18. Is my doctor obligated to talk to my health care representative?
Yes. Your health care representative has the legal authority to make medical decisions on your behalf, in consultations with your doctor. Your doctor is legally obligated to consult with your chosen representative and to respect his or her decision as if it were your own decision.
19. Is my health care representative the only person who can speak for me, or can other family members or friends participate in making treatment decisions?
It is generally advisable for your health care representative to consult with family members or others in making decisions, and if you wish you can direct that he or she should do so. It should be understood by everyone, however, that your health care representative is the only person with the legal authority to make decisions about your health care even if others disagree.
20. If I want to give specific instructions about my medical care, what should I say?
If you have any special concerns about particular treatments you should clearly express them in your living will. If you feel that there are medical conditions which would lead you to decide to forego all medical treatment, and accept an earlier death, this should be clearly indicated in your directive.
21. Are there particular medical treatments that I should specifically mention in my living will?
It is a good idea to indicate your specific preferences concerning two specific kinds of life-sustaining measures: artificially provided fluids and nutrition and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Stating your preferences clearly concerning these two treatments will be of considerable help in avoiding uncertainty, disagreements or confusions about your wishes.
22. Can I request that all measures be taken to sustain my life?
Yes. You should make this choice clear in your living will. It is important to emphasize that a living will can be used to request medical treatments as well as to refuse unwanted ones.
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