Save a Life...In a StoryWritten by Marcia Passos Duffy
Save a Life…In a Story By Marcia Passos Duffy www.NewEnglandLifeStories.comSo 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 and storyteller has died or is too sick to tell stories anymore. This was case with me. My grandmother died 2 years ago at age of 94. She was born in Portugal and immigrated twice – to Brazil then to 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 forgetting 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 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 and 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 spreading word about how important it is to preserve ones own or an elders’ history. While writing down life stories is not a new concept, 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 – 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 – in 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 GiftWritten by Dr. Vicki Rackner
Terri Schiavo's Gift By Vicki Rackner MDTerri Schiavo and her family have given us a gift. They remind us that planning for your death is your final act of love. For 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 final days of life. When you enter medical system, your job as a patient is to make choices. The process, called informed consent, involves weighing 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 as patient are one who chooses. You always have option of choosing no treatment at all. Our law states that a competent adult has 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 guide 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 enter hospital. Let your family know where this document is. You can also assign a durable power- of- attorney form that identifies person who will make choices for you, if you become unable to make them yourself.
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