choice in dying
DO I HAVE ONE? HOW DO I EXERCISE IT?
Death is indisputable, but can one make a choice in dying? The answer is "YES!"
Though doctors still take the Hippocratic Oath to preserve life, the laws of each of our states now give its citizens certain rights to make decisions about life's end. 
EXERCISE YOUR RIGHTS TO ACHIEVE YOUR WISHES
Although each state provides laws which allow its citizens to make certain decisions about life's end,(and each state's law varies and is slightly different from the next), no option that the state offers, will necessarily be provided to you, unless you take some affirmative action to make your wishes known.
You must affirmatively exercise the choices the state allows you to make about your dying.
If you do not exercise this right of "choice", it may be lost.
How do you do that? Ultimately, you make your wishes known through the use of a document known as a
"living will".
Do take the time to read and understand what decisions your state presently allows you to make under its law.
But, before you download your state's recommended form, take the time to really consider it.
There is discussion of certain state's living will forms and what they miss and what they allow, on other pages of this site.
To further "grow" your knowledge in this area of the law--some call it "elder law", some call it "advance directives", scroll around the site, and return frequently for updated information.
February, 2006 Update
In Connecticut, the Office of the Secretary of State recently announced an intention to create a State Living Will Registry soon. The creators of this site do not favor a Living Will Registry for the same reason they do not favor a Last Will and Testament Registry. If you wanted to change your mind on your death bed, it would be difficult to do so because you would not have your original document at hand to mutilate, or rip up.
|
