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Thanks, Jpan - this was very interesting! Peggy <*]]>< ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan E. Snyder" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 3:47 PM Subject: End of Life Survey Results > 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 > <[log in to unmask]> > "Hang tough...........no way through it but to do it." > Chris-in-the-Morning (Northern Exposure) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn