When my mother was in the final days of her life because of cigarette-related lung cancer a decade ago, my siblings and I had an important tool that let us focus on saying goodbye and grieving – and not on the confusing, chaotic decision making that often surrounds critical illness. My mom had an advance directive, or living will, that made the most important decision for us: She asked not to be kept alive by extraordinary means.
In her final hours, we sat with her in the hospice wing of Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Conn. A nurse occasionally strolled in to check her condition, or to adjust the painkillers aimed at easing her passing. We held her hand as she slipped away peacefully. It was a sad moment – mom was only 65 years old – but it was as easy as one could possibly imagine.
Saturday, April 16, is National Healthcare Decisions Day, set aside to promote awareness of planning for important end of life decisions. Read the full story
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