Terri Schiavo's Gift

Terri Schiavo's Gift By Vicki Rackner MD Terri Schiavo and her family have given us a gift. They remind us that planning for your death is your final act of love. For the past few weeks, we have witnessed painful lessons we would prefer to ignore. Death is a part of life. Tragic medical events befall even young people, often at unexpected times. And difficult decisions accompany the final days of life. When you enter the medical system, your job as a patient is to make choices. The process, called informed consent, involves weighing the risks and benefits of one intervention and comparing it with alternatives. While these are called medical choices, they are really personal choices, reflecting your values, preferences and spiritual beliefs. That