Why make life harder for your grieving children? I've taken care of stuff because I don't want my kids to suffer through decisions that I should have made.

I have a will, an advanced directive and a Do Not Resuscitate form registered with the state. Cremation is planned. Whoever comes in after me to clean up the place will have an easier time because I've gone through all the junk and have scaled down ahead of time.

I'm 66 and enjoy life everyday. And will keep doing so as much as I can for as long as I can.

My mother had a living will and one thing I will say is be very sure you make it clear what you mean by "do not resusitate". My brother was such a cold person he just let her suffer and gasp for breath. This was so hard on me, I wanted to be with her in her final hours and minutes.

A person does not have to die in this way either. They can be given a little oxygen so they don't suffer and look so gruesome to family. I felt so helpless, my brother had abused me when I was a child. So he probably enjoyed watching me suffer along with my mother. Him and his wife are both money hungry and wanted it all---yet had no feelings for anyone as they take it. I wanted no material things or money just to respect and love my parents was enough.

So in the end---I will say be VERY careful who you put in charge as your power of atty for healthcare. Be sure it is someone you love and loves you. My mother chose my oldest brother because he lived the closest to her which was a bad reason.

I am not afraid of death really----I know where I will spend eternity and that is the most important of all. This life on earth is very short compared to eternity.

need to discuss last years & "final arrangements" with my children but they are too busy, Finances are an issue. I have some moments of black humour-a request to toss my body into a northern lake-then everyone go out to a fun place and party.

When someone calls 9-1-1 the paramedics won't bother going through an Advance Medical Directive, living will, etc. They will acknowledge a Do Not Resuscitate IF the form is on the person. Who ever is in the house needs to have immediate access to this form. Some areas have trained their EMTs to look in the freezer for a designated vial containing the DNR.

I also wear a medical alert jewelry (MedicAlert.com) stating that states I have a Do Not Resuscitate if I am hauled off to the hospital for further procedures. The necklace came in handy the day I fell and broke my wrist and was admitted for surgery. The receptionist gave MedicAlert a call and got my list of meds and my whole medical history of which my husband and I were too rattled to remember.

I am also a brain donor. My doctor and I have thoroughly discussed my end of life wishes and have made the Advanced Medical Directive so I can get comfort care but not to be hooked up and brought back to life if I have a terminal condition.

I only want to die once. Having all that out of the way gives me a new lease on life every minute of every day.

Perplexed, you hospital would probably know if your written instructions about end of life would be good in the state you now live in. Check with them. Also, they might have some paperwork for you to fill out about end of life. Our local hospital has that paperwork. Don't count on some papers from out of state to be effective where you live now.

I retired at age 58 and did all the Living Will stuff because that is the way it is done. How else will your family, friends, etc. know your wishes? It only takes a couple of visits, then presto! You have done what you can and done it right!

Each state has their own Do Not Resuscitate form. If you travel to other states, guess what? You'll need a form. And that form has to be presented to the EMTs immediately upon arrival, preferably on the person who is down. Otherwise, they will begin resuscitating immediately.

important to know. Thanks for the info.

Everyone should have a properly prepared will for the state they now live in. You do that because you want things taken care of for your loved ones that are left behind.

When my Dad suddenly had several heart attacks in a row (he lives on the other coast of the U.S. from me), the last heart attack the doctor said he cannot live alone and must be in assisted living.

My brother and his wife rushed and took my Dad's Will. They lied to me and said they were taking Dad to an attorney to have his estate documents prepared, and instead THEY prepared the Will and all other documents that gave my brother medical power of attorney, power of attorney over Dad's finances, and power of attorney over Dad's property and everything else.

My sister in law took all these documents along with a notary and some of Dad's old neighbors, to Dad's new room as he arrived at his assisted living and he was exhausted and a bit confused--and she had Dad sign them. She told Dad the notary was an attorney--he was not.

Later, Dad asked for copies of everything and my brother wouldn't give them. It got nasty. I didn't want to see Dad treated this way. When Dad got really in bad shape and wanted to go into hospice as he was terminal and all this treatment wasn't helping him, my brother didn't want to allow it. I had to fight to get it.

According to the Will I am entitled to one-half of the gross of everything--I haven't seen it.

THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY YOU DON'T SAY--OH FORGET PREPARING A WILL, LIVING WILL, MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORNEY TO THE RIGHT PERSON, ETC. (ESTATE DOCUMENTS). YOU DO IT TO MAKE SURE YOU GET PROPER TREATMENT WHILE YOU ARE ALIVE AND TO TRY TO ALEVIATE YOUR SUFFERING, AND YOU DO IT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR ESTATE DOCUMENTS PROPERLY PREPARED BY AN ATTORNEY SO YOUR HEIRS ARE TAKEN CARE OF EXACTLY AS YOU INTENDED.

I have seriously been considering having DNR tattooed on my left lower arm.

(((((((((((GROSS A SUPPORT GROUP ALL ABOUT DYING)))))))) AND LEGAL PAPERS. i DON,T THINK TO MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE ON THAT SUPPORT GROUP. THAT WOULD BE SCAREY TO ME. I still hike, run , walk, have 2 big Rottweilers i WALK. MAN I DON,T WANT TO DIE JUST YET. AND IT WOULD BE SO SAD TO READ ABOUT PEOPLE DYING AND SICK AND SUFFERING. "NOT A GOOD iDEA" SCRAPE IT" HAVE A GOOD NIGHT ZZZTOP

The last that I heard, you don't have much say about dying--it happens and you don't get asked your permission.

People should be preparing estate documents (wills, medical power of attorneys, living wills, etc .) and updating them throughout their life when they marry, when they have children, if they divorce, deaths in the family, moving to another state, etc. They are very important documents that wise people have prepared and update throughout their lives for the sake of themselves and their loved ones.

If you are in an auto accident on the way home from work and end up in a coma, you want someone provided with authority to make decisions on your medical care while you are in the coma. When you are out of your coma, stabilized, and can respond normally to questions about your medical care, then the medical power of attorney wouldn't apply.

In our state, a Do Not Resuscitate instruction must be on bright orange paper and signed by your doctor and yourself in order to be legit. No other color paper is accepted, photocopies aren't accepted.

In our State, you can register your living will, medical power of attorney, or mental health power of attorney with the State in a special Advance Directives Registry and have it available to all hospitals/health care providers (the site about it is below).

http://www.azsos.gov/adv_dir

I have a will and all the other necessary papers to take care of my wishes. Yes, I have DNR, and all other papers necessary to take care of my in case my health gets that bad.

I don't want to end up in a nursing home and only see my children once a year at Thanksgiving. I don't want to be warehoused. I would much prefer to decide when I die but that's not possible so I've done all I can do to protect myself and let drs, and necessary people know my wishes.

As far as I know, I am in great health. But I am ready to go whenever the Good Lord says so. I have all the necessary papers ready and my children know it. So I have put that behind me and got on with the business of living life to the fullest. It is not depressing at all. It is part of life and we should take it as such. Live life one day at a time, because you will never know when the plug is pulled.

Some states have death with dignity laws. Oregon is one of them. If someone is within six months of a terminal illness, they can choose to use this law in obtaining the final prescription. Family and friends are there at their side in their last act of dignity. Obituaries are written up as loving celebrations not only to the person, but to the law making their suffering end at each person's discretion.