The following excerpt is from the op-ed, “My Dad Had an Advance Directive. He Still Had to Fight to Die,” by Maggie Schneider Huston that first appeared in Newsweek on August 26, 2024.
Dad indicated to me that he did not want the treatment he was receiving. He was cogent and furious that his care team kept dismissing his request for hospice. I assured him I would advocate for him to be placed in hospice.
I told him: “It’s weird fighting for someone you love to die.”
He squeezed my hand so tightly I thought it might break.
From that moment on, it was a battle with the doctors.
At 39, I’m the first one of my friends to lose both of my parents, but I won’t be the last. The
American population is rapidly aging; by 2034, there will be more retirees than children in America, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Younger Americans must be prepared to care for our elders, navigate the healthcare system and fight to ensure our loved ones receive the desired care.
Nothing advances our common cause of improving end-of-life care like real stories. Inspire others and drive change by sharing your story today.
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