It’s inconceivable, standing next to a bed where a loved one lies. Asking yourself, are you sure they wanted to have the “plug pulled” in this situation?  Really?  And I have to live with myself from now on with whatever decision I make?

As an attorney, I am taught to say, “It’s a gift to your loved ones to leave a document which specifically tells the hospital and the doctors your wishes in such a situation.”  I believe this with all my heart.

Those last days are tough.  This following article contains a video of Joan Rivers and her daughter from 2012.  Watching this . . . you better have the tissues handy. After watching, come back to this article and learn the details of what happened in 2014 – just two years later: http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2014/09/joan-rivers-melissa-rivers-death-message-video/

We as her fans lost her in 2014.  According to an article written by Daniel Taylor, Esq. in a Findlaw blog, Joan suffered cardiac and respiratory arrest while undergoing surgery subsequently placed on life support.   See the full article here: http://blogs.findlaw.com/celebrity_justice/2014/09/joan-rivers-death-3-legal-facts-about-life-support.html

More than a week later, imagine the scene where her daughter asks for life support to be removed.

It is very important to create the documents properly, with all formality and under the care of a professional experienced attorney.  Don’t pull something off the web and think you’re safe.

Even picking the right person to empower in such a situation is important.  An attorney would likely catch and cure the following situation for example:

In my case, I had a sister ask me to be her designated person.  Realize I am a big tough attorney, but I told her I loved her and there was no chance in Hades I would pull the plug. Sorry.  She picked someone else in the family as she should.

Have an attorney help you with your will and other documents such as the Medical Power of Attorney and HIPAA documents, not to mention your will.

By Jac Schuster, an Estate Planning attorney in McKinney. Learn more at jacschuster.com.