When Pope John Paul passed away back in 2005, we learned about how spartan his life was in the instructions that he left for his personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz.

“I leave no property behind me of which it is necessary to dispose. As for the everyday objects that were of use to me, I ask they be distributed as seems appropriate. My personal notes are to be burned.”

The Holy See’s refreshing example of selflessness must make some of us feel inadequate.

Possession obsession seems like fun for a while, but as some wiseacre said years ago, ‘you can’t take it with you.’

Last Will and Testaments are important documents to have and to keep updated, but among those documents is the sometimes overlooked formal health care directive, or Living Will.

Advances in medical technology allow sick or injured persons who in decades past may have died to be kept alive by artificial means, and in the event of a coma, this can go on indefinitely.

The terribly difficult situation that Terri Shiavo and her family had to deal with for so many years could have easily been circumvented if they had created and adhered to one of these simple advance directives. As competent adults, we have the right to make decisions in advance as to whether or not we would like to decline life support when it is clear that death is imminent or a state of coma becomes permanent.

In this event, Living Wills provide instructions for the manner in which you wish your medical needs be met. There are complicated ones that attorneys should handle, but the basic Living Will consists of four components.

The Health Care Directive: This section instructs physicians as to whether or not you want them to withhold "extraordinary care" or "life-sustaining or life-prolonging" treatments.

The Durable Power of Attorney: A DPA states whom you have chosen to make health care decisions for you. It becomes active any time you are unconscious or unable to make medical decisions.

A Personal Values Statement: How you feel about health care issues is stated here.

Organ Donation Statement: This is also called a ‘Statement Regarding Anatomical Gifts’ and I think it’s a good idea. About 6,000 Americans died last year while on the waiting list for a live-saving transplant and that number is growing while the number of individuals who sign up as organ donors has not. For more information on how to prepare your own Living Will, call your attorney or go to the computer and find the site below.

If you stop to to think about it, an advance health care directive is not so much for yourself as it is for your loved ones.
http://www.uslivingwillregistry.com