http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-11-20/explore-final-moments-dying-man-who-chose-end-his-own-life
Questions to guide end of life conversations:
- http://associationdatabase.com/aws/MCA/asset_manager/get_file/73442/conversations_revision_jan_2014.pdf
- http://www.dyingwell.org/faq.htm
- http://theconversationproject.org/
- National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
- http://www.nhpco.org/advance-care-planning
- http://www.nhpco.org/resources/end-life-care--resources
State of Ohio packet of information --and a series of questions -- about end of life
http://associationdatabase.com/aws/MCA/asset_manager/get_file/73442/conversations_revision_jan_2014.pdf
Commonwealth of Kentucky Living Will packet
http://ag.ky.gov/civil/consumerprotection/livingwills/Documents/livingwillpacket.pdf
State of Illinois Living Will template
http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/books/Livin.PDF
Watching the story of the man with Colon and lung cancer made me cry but it was not of a sadness but of a joy. I have been against the idea of assisted suicide my entire life thinking that God will take you to heaven when he is ready and it is not our place to make that decision. Hearing his story has given me a new perspective on how I view assisted suicide through the eyes of a person who is actively dying. This man realized his suffering was no longer tolerable and it must of been so hard to make the decision to end his own life. We don't know how easy or hard it may be when placed in that situation. I can not imagine living in constant pain and having the will to live that way. I believe is his case he made the correct decision and I would of supported him as his wife did.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Heidi. Upon first hearing about PAS, I was completely against it having a religious viewpoint like you. However, this story was extremely powerful. It must have been so difficult living in such pain and making that difficult decision to die. It's nice being reminded that sometimes there are circumstances that you may never have thought of which can entirely change your viewpoint about something.
DeleteAll of these links support an important message that has been conveyed throughout the semester: We need to have our end of life in order. When things unexpectedly come crashing down, having a clear vision of what you want to happen takes away great stress from family members. It adds clarity and calmness to a situation that is already hectic enough as it is. Having your ducks in a row in regards to end of life is one of the most important acts the take care of.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zak. Death is not something people want to talk about unless they have to, and usually when it is necessary, it is too late to make important decisions. It is vital that people have end of life talks to prevent chaos in a situation where the wants of a person are not known. I never realized the importance of this until this class, but I initiated the conversation with my mom and we both understand each other's wants in an end of life situation.
Deletei also agree, no one eve wants to discuss death or what to do if something bad were to happen. if anyone ever brings it up, most people say brush it off. but look what happens if you don't talk about it. like zak said, we have been discussing this since day one. you need to get your life in order. don't put your family through hell at the end just because its an uncomfortable 10 minute conversation.
DeleteWhen looking through all of these links it really show's the stress and toll it can take on a family to worry about a person's last will after they have already passed and can no longer make clear what they desire. It is important to have your desires planned out in case of emergency or sudden event to help with the stress put on your family.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it demonstrates that not being planned makes it incredibly stressful on the family members, but what age should we make plans? Should we all discuss it when we turn 18 or is that age too young?
DeleteSince talking about death, is such taboo topic. Not many families get the chance to discuss with their loved ones about final wishes. Society needs to start having these conversations, so it not a burden to figure out what the other person wishes are when they can no longer speak for themselves.
DeleteI thought it was interesting that they make a point that your 2 witnesses for your will in Kentucky can not be a blood relative or your physician. I can kind of see the reason that a blood relative can not be a witness to make sure they are not taking advantage of the situation, but what does the physician have to gain from their will?
ReplyDeletei thought the exact same thing. i thought that was a rather odd statement.
DeleteConversations that light the way. I think that the packet is good idea to have to, because it sets up scenarios to help you decide what you would want. Although it could be overwhelming, because you are thinking about death and what you would want to happen.This is something that should take time and you should not be rushed into.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm being honest, thinking about death still isn't something I like to do. Seeing these links and knowing that they contain the information on how to prepare for end of life makes me not want to open them. It really places a lot of stress on families when the time comes. However, I believe that thinking about it prematurely can cause stress too. No matter when end of life situations and preparations are thought about or made, it is going to be a stressful time. We don't go through life thinking about our parent's will for when they die, but when we actually have to create a will and discuss everything, it's a brief period of time where we have to come to terms with reality and no one wants to do that.
ReplyDelete