Discussing Last Things
March 8, 2023
My consultation for my myomectomy is in a few days and I have been in serious consideration of the various outcomes. Even though I am praying to come out of this surgery healed and ready to procreate, it would be dreadfully negligent of me to not consider if something goes wrong during the surgery and I do not wake up. All surgery comes with it’s share of risks and in an effort to be mindful of that, I have completed a Medical Power of Attorney(MPOA). This document, which can be notarized or signed by two witnesses is an important document to have. The MPOA essentially names someone as your healthcare agent to carry out your healthcare wishes in the event that you are unable to because you are unconscious. The healthcare agent acts as a steward of the person’s wishes. The decision has already been made by the patient of what to do in case of an emergency that the patient is not cognizant to make. The MPOA is a document that puts the patient’s wishes in writing to make medical staff aware of what medical interventions that the patient agrees to and does not agree to. The MPOA outlines whether or not the patient wants to be put on a ventilator to sustain their life or be tube feed if unconscious. Does the patient want any life saving measures, including CPR if their heart stops? These are important issues to consider regardless of age and being fit, healthy, and strong. Anything can transpire during or after surgery and it’s best to be prepared.
Usually, MPOAs ask for one person and two alternates to be named to carry out wishes. All of those people need a copy of the MPOA. It is prudent to leave a copy with your primary physician and take it with you to put in your chart when having an serious procedure. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to hasten anyone’s death; I just want people to be informed and live life on their terms. Some people do not wish to live their life bed bound and dependent upon tubes and machines, and healthcare workers. Personally, I have a family member that went in for a hysterectomy and stopped breathing while in the recovery room. They performed CPR on her for 30 minutes and was able to get her heart restarted, but she was in a coma for six months, then she was in rehab for a considerable amount of time. She is now at home living with her parents, but she is delusional, paranoid, has hallucinations, has seizures, is unable to work and care for herself or her child, and is globally not the same person she was before having the surgery. I want to live in a manner where I am able to care for myself and be myself. My MPOA ensures that I will be afforded the blessing of having a natural death if there is no hope of me returning to my previous manner of living. No one likes to discuss serious issues such as this, but it is needed.
In the South, we call this “getting your business fixed”. I have my MPOA completed and I will be able to face this surgery with peace of mind knowing that I will be able to live how I want to and on my own terms. Next, I will be working on my obituary, gathering phone numbers of important people, and gathering my important papers concerning property and etc., and having them in one place. Even if everything goes well and I go on to have children, this information is still important to have so I can plan who I would entrust my children to.
As I seek to take control of my fertility and childless state, I want to encourage everyone to take care of last things and final decisions concerning how you want to live. It is very much your decision and it should be made clear to your loved ones who you may precede. It is often the final act of authority over our lives that we have.