"THE COMA."
A million movies have played with the idea (with varying degrees of inaccuracy), but the concept never seems to lose its mad-science appeal for theatre goers. “While You Were Sleeping” had its coma-influenced love triangle, “Monkeybone” painted a bizarre comic view of death and dreams, and the 1978 flick “Coma” turned the neurological disorder into an organ-harvesting thriller.
It wasn’t such a huge surprise then, when 2006 came and 39% of people said that they would reference a cinematic scene in case of a real-life coma emergency [1]. Not exactly the kind of inspiring numbers you’d hope for. Not that there’s anything easy about dealing with a family member in a coma! We aren’t exactly provided with coma-related touchstones in our everyday lives, Neurology 101 is hardly a high school staple, and for those with no real medical background, cinema and hearsay could easily provide the only input for imaginings about “being in a coma.”
And what if we do end up in a coma?
It’s a little too late to start making decisions about your health if you’re unconscious and intubated. And unless you’re prepared to rely on relatives to make the best and educated choices about your health, it may be wise to think ahead. Starting now.
Which is where a living will comes in.
Unlike a last will and testament (that document that decides who gets all your stuff), a living will is only valid so long as you’re still living. It’s an official document that specifies exactly how you want things run in case you become medically incapacitated—whether that means being “in a coma” or being affected by a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s.
A living will usually covers a number of medical questions:
- Which medical treatments are you willing to receive for your illness?
- Will you allow doctors to perform CPR or restart your heart?
- Will you permit the hospital to intubate you for breathing or feeding?
- Will you permit the use of painkillers? Dialysis?
Even for those of us who aren’t remotely worried about making these kinds of decisions, it can be a good exercise to discuss your preferences and values with your loved ones. While it may seem morbid at first, exploring issues surrounding quality of life, health, and even death can end with you learning more about yourself, your family, and your relationship with the world around you.
For discussion about or assistance with legal issues surrounding wills, visit our Wills, Trusts, and Estate Administration Law Forum.
by Kate Beall
