For those who insist that their wishes "must" be honored - I beg you to do a search for Terri Schiavo - who was in a coma for 15 years and the family and hospital were split on "what to do" about her, and it was HUGE UGLY lawsuit with politicians getting involved. It happened in Florida. Without breaking rules of the forum - it's possible we will be *at risk* of more of these situations in the near future.

Do whatever you need, to ensure that your wishes are not only put in writing, but that you have someone assigned to speak on your behalf if you are no longer able to speak on your own.

Best advice. See an attorney.

Living Wills, DNRs, Power of Attorney, Durable Power Attorney, Medical POA,
 

Better make sure the documents you are dependent on are universal. What is legal in Florida may not work out the way you intend in Texas or Pennsylvania or wherever you happen to be when the River Styx boatman comes for you. States can have different laws, forms and requirements. You can't always be sure you will need the living will in the state you draw them up in. Talk with an attorney.
And don't forget the States that may have over reaching religious groups plugged into state governments mandating special medical treatment.

In the Schiavo case there was no living will. Her case stands as an example of why you should have a living will to explicitly state your wishes.

Naming someone to speak on your behalf is very important as well. There is an article today in the Wall Street Journal about a case where the person named did not agree with the wishes stated in the living will and delayed removing the extreme measures for a year.

Things can go wrong even with the living will and a person named to speak on your behalf. However, things can go even more wrong if these are not in place.