Ah, hell. We all knew this was coming, but you can read Keith’s MLB blog in which he memorializes his dad. Give KO all the credit for his grace in the midst of horror and tragedy. So, listen up, folks:
1) If you have not yet made a living will, you need to. Do you have loved ones? Kids? A living will becomes Job #1. Get this done now, this week, and make certain to update it every time something changes.
2) Make damn certain that your loved ones precisely understand your wishes (and that you know theirs) in the event that you (or they) are unable to speak to doctors. For example, my wife knows that in case I can’t speak for myself, I do wish to be kept alive until it’s clear I’d never again be able to write; in that case, I give permission to turn off the machines. That’s it. Simple.
And now you know, too.
I hope you won’t ever have to go through a hell like this, but the fact is, it’s likely you will at some stage. This work, therefore, is too important to blow off. You aren’t that busy. Or, if you think you are, just have a look at your spouse, your kids, your relatives, the people who matter to you, and ask yourself just once whether you really want to put them through that trial. I bet you don’t.
KO said much of this, and you can see it too in the embedded video; you can avoid at least this much of the drama, and trust me—in that circumstance, you already have more to deal with than you can possibly imagine. Don’t complain. Do it.
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