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