Posted On: March 6, 2007, 7:24 pm CST

Posted By: an informed person

As a professional in health care the number one bit of advice I can give anyone is assign a heath care proxy legally.The hospital should suppy you with the neccessary paper work upon entering the hospital.Let your wishes be known to this proxy.Be specific as to what you want done or not done to you in the event you can not answer for yourself.I have seen many patients without this end up chronically trached and peg tube fed until their demise.Some doctors will try to convince your health care proxy that a trach and peg are good things,chances are they are not.Understand that it is the quaility of a persons life that counts not the quanity.I see people whose lives are prolonged and they are suffering each and every day.All of which could be avoided with a strong advocate,a heath care proxy.