Imagine you are in an accident, and your injuries leave you unconscious and intubated to help you breathe. Doctors have several options for treating your injuries, some of which are more conservative and others with higher risk. Perhaps, any measure they take will leave you debilitated, in pain and with a poor quality of life. Which would you choose? More importantly, does your family know what your answer would be?
The families of many patients in this and similar situations are left with the heartbreaking task of trying to guess what their loved one would want. These situations often lead to disputes as personal philosophies clash. However, you may reduce the chances of such a devastating scene if you draft an advance health care directive.