arlington
tue 22-mar-05

If I am terminally ill, I direct that:
• the artificial administration of food and water be withheld.
• all comfort care be provided, even if it would also have the effect of prolonging my life.
• all additional life-prolonging procedures be withheld, including: blood and blood products, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), diagnostic tests, dialysis, drugs, respirator and surgery.

If I am permanently unconscious, I direct that:
• the artificial administration of food and water be withheld.
• all comfort care be provided, even if it would also have the effect of prolonging my life.
• all additional life-prolonging procedures be withheld, including: blood and blood products, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), diagnostic tests, dialysis, drugs, respirator and surgery.

In lay terms - Bring on the morphine. Game Over. And, if I end up with dementia and can not remember to take my blood pressure pills - that is OK. If I don't know who is president, what day it is and where I am - then it is time to leave.

My brother and I faced these issues with our parents. It wasn't fun. I imagine it is even less fun if you are the patient and still have control of things enough so you are making the decisions. Our father had to say "Yes, remove the respirator and bring on the morphine." Of course, if you knew our Dad - the idea of over dosing on morphine wasn't all bad. But, he might have enjoyed heroin more.

I used to think that by now - the boomers would be looking seriously at end of life issues and we could be moving towards assisted suicide. But, sadly, we have been captured by the religious zealots.