Back in June, a co-worker of mine was involved in a horrific car crash that left her in a coma. The accident was, as expected, emotionally devestating for her family, although the prognosis from the doctors was positive — she eventually would recover from her injuries and lead a normal life, although she would have to go through extensive physical therapy for at least a year.
- (photo credit: linder6580)
However, some issues arose during her coma that could have been easily resolved had she used a health care power of attorney form. The medical staff felt that she should undergo a procedure on her left leg that would enable her to regain more mobility eventually, but the procedure would cause a longer recovery time. Because she was in a coma, she could not make this decision on her own.
She had a living will, but she only specified three situations in which someone else could make medical decisions on her behalf, and her current state did not qualify. State law only allowed her son, who only had an eighth grade education, to make decisions on her behalf. Her mother, who is a registered nurse, would have been a better candidate for making the choice, but state law did not allow her mother to make the choice on her behalf.
She was happy with the choice that was made after she regained consciousness, but the situation could have turned out differntly. Now that she is out of the hospital and on her way to recovery, she has created a health care power of attorney that names her mother as the agent in case anything happens in the future.
Don’t wait until it’s too late to create a health care power of attorney like my co-worker did. Her situation turned out fine, but you don’t want to risk your future health when the solution is simple.
