In 1990, Terri was 26 years old and concerned about her weight. She was not eating a nutritious diet. She might also have been bulimic. On February 25, 1990, she suffered a cardiac arrest at home. Her blood work at the hospital indicated she was seriously malnourished which possibly led to this episode. The exact cause has never been determined.
Persistent Vegetative State
Terri remained in a coma for two and a half months and then lived in a persistent vegetative state for fifteen years. She was nourished and hydrated through a tube into her stomach, known as a PEG tube. Rehabilitation and state-of-the-art neurological treatments failed to improve her condition.
Who Needs a Will at 26?
At 26, who would think about needing to make end-of-life decisions? There was a long court battle between her husband and her parents who were at odds over allowing her to die vs. keeping her alive in this vegetative state.
In March of 2005, Terri was finally allowed to die. Her husband, Michael, says she never wanted to be kept alive the way she had been. He based this on statements she made about her grandmother’s condition when she was kept alive on a ventilator. Friends and family believe otherwise because of statements Terri made at age 11 or 12 about the Karen Ann Quinlan case, another well known tragic story of complicated end-of-life issues.
Without clear cut legal paperwork, this kind of situation happens all too frequently although most don’t make headlines. The tragic story behind all of these is that the suffering can be avoided by using a few simple forms.
Advance Directive or Living Will
An Advance Directive or a Living Will are just two possible sources of legal information which can be used to make end-of-life wishes known. They can be revoked and changed at anytime. This is especially useful as medical science advances, or as the person’s health status changes throughout the life cycle.
Not Just for the Dying
Many people have the misconception that these forms are only for those who are old or dying and wish to have no heroic measures taken. The truth is that these forms allow the person to be as specific as needed about his/her wishes. For example, if, under certain circumstances the person wishes to have all heroic measures exhausted, this can be specifically stated. Then if under other specific circumstances s/he would not want heroic measures taken this can also be stipulated.
Consult an Attorney
The more complex the choices, the more important it is that an attorney be consulted to assist in drawing up the paperwork. The documents need to be witnessed and copies should be given to health care providers. Hospitals usually request copies at the time of admission and can be kept on file for future reference.
These decisions should be discussed with family, health care providers and even close friends to help avoid any unnecessary situations should something happen unexpectedly. Decisions can be reviewed periodically and the paperwork updated. This is highly recommended in the event of changes in health status.
Put It in Writing
The best way to ensure that wishes will be carried out is by putting them in writing. This also helps to avoid debates or legal struggles over interpretations of what was said verbally. End-of-life situations can be traumatic enough. Planning ahead and making sure wishes are well known can help to ease much of the sadness, as well as the burden and guilt, that family and friends may have.
Resources:
Medline Plus: Advance Directives
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