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Sunday, April 03, 2005
Lim: Living will
By Melanie t. lim
The lesson about the Terri Schiavo case is to make a living will.
Terri, a severely-brain damaged woman, died last Thursday, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed. Her case has dragged her husband, Michael Schiavo and her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler into a seven-year protracted legal battle and family feuding of epic proportions that has become the most high-profile right-to-die case in US history.
Terri’s husband valiantly fought to carry out her wishes to die. Terri’s parents agonizingly fought to keep her alive. No doubt, a person’s wishes at the end of her life should be carried out. The question is, what did Terri really want?
Terri left no living will that might have clearly stated her desire to refuse artificial nutrition and hydration in the persistent vegetative state that her body had lain in the last 15 years. In the end, Michael Schiavo won.
Although end-of-life issues in our country and culture are not as controversial as in the United States, they bring to core certain realities that one must face while still healthy and well.
Many Filipinos die intestate. It is not in our nature or culture to make a will while alive. Besides, our laws do not allow as much flexibility in the disposition of assets through inheritance as the laws of other nations do, anyway. More than anything else, Filipinos do not like to think of death and the thought of preparing for it makes many people queasy, I think.
It is far-fetched then that we would make a living will—a document that would assist us in directing our own medical treatment in the event of incapacitating illnesses or injuries. A will that would clearly indicate our wish to avail of ALL possible medical intervention or one that would, in fact, put LIMITS to certain medical treatments and procedures.
A living will tackles six important issues. First, what one deems to be health care or medical treatment. Second, how one defines quality of life. Third, one’s wishes in regard to pain management. Fourth, one’s wishes in regard to artificial hydration and nutrition. Fifth, when to use CPR and WHEN not to resuscitate (DNR). Sixth, WHEN to use or remove artificial respiration.
Living wills are, in fact, advance medical directives that focus on the extent of life-sustaining medical intervention, doctors can make for us, in the event we are no longer able to coherently communicate our wishes. In most cases, a living will declares that an individual requests not to be kept alive by medical support systems in the event of a terminal illness.
In the absence of a living will, life rather than death is usually chosen for the terminally ill. Unfortunately for Terri’s Schiavo, her family stood bitterly divided while her true desires lay unstated and unknown till the end.
(sunstarcebucolumnist@yahoo.com)
(April 3, 2005 issue)
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