Make wishes
known before
the unthinkable

“I don’t want to live like that” is a comment often heard from people who know someone stricken by a long-term illness or injury.

Unfortunately, many victims are forced to live for years, perhaps decades, in a coma or in a physical state that no human being – nor their families – should have to endure.

An advance directive is one way people can make their wishes known before the unthinkable happens. It is also a way to take difficult decisions off the shoulders of relatives or caregivers if that day comes.

It is estimated that only 15 percent of adults and 50 percent of the seriously or terminally ill have an advanced directive in place.

There are several kinds of advance directives. For example, there are living wills, which spell out desired medical treatment or the withholding of treatment when a serious illness or injury occurs. There is the durable power of attorney, which designates a second person to make certain medical decisions when someone becomes incapacitated. There are “do not resuscitate orders,” which limit extraordinary means to save life once cardiac arrest has occurred.

National Healthcare Decisions Day was April 16, and Columbus Regional Healthcare provided assistance to those seeking more information. The hospital provided an orientation on advance directives and paperwork to get people started their own advance directives, which doesn’t necessarily have to be done by an attorney.

The hospital is willing to help anyone who needs advice on advance directives.

The advance directive law in North Carolina saw an overhaul in 2007, and an updated directive is highly recommended. Knox Proctor, a Whiteville native who is an attorney for Ward and Smith, PA, in New Bern, won an award from the North Carolina Medical Society for his work in updating the advance directive law.

Tragedy befalls all ages, sometimes in the blink of an eye. Brain injuries in particular are often irreversible, but medical advances are able to keep these victims alive, even if the victim’s quality of life is dreadful.

No one wants to be in a position where he or she has to choose between life and death, but it happens, and a peaceful death is often better than a prolonged life of misery.

How sad it is when someone is forced to live the second option because they did not plan ahead.