Save a Life...In a Story

Written by Marcia Passos Duffy


Save a Life…In a Story By Marcia Passos Duffy www.NewEnglandLifeStories.com

So many people keep meaning to interview their parents or grandparents -- and capture all those entertaining and enlightening family stories. But most people never get around to it, and put it off until it is too late andrepparttar storyteller has died or is too sick to tell stories anymore. This wasrepparttar 110160 case with me. My grandmother died 2 years ago atrepparttar 110161 age of 94. She was born in Portugal and immigrated twice – to Brazil then torepparttar 110162 United States where she lived with my parents for 30 years -- and many stories to tell of her adventures. I was very close with my grandmother, who came to live with us when I was 12. She was a skilled, animated storyteller – as are many people of her generation. Her stories were so vivid I believed that I would always remember them. To this day, I don’t understand why I did not take a tape recorder and just let her talk into it while she spun her yarns. I’m a professional writer, and yet, I never thought to do that. And when she died I realized that while I remember some of her stories to tell to my own children, as time goes on I am forgettingrepparttar 110163 delightful details, twists and turns she gave her stories. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence -- everyday a family elder dies, and along with them, their stories. In repparttar 110164 weeks that followed after my grandmother’s death I realized something important: If, I, as a writer, had never thought to take down my grandmother’s personal history, how many more families are losing their precious stories – so valuable in keeping families – particularly our children -- rooted and grounded? That is why I became a personal historian. I know that by recording these family stories, we allow future generations to discover their ancestors’ personalities, experiences and wisdom. It is a record that ensures a life -- and experiences -- will never be forgotten. A personal historian is a relatively new profession andrepparttar 110165 Association of Personal Historians (APH) www.personalhistorians.org has only existed since 1994. APH members are scattered throughout 42 states and four foreign countries to help people, businesses, families, communities and organizations preserve memories and life stories. We do this by audio-taping, videotaping and spreadingrepparttar 110166 word about how important it is to preserve ones own or an elders’ history. While writing down life stories is not a new concept,repparttar 110167 tragedies of September 11 have led many Americans to re-evaluate what is important in their lives, and there has been a surge in interest in recording life stories –repparttar 110168 lessons learned, moral values and experiences for future generations in a family. There have been many articles recently written about personal historians and what they do – inrepparttar 110169 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, Good Housekeeping, Money magazine. But, what exactly is a life story? How is it done?

Terri Schiavo's Gift

Written by Dr. Vicki Rackner


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.

Forrepparttar 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 accompanyrepparttar 110159 final days of life.

When you enterrepparttar 110160 medical system, your job as a patient is to make choices. The process, called informed consent, involves weighingrepparttar 110161 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’s why, according to US law, medical ethics and common decency, you asrepparttar 110162 patient arerepparttar 110163 one who chooses.

You always haverepparttar 110164 option of choosing no treatment at all. Our law states that a competent adult hasrepparttar 110165 right to refuse treatment even if it means that he or she will die without it.

One day you may not be in a position to make choices for yourself. The medical and legal systems have provided mechanisms to guiderepparttar 110166 decisions you would make for yourself - if you could.

This is a good time to complete and sign two important legal documents: your *advanced directive,* sometimes called a *living will,* and a durable power-of-attorney. The advanced directive outlines your wishes for medical treatment. Give your doctor a copy and take it with you should you enterrepparttar 110167 hospital. Let your family know where this document is. You can also assign a durable power- of- attorney form that identifiesrepparttar 110168 person who will makerepparttar 110169 choices for you, if you become unable to make them yourself.

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