I would like to thank all of those who took the time to respond to my
informal "end-of-life" survey. I received 39 replies and I thought that
the results and the comments were quite telling in their honesty and
grasp of the issues. Here are the questions and how you answered them:
1) Do you have a living will?
Yes: 17 No: 14
Done but not validated: 2
No, but family knows of their wishes: 5
Comments: "I have both a living (an advance directive) and a durable
power of medical attorney. They are different and the difference is
worth understanding-an advance directive spells out your wishes in
whatever detail you chose; you must convey this document to providers
(many hospitals now require them) and then hope they will be followed; a
durable power of attorney designates someone you trust who knows your
wishes to act with legal authority in your stead."
"No, but the reason that I don't is probably as much
denial as it is procrastination."
2) On a scale of 1-10 (10 being very important), how important do you
consider having a living will to be?
All 39 people responding said that it was 8-10 in importance
3) When do you consider to be the natural end of life?
Comments: "When cognitive activity ends"
"Brain dead"
"When I can no longer think, feel or sustain myself or
be an
asset to those whom I love."
"When one permanently loses the capacity to experience joy"
"When there is no reasonable or foreseeable recovery."
"There are worse things than death"
4) Would you like to be kept alive by artificial means?
A resounding NO from 37 For a short time to make sure 2
5) What is the government's role in this issue?
Comments: "Government's role is tricky. I would like to think that
my reasoning is consistent and unbiased but of course, it is not. I am
glad when the authorities step in and provide medical treatment for a
dying child who's parents' religion does not permit it; yet this same
governmental intrusion makes me uneasy."
"Absolutely none. Rather than being starved to
death, however, I would prefer a painless lethal injection-a courtesy
accorded to murders sentenced to death but currently not available to
the terminally ill or the brain dead."
"The only possible valid role for the government is
to act to protect the wishes of the patient. (I think that Jeb Bush is
practicing a cynical, inappropriate game of politics.)"
"Afford me and my closest family members the final
courtesy: to decide in private. Thanks but no thanks, Uncle Sam."
6) On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being very religious/spiritual), how
religious/spiritual do you consider yourself to be?
Comments: "I am very spiritual but not religious." -5
"I am unable to answer this question." -4
"I don't know." -5
"25" -1
"10" - 7
"5" -6
"1" -3
"0" -2
"other" -3
--
Joan E. Blessington Snyder 51/13
http://www.pwnkle.com/jes/jes_web/index.htm
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"Hang tough...........no way through it but to do it."
Chris-in-the-Morning (Northern Exposure)
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