End of life decisions

Remember the old western shows. Remember how simple life was. Remember how if someone was shot had barely time to mutter a few words meaningful to someone just before they disappeared. There was never any time to call a doctor. The bad guy was arrested (assuming it was not what he had been killed), all grieved for a few moments, and life went on. There was no reason to worry about their attachment to a respirator, no one had ever heard of blood transfusions, a stomach tube was inconceivable the idea of resuscitation was ridiculous, and the drug the only drug that had to worry about were Loco Weed. Heck, normally there was not time to call the doctor.

Dying was easy.

Times have changed. Now we are living in a world that is so medically doctors before they are able to keep their bodies have ceased to live long after they have the brain to exist. They can do this using a variety of respirators, stomach tubes, surgeries, and a wide range of drugs. The problem is that while the technology exists to keep the body are many living people think that it is not necessary if the brain has stopped functioning properly. Technological advances have led people to start considering end of life decisions.

End of life decisions are not new. In ancient Greece, anyone who felt their life was no longer worth living could approach the Senate, to explain their reasoning, and thus have an assisted suicide. Many nomadic tribes euthanasia their old, when, where, no longer able to keep up with the tribe. Japanese culture has found that suicide was an acceptable method to escape disgrace.

In today's world by the end of life decision means filling out a health care proxy, appointing someone with durable power of attorney and drafting a living will. Today to make an end of life decision means considering which medical treatment is considered an acceptable means for life goes on.

Federal law says that we have the right to accept and refuse any medical treatment. Doctors can tell the pros and cons of outpatient drugs and other treatments, may offer advice but can not tell us what to do. Until we are able to communicate we are to retain control of medical treatment. Problems arise when we can no longer communicate.

If you lose the ability to communicate with most Member States (each is different) appoint automatically on your wardrobe as your tutor doctor. This person is suddenly responsible for all medical treatments. This person could legally be your kin, but that does not mean is that you can literally trust with your life.

To prevent the wrong person to make decisions about their life and medical care many people a "living will. A living will is a document that indicates such medical treatment and did not acknowledge that if you are unable to communicate. Physicians are required to work within the parameters of the will. Other people give someone durable power of attorney. This person is then responsible for the health of the patient incompetent, based on the will of the patient. Both of these methods are called advanced health care directives.