good advice from Neil G.

[chelidon]

In keeping with the seasonal shift towards thoughts of the ending of things...

Neil Gaiman: Important and pass it on

...a really good post from Neil Gaiman about the importance of writing up a quick will -- for anyone, but especially if you're an artist and care about what happens to your work (and want to make things *much* less difficult for your friends and loved ones). There's a link in there to a simple will form (for US folks, but international forms are available online) that anyone can fill out in 30 min or less. It doesn't require a lawyer, or spending any money, or really, much time at all.

Really, death is the one thing that absolutely, without exception, will happen to you, sooner or later. Might as well spend just a few minutes of life dealing with that. While you're at it, write a living will/advance directive, so others clearly know what you do and don't want medically if you can't say it yourself, could save loved ones endless heartache and grief. Working in a medical setting, I know too well what happens if you don't have one of these -- people who don't know you have to try to figure out what you wanted, so they'll usually err on the side of ridiculous and extreme measures, or family will make choices which are clearly against the will of the patient. Don't let it happen to you, remember Terri Schiavo.

More info here (including a link to the easy to use Five Wishes template: Advance Directive)

Comments

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

I need to update mine again. It's at the top of my to-do list in the next few months. :-/

[sagamockingbird.livejournal.com]

We need to get my 91 year old mother to a lawyer to do hers. Now that dad is dead there is much that has changed. We need to revise ours now that our children are adults. Thanx for the timely reminder.

[storm-and-raven.livejournal.com]

Completing a Will is a necessary thing. I simply want to point out concerning Advance Directives that in a situation where you are unable to make a decision for yourself, doctors WILL NOT follow your Advance Directive if your family members are opposed to it.

I know that they are supposed to be iron-clad documents, but they are NOT. The reasoning given by the physicians I've spoken to who have over-ridden Advance Directives? Dead people can't sue you for malpractice, but their live family members surely can, and do.

Advance directive

[(Anonymous)]

Right now my job involves coordinating a study using a computer program to generate an advance directive in patients with cancer. I have found in the time I spend with these study patients that they are so appreciative of having the opportunity to do this. Physicians here refer the patients to us. What I see is that some are very reluctant - saying that they plan to cure the patient and that they are not in "immenent need" of an advance directive. Of course, everyone should have one because you just don't know.

Blessings,
Salima