[WSBAPT] Health care directive/hydration

Wed Apr 22 12:14:38 PDT 2020

This is a choice I give people in their HCD:

_______          *           I DO NOT want to have artificially provided nutrition and hydration except hydration which, in the determination of my designated agent for health care decisions, will serve to make me more comfortable and facilitate the provision of pain relieving medications without unduly prolonging my death.

That way, they can keep pumping morphine into me.  Heck, I grew up in the 60's.  Isn't good drugs ALWAYS the answer?

[cid:image002.jpg at 01D6189F.24157120]

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of John J. Sullivan, Esq.
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2020 11:55 AM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>; akwills at willslawfirm.com
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Health care directive/hydration

Adrienne:

Although I was once nationally certified as an EMT, I don't pretend to be a medical professional. I'm not aware of a method of artificial hydration other than intravenous, and that's what I reference in my DTPs.

As far as whether to choose it or not, I will tell you a story.

I noticed after a while that none of my physician clients were declining artificial hydration. I asked one of them once why. He told me that in coma and end of life situations we simply do not know whether the patient feels pain or not, but that if patients can feel it dehydration is an excruciatingly painful way to go. Also, in a coma/end of life circumstance, unlike you and I walking around who would die after three days or so without water, the body reabsorbs waste fluids and the process of dying can extend for 2 to 3 weeks.

Contrary, I once had the unhappy job of being a client's last resort as health care AIF - I had to consent to the withdrawal of "life sustaining treatment." I asked the ICU doctor the same question. She answered that when the body gets to the end, endorphins kick in and we don't feel anything.

So ... take your chances. An opinion is above my pay grade.

John J. Sullivan

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Susan Donahue
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 4:07 PM
To: akwills at willslawfirm.com<mailto:akwills at willslawfirm.com>; 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Health care directive/hydration

Hi Adrienne,

Well, the nurse clients I have had have told me that artificial hydration means hooking up a drip and pumping water into the body, but they also tell me that at the end of life, this is not a good idea because the body just cannot process the influx.  Same with artificial nutrition.  But I don't offer this analysis since I am not a medical professional.  Most people don't have a question about it.  I've only had one person choose to allow artificial hydration and nutrition in 8 years of preparing health care directives.

Perhaps someone else has a more technical definition.

Susan

Susan Donahue
Law Office of Susan Donahue
125 West 2nd Avenue, Suite "B"
P.O. Box 81
Twisp, WA 98856
(509) 996-5944 (phone)
(509) 362-9692 (fax)
sdonahue at sdonahuelaw.com<mailto:sdonahue at sdonahuelaw.com>
www.sdonahuelaw.com<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sdonahuelaw.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3194dc50d44f4be09de308d7e6ef53da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637231787879037730&sdata=NZC0A7HNuIXpVInSz4CKiwDjDzq9lNnP5q%2FRdQilxT0%3D&reserved=0>

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Adrienne Keith Wills
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 3:44 PM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Health care directive/hydration

Hi Listmates,

I'm curious to know if anyone has specific information about what qualifies as artificial hydration under RCW 70.122.030 (health care directive)?

Thank you, Adrienne

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Adrienne K. Wills, Attorney | Mediator
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--
Wills Law Firm Inc. (please note the new name for my practice)
Adrienne K. Wills, Attorney | Mediator
Helping family law and estate planning clients create their legacy

1700 Seventh Ave, Suite 2100 | Seattle, WA  98101
Web:  www.WillsLawFirm.com<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.willslawfirm.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3194dc50d44f4be09de308d7e6ef53da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637231787879047725&sdata=jMqd8KE4pFkY9L1NmDQmsGQEFDB1VarngtkQmwjDPHc%3D&reserved=0> | Tel. (206) 523-3047<tel:%28206%29%20523-3047> | Fax (206) 219-6714

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