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Living will
Living will
Living will
and let me say again,
living will
While you're at it, give someone you trust medical and legal power of attorney if you're ever incapacitated. While my brother was in a coma we had a hell of a time doing anything - paying his bills, getting his belongings from hospital security, dealing with any of his financial matters; and although the hospital needed to get our consent signatures for any medical procedures for liability reasons, technically the doctors were completely in charge of his medical care. Scary.
Someone on Slate.com made the point that the spouse, if there is one, is usually given preference over parents and other family members because you actually CHOSE your spouse and that implies a level of trust and intimacy that may not be there with family members to whom you just happen to be related. Nobody ever expects this kind of thing to happen, but the best thing you could do for yourself and your family to spare the kind of crap the Schiavos and Schindlers are having to go through is make it legal and official.
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"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
- Anatole France
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