The Importance Of Having An Advanced Medical Directive Or Health Care Proxy
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By Cherrie Fishlowitz
Every adult should have an Advanced Medical Directive or Health Care Proxy. This document provides for someone other than yourself to make medical decisions for you in the event that you are unable to make these decisions for yourself because of accident or illness.
I have had one in place for several years with my friend Margarath being the person to make my decisions for me. Margarath, my Medical Directive and I have known each other since High School. She knows exactly what I want should I be in a situation where I am unable to make my own decisions in regard to medical situations. She knows when to pull the plug so to speak.
Late last year I suffered a catastrophic health event and while my own Advanced Medical Directive didn’t come into play while I was hospitalized for my stroke, it could have. I did make it known that I had one because I did not want to relinquish my own control and I was very distraught about my situation when I was in the ER and did not like the doctor who was treating me in the ER.
You may wonder why I didn’t choose my husband or another close relative and it’s quite simple. If I am ever in a situation where my Advanced Medical Directive comes into play, I do not want my husband put in a situation where he will feel responsible for having to make the ultimate decision and then have to live with the “what if’s” that can be associated with that decision.
Choosing someone like Margarath was the best choice for me. This may not be your situation. You have to weigh your own situation as well as who you feel would best represent you in a medical crisis.
One mistake I did make was not letting my husband know that I had this document in place. This did create hurt feelings for him and I should have told him when I set the directive up.
If you are not clear on what an Advanced Medical Directive is and the importance it can play in your life, check with your attorney or estate planner. You can even do a web search to find out more valuable information on this very important document.
The Wall Street Journal has a state by state requirement list for Advanced Medical Directives that is worth checking out to find out what your state requires for this document.
Cherrie Fishlowitz believes that each of us can become a better human being simply by allowing ourselves to find the good in all of our experiences regardless of how bad they may seem to be at the time.
At some point in our lives we all must come to the realization that we must be responsible for our own actions and decisions. Because who we are is based on the sum total of our experiences we owe it to ourselves and those around us to find a positive in each negative.
While we may not immediately be able to grasp the good it’s there, we just have to find it. The experience of finding it is what helps us to become a better person.
Contact Cherrie directly with your comments or questions, or visit her website at http://www.GVCandles.com
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