End-of-Life Decision Making For Cancer Patients

By Pauline Go

People who are in the last stages of cancer should pay some attention to end-of-life decisions. The most important is advance directive, also known as living will, for medical treatment. This is nothing but a document written by the terminally ill person while he or she is still capable of making decisions. The advance directive basically states that the patient does not want artificial means of surviving should he or she become mentally incompetent. Artificial life saving measures include CPR, respirators or anything else the person can think of.

The reason why advance directive only applies to a person who in mentally incapable of making decisions is because prior to that a doctor can ask the person what his or her preferences are about the treatment. However, once the person becomes mentally incompetent, he cannot be asked to state to state his or her preference.

However, advance directive is not only about dying with dignity. There are some patients who might want to live as long as possible using CPR or artificial breathing machines. If this is mentioned in your living will, the doctors and your family would have to respect it. In fact, the doctor would have to do everything to save your life or prolong it.

Those who find writing advance directive morbid, do not have to do it. Instead they can appoint a health care agent. This is someone who makes all the healthcare decisions on your behalf when you are incapable of making them. However, you would have to tell the agent what your wishes are while you are still able to think and comprehend coherently.

Pauline Go is an online leading expert medical industry. She also offers top quality articles like:
Lung Cancer Facts,
Bone Cancer Symptoms
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2184874

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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