In 2005 I
drafted a living will, stating that “when I can no longer take part in
decisions for my own future, I request that I be allowed to die with dignity,
and not be kept alive by artificial means or ‘heroic measures’.” I forwarded it
to all my sons and brothers and sisters who may be in a position to decide on
my behalf.
In 2009 when I visited my son
Rajan in Sydney I read an article in the newspaper - When the end is nigh, it's
best to avoid hospital (October
31, 2009, By Dr.Ken Hillman)
I was so
impressed that I cut it out and kept it with me. After moving into Aarogya
kudumbam and interacting with people who are worried about what would happen to
them when they are very ill and no longer able to take care of themselves, I
again thought of the living will and about the Advance Health Care Directive.
I talked to the promoter of our Home, my good friend Dr. Raju about it. A few
other residents too felt that we should have it as a legal document and we discussed it with Dr. Raju. He too agreed with us as a good idea and got his
lawyer to draft it and asked us to go through it and discuss among ourselves to
make any suitable modifications before finalising the same.
I felt it didn’t cover the entire eventuality.
I searched
the internet and read quite a few of the available documents on the subject –
like Dying with dignity, The myth about CPR, End of the care conveyor
belt: death in intensive care units, Contents of a Living Will, When should I refuse
treatment? etc.
But after going through all that write up I didn’t
like the way I was thinking about my end of life. I have always felt I would
die in my sleep – just go to sleep at night and not wake up in the morning. The
only thing I used to worry about is somebody having to break open the door to
get in. Living in Aarogya kudumbam I don’t even have to worry about it, as
there is a spare key in the office with Dr. Raju.
I decided not to write a living will and informed
Dr. Raju about it too.
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