Sea Sick: by Keith Murray What is the norovirus? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes it as a very contagious virus that can…
Sea Sick: by Keith Murray
Typically, my monthly column involves medical emergencies at sea. This month I wanted to talk about end-of-life medical issues. Most people prefer not to talk about death and dying, but unfortunately, all of us will die. To quote Benjamin Franklin, ”Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
Living wills and other advance directives are written, legal instructions regarding our preferences for medical care if we are unable to make decisions for ourselves. These documents spell out medical treatments we would and would not want to be used to keep us alive, as well as decisions such as pain management or organ donation. These advance directives guide others in making important medical decisions for us when we are not able to do so. These are typically for people who are terminally ill, seriously injured, in a coma, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of life.
Ideally, these advance directives are put into place early in a person’s life, while they are able to think clearly and plan ahead. They enable us to decide now what medical care we want, avoid unnecessary suffering, and relieve our family (or caregivers) of the difficult decisions that need to be made.
People often ask me at what age should they create advance directives? My answer is age 18. Unexpected medical emergencies happen every day. We see car crashes, shootings, strokes, disease and a variety of other medical emergencies that potentially result in an end-of-life situation. This is why I suggest everyone age 18 and older prepare.
Here are some of the decisions you can make now though your advance directives.
If you do not have a living will or other advance directives in place, today is the best day to get one. The rules in the U.S. vary from state to state, and I am certain every country has its own versions of these documents. If you live in the U.S. and would like to do your own advance directives without a lawyer,
Please visit this AARP link and click on your state.
Trained as an emergency medical technician, Keith Murray now owns The CPR School, which provides onboard CPR, AED and first-aid training, as well as AED sales and service (www.TheCPRSchool.com). Comments are welcome below.
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