Erlanger Hospital has a nice one which is free in a several page booklet
form. Has both documents plus related information concerning both documents.

Best,
Curtis Gossett


----- Original Message -----
From: "Dr. Joe Dumas" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 11:00 AM
Subject: [UTCSTAFF] Don't be the next Terri Schiavo - Living Will


> Whichever side you take on the current "Terri Schiavo controversy," I
think most
> people would agree that it is a shame her fate has been bandied about the
courts
> for 15 years only to end up as a political football.  I also think most
people
> agree that the correct resolution of the situation is "what Terri would
want."
> The question is, what would she want?
>
> The problem is that Terri Schiavo, before she was stricken, while still
> conscious and of sound mind, left no written guidelines as to what she
would or
> would not want done in this type of scenario, nor whom she would choose to
carry
> out her wishes in the event she became incapable of doing so herself.
>
> One can argue all day long as to whether it is better to believe her
husband's
> or her parents' assertions as to what Terri's wishes would be.  The
problem is
> that she left no written indication for guidance and therefore left it up
to
> chance and the court system.
>
> If there is one good thing to come out of this whole unfortunate
situation, it
> might be that thousands of people all across America are now discussing
> end-of-life issues with their family members and friends.  I know I have
been
> involved in some of these discussions!  As far as my own life is
concerned, I
> don't want to leave these decisions to chance any longer.  So, I did a
quick
> search of the Internet and found the following site:
>
> http://www.tba.org/LawBytes/livingwillpoa.html
>
> This is the Tennessee Bar Association's page on "living will and durable
power
> of attorney for health care."  There is a PDF document that you can print
out
> and fill in to express your wishes for care, or the lack thereof, and tell
who
> you want to have carry them out.  I discussed these forms last night with
my
> spouse and we are going to be filling them out and signing them as soon as
we
> can find witnesses and a notary.
>
> I sincerely hope none of us are ever in need of this, but it never hurts
to be
> prepared just in case.  If you don't have a living will, you too might
wind up
> as a 15-year court case and political football.
>
> If thousands or even millions of people take action and make these
decisions now
> while they are able, perhaps there will never be another "Terri Schiavo
case."
> And maybe that would be the best possible legacy this poor woman can leave
to us
> all.
>
> Joe Dumas
>
> --
> "One man with courage is a majority." -- Thomas Jefferson