End of Life Planning: A Daughter’s Lesson on Protecting Her Father’s Wishes

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

No one expects to argue with a doctor about how their parents want to die.

But that is what happened to Maggie.

Her story is difficult to hear but worth learning from. End-of-life planning is not only about filling out forms. It is about making sure your voice is respected when you cannot speak for yourself.

A Family’s Experience

After Maggie’s mom passed away, her dad, Terry, decided to get his affairs in order before heart surgery.
He created an advance directive that clearly stated he did not want to be kept alive by machines. He wanted to remain comfortable and at peace.

Maggie and her siblings agreed and gave the directive to one of his doctors. Unfortunately, that doctor never read it, and the others did not know it existed.

After the surgery, Terry’s health declined quickly. Even as he asked for hospice care, his doctors continued to push life support. It took Maggie reading his advance directive aloud before the medical team finally honored his wishes.

Terry was able to pass peacefully, but only after unnecessary struggle and heartbreak.

The Lesson

Doctors are trained to preserve life, not to ease death. Their intentions are good, but their hesitation can lead to suffering when a patient’s wishes are ignored.

An advance directive only works when it is shared, accessible, and backed by someone ready to speak up.

How You Can Protect Your Family

Maggie’s experience shows how small steps can make a big difference:

• Create a clear and specific plan that includes your medical wishes and names someone you trust to speak for you.
  
• Talk openly with your family and your doctors so everyone understands your preferences.
  
• Keep copies of your advance directive where they can be easily found.
  
• Review your plan regularly so it always reflects your current wishes.
  
  

When you work with our firm, we help you put these steps in place so your family will not face the same confusion and pain.

Your Next Step

If you have not created or updated your advance directive, now is the time.
Planning ahead is not about control. It is about peace.

Book a 15-minute call with April, our Client Services Director, to learn how we can help you create a plan that honors your wishes and supports your loved ones.