The last thing I remember is being told, "Not to worry; you'll be up and bouncing by this time ... This is really no big deal." He grinned at me, so I didn’t worry and tried my best to smile bac
The last thing I remember is being told, "Not to worry; you'll be up and bouncing by this time tomorrow. This is really no big deal." He grinned at me, so I didn’t worry and tried my best to smile back at the surgeon as I drifted out. Oh boy, was I wrong. Well, learning the hard way seems to be the only way I really learn my lessons.
I finally awoke from the coma two-and-a-half weeks later -- simple appendectomy my foot! It was during the next week recuperating in the hospital that I learned just how hard it had been on my family. Mind you, I had drawn up a simple medical directive, but nobody seemed to know where it was located. To make matters worse, I had completely failed to establish all the other legal documents that would have guided my loved one's on my behalf. In addition to worrying whether or not I would survive, they were left fretting over my business interests, home and other assets; it was too much to deal with under stress.
The first real project I undertook after finally being released from the hospital was to establish the legal documents that should have in place ahead of time. A simple healthcare directive, or just telling a loved one your wishes, is not enough. It took me less than an hour, with the guidance of legal software, to draw up some very important documents -- a Financial Power of Attorney, a Medical Power of Attorney, and an updated Medical Directive to Physicians.
Have your attorney draft the legal documents if you wish, but be aware that it's very easy to do-it-yourself, not to mention far cheaper. You can purchase legal software as I did (Nolo's Quicken Personal Lawyer Deluxe 2002, available at computer stores and at www.nolo.com). In addition to Power of Attorney, such software usually covers Living Trusts, Wills, Executor Documents, and a variety of other legal forms for daily use. Look for inexpensive, slightly outdated versions at www.half.com or your local used bookstore.
Another option is to go online and pay a low fee (typically less than $10/form) to fill out interactive forms that will guide you through printing out the completed legal documents on your own equipment at home. Here are a few web sites that can help:
www.legalzoom.com
www.uslegalforms.com
www.lawdepot.com
www.willsforamerica.com
www.legalformsbank.biz
If you're not satisfied with what you find among those, do a Boolean string search at www.google.com by typing in Power of Attorney + your state. It's just that simple.
One final step; be sure to give copies of these documents, after they've been witnessed and notarized, to your loved ones. You should also inform them of the location of other important documents such as insurance papers, will or trust, deed, car title, stocks and bonds, bank and tax records, etc. Please, please, please, don't follow my bad example, leaving your loved ones or friends in the lurch as I did!
