The Homa Files

Good insight from Charles Krauthammer:

“My own living will, which I have always considered more a literary than legal document, basically says: “I’ve had some good innings, thank you. If I have anything so much as a hangnail, pull the plug.”

I’ve never taken it terribly seriously because unless I’m comatose or demented, they’re going to ask me at the time whether or not I want to be resuscitated if I go into cardiac arrest. The paper I signed years ago will mean nothing.

And if I’m totally out of it, my family will decide, with little or no reference to my living will.

Except for the demented orphan, the living will is quite beside the point.

The one time it really is essential is if you think your fractious family will be only too happy to hasten your demise to get your money.

That’s what the law is good at — protecting you from murder and theft.

But that is a far cry from assuring a peaceful and willed death

Excerpted from: The Truth About Death Counseling, August 21, 2009
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/08/21/lets_be_honest_about_death_counseling_97982.html

* * * * *

This entry was posted on August 27, 2009 at 7:50 am and is filed under Health Care / Medical Insurance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.