An exercise: What if the relationship was a homosexual marriage . . .,

Saw this in the K.C. Star today :

. . . and the spouse was petitioning to keep the feeding tube in and the parents were having it taken out. What do you think would happen?

The spouse wouldn't even be allowed to state his or her case.

We are not allowed to make decisions for our partners unless we spend several thousands of dollars to have every detail written out in front of an attorney and even then it can be contested in court.

We are worthless in the eyes of the law.

And even in that case I bet it would depend on the political leaning of the judge. Suze Orman was on Larry King last night, bless her heart, with two fundie harpies screeching on about Terri's rights. She kept out of the politics and gave the terminology that people need to use to get the right paperwork for this, and it is not "living will", it is called an "advanced directive and durable power of attorney for health care." I wrote it down because Suze knows her stuff and is usually right on the money. She has been waging a one woman war against credit card debt for about ten years now, and she has finally been vindicated with the bankruptcy law. I respect her even more for sitting there with those harpies last night and keeping the role of educator instead of venturing an opinion about the issue.

http://www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/forms/AdvDirectives/ My manager forwarded this to me yesterday and then I witnessed her DNR statement. Do it for a friend and talk about it.