doctor(s).