after all this terry schiavo bullshit, we just filled out living wills

[mimitabby]

we had dinner with friends last night and one (the one that watches
fox news) told us she wanted to be kept alive forever and ever
because she "believes in miracles"
her sister (my friend) was stunned. now SHE knows that she doesn't want the miracle believer in charge of HER body in case something happens
to her and she's brain dead.

SO this morning husband and I downloaded forms from this
website
http://www.doyourownwill.com/flw.asp
which are state-specific and tomorrow we'll have them witnessed and signed.
Because we don't want to take a chance. I sure as hell don't want the US CONGRESS and the #$%@# president taking charge of MY LIFE!

[oldcoot]

1. Good idea

My husband and I completed are living wills several years ago and I think that this was the smartest move we have ever made. We certainly do not want to end up like poor Michael and Terri if anything happens to one of us.

[TrustingDog]

2. nominated for Greatest.

this is Most Important... the thought of Bush interferring in these matters makes my Skin Crawl at even a faster rate than most of his other atrocities and disrespects.

He'll probably try to muck around with the Living Will, you know that, don't you, but at least this is something that can be done at this point in time.

[Robbien]

3. Nominated for just another Schiavo thread to pile on the heap

Wonder how many times this has been said in the three hundred Shiavo threads set up in the last two days.

Wonder how many more threads saying this exact same thing will be set up today.

[TrustingDog]

4. this isn't about Shiavo, it's all about more control over us for Bush

and I believe I can nominate any thread I want. so push off.

[Robbien]

6. Right. Gov't control over right to life has nothing to do with Schiavo

I must have misunderstood what Schiavo was all about.

And yes, you may nominate as many Schiavo threads you wish, and I also may nominate this deluge of Schiavo threads as just trashy spam. There would have more respect for discussion on the issue if the posters had more respect for DU and stopped spamming up the forum.

[TrustingDog]

7. I haven't started One Thread on the topic...

and think this is the first response I've had to the subject and the first nomination. So what exactly are you Telling Me - that I'M being disrespectful? Go make another thread and accuse the right people.

you said: "I must have misunderstood what Schiavo was all about."
I'm still working on what the Iraq home invasion was really all about. You know, the admin is always up front with what's REALLY going on.

[bettyellen]

9. you can use ignore, but it's just rude to try to police the concerns

of fellow DUers.
it's breaking news, it's dangerous legislation being passed, and it's a huge dissapointment that the operation rescue people are succesful in geting special legislation passed to intrude in the medical care of a woman. it's scary patriarchal bullshit and if you're not concerned, why don't you just move along?
really, start another one of those stop talking about terri threads. there's as many of them on this board posted buy your fellow thought police.

[Doctor_J]

5. Good idea anyway, but those will be meaningless if

the facists are still running the country when your time comes. These people have no respect for human life, and if they decide to use your brain-dead protoplasm as a political football, you and Mr. mimitabby will be shit out of luck

[TrustingDog]

8. the uninsured...

will not be able to get legally unplugged so that the pharmaceutical mengeles can use them for product/drug testing. The moneyed will have their free choice, as always.


The Guinea Pig Kids story:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/22/151230

[Lars39]

12. It also serves the purpose of bankrupting the states'

health programs for the indigent, children, or uninsurable.
And from there ultimately bankrupting the Medicare program.
Not to mention financially ruining numerous families' along the way.
I'd say bankrupting families, but that's not going to be allowed anymore.

[mimitabby]

14. that's MS Mimitabby n/t

[Doctor_J]

17. I thought you said you & your husband

wouldn't that be you & Mr. mimitabby? :shrug:

[illflem]

10. You might be better off getting cyanide tooth implants

a living will doesn't always mean your wishes will be honored but is better than nothing.

[progressoid]

11. Yep - good idea for those of us that are white and middle class

but, if you are a black kid in an inner city or a muslim or gay or....

Well, let's just say, "don't expect congress to run back to Washington to pass an emergency law to plug your feeding tube back in."

[killbotfactory]

13. Well, if republicans get their way

You living will won't mean anything. If they think they can prolong your life artificially, and make a political issue out of it, and you have money to pay for the treatment, they won't care what you wanted.

[IndianaGreen]

15. You also need a Durable Power of Attorney

How and When to Use the Durable Power-of-Attorney
By Carole C. Lamson, J.D.

The "durable power-of-attorney" is one of the most powerful and important planning tools that an attorney can recommend to a client, not only for estate planning, but also for Medicaid and other public benefit planning.

When a person (the principal) signs a power-of-attorney, he gives another person (the agent) the power to act in his place and on his behalf in managing his assets and affairs. The agent's powers may be broad and sweeping so as to include almost any act which the principal might have performed. It should be noted, however, that in general, acts which are inherently testamentary in nature, such as the authority to make or revoke a will, may not be performed by an agent.

A power-of-attorney can be either a "general" power-of-attorney, where the agent may perform almost any act the principal might have performed himself regarding the financial management of his affairs, or a "limited" power-of-attorney where the agent has one or more specific powers, such as the power to sell a particular property to a particular purchaser at a particular time. A single principal may name one or more agents who can be authorized to act either "jointly" or "severally" (alone without the signature of the other agents or agents).

The "durable" power-of-attorney is unlike the ordinary power-of-attorney which becomes inoperative upon the incapacity of the principal. The durable power-of-attorney, provides that those powers granted to the agent shall not be affected by the subsequent disability or incapacity of the principal or by the lapse of time.

http://www.thebody.com/afford/powatt.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. My dad and I told each other we want to go quickly, and I told hubby

that if there is no shot at getting me back then just let me go.

(Turning off the machines is hard, as I recall from when my MIL passed. But I know she would not have wanted to be in a coma forever.)

[deadparrot]

18. Good for you.

I hope people learn from this tragic situation and its disgusting political manipulation, and follow your lead.

[lastliberalintexas]

19. That may not be enough

Depending on your state's laws, you might also need a medical or general (durable) power of attorney. And having a directive to physicians can be important too. You might try to find any attorney in your town who practices in this area. You should be able to get this work done for only a fairly nominal sum, especially if you happen to have an attorney friend.