Advanced directives are a valuable option for all, regardless of whether or not they are facing an
immediate health crisis. However, they are not without fault. Joanne Lynn highlights many of
the shortcomings of advanced directives, most of them focused upon living wills that do not
provide enough detail to bring about an uncontentious resolution to an end of life situation. The
fault of these living wills, as Lynn explains is “the boundary between being merely mortal (like
all humans) and being in the ‘dying’ category is a boundary that people want desperately to find
(and to find themselves in the ‘non-dying’ group)” (Lynn 102). Making the distinction between
living and dying is not easy, as there is no technical way of determining a living versus dying
person. Yet, recent developments to living wills may have found a solution to this problem by
providing the patient more room for detail in describing their ideal form of end of life care. In
my opinion, I believe that I would only sign an advanced directive if I could provide extremely
specific conditions for my end of life care.
The DC Hospital Association’s Advanced Directive allows one to make distinct instructions on
one’s care based on whether someone is in a terminal or permanent vegetative state.
Additionally, it provides room for other, unique wishes one might have that are not already an
option on the directive. I believe that by providing open space to write specific wishes for after
life care, it will be more certain that a person will receive the exact care they want, even if they
can no longer communicate it. A detailed course of action for end of life care also greatly assists
anyone given the power of attorney for health care. A good proxy would be able to infer based
on these instructions on how to react to any situation that arises, especially when addressing
situations that are not specifically detailed in the advanced directive.
I personally believe that if I were to sign an advanced directive, I would not want life-sustaining
treatments if I was in a painful terminal or vegetative condition. Comfort and the wellbeing of
my loved ones would be my primary concern; I would want my life to be sustained for as long as
my loved ones wanted, as long as they knew that I ultimately wanted to end life-sustaining
treatments. I would also agree to be an organ donor after my death. I think my medical wishes
result from the fact that I am not religious, so it is not essential to me that my body is treated in
any way after death. Additionally, because I do not believe in an afterlife, if I was in a terminal
state my greatest concern would be my family members and loved ones. A loved ones’ death is
difficult for anyone to cope with, so I would be willing to extend life-sustainment if it would help
them manage the death. Although I’m not sure that I would ever officially sign an advanced
directive, I would make these wishes known to my immediate family.