In the mid 1990’s, a close friend and mentor developed diabetes which required frequent surgical procedures. I urged him to create his Advance Directives, such as a Living Will and the appointment of a Healthcare Surrogate and Power of Attorney. These are legal documents that express your wishes concerning medical treatment and appoint a surrogate for medical decisions and Power of Attorney for financial affairs in case you become incapacitated. Despite my pleas, he kept putting it off. Then, the evening after an operation, he suffered a stroke and went eight minutes without oxygen, leading to brain damage and his deterioration into a permanent vegetative state.
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