Driving is voluntary as well. I think the point here is that we engage in dangerous activities all the time and are mostly oblivious to it. I think having a will in place to protect your family is essential for everyone and I don't think divers need to do anymore than the average person.
A Diver's Responsibility to his family....
- Thread starter Peter Guy
- Start date
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Driving is voluntary as well. I think the point here is that we engage in dangerous activities all the time and are mostly oblivious to it. I think having a will in place to protect your family is essential for everyone and I don't think divers need to do anymore than the average person.
Missdirected
Contributor
Glad someone finally mentioned that you may not die - you may be brain dead/persistent vegatative state.
Be sure you have a Living Will. Do not keep it locked in a safe. Keep it somewhere so that it can be grabbed quickly. This way, everyone will know your wishes. Mine is in my dresser drawer and I have told all sorts of people about it. Remember you may tell your spouse you don't want to be "hooked up" or perhaps you do, however, keep in mind mom may try and fight that. Make it as easy as possible for the family.
Of course insurance. You might say money is nothing in the big picture but trust me when your S.O. wants to mourn but can't because they have to worry about how to bury you - money is a big deal. There has just been a death of an SB member and guess what... NO insurance! This family is SOL and relying on the gratitude of others. Think about that before you go diving.
BTW, FWIW, you can download a Living Will for nothing. Fill it out (should take ten minutes or so for a basic one) and get it notarized. In no time, you have taken a huge burden off of your family and made your wishes known. Most banks will notarize for free if you have an account with them.
Here is a sample form for the state of florida:
LIVING WILL
(Florida Statutes 765-303)
Declaration made this _____ day of _______________________________________, 20_____, I, ___________________________________________________________________________, willfully and voluntarily make known my desire that my dying not be artificially prolonged under the circumstances set forth below, and I do hereby declare that, if at any time I am incapacitated and (initial as applicable)
________ I have a terminal condition
________ I have an end-stage condition
________ I am in a persistent vegetative state
and if my attending or treating physician and another consulting physician have determined that there is no reasonable medical probability of my recovery from such condition, I direct that lifeprolonging procedures be withheld or withdrawn when the application of such procedures would serve only to prolong artificially the process of dying, and that I be permitted to die naturally with only the administration of medication or the performance of any medical procedure deemed necessary to provide me with comfort care or to alleviate pain.
It is my intention that this declaration be honored by my family and physician as the final expression of my legal right to refuse medical or surgical treatment and to accept the consequences for such refusal.
In the event that I have been determined to be unable to provide express and informed consent
regarding the withholding, withdrawal, or continuation of life-prolonging procedures, I wish to
designate, as my surrogate to carry out the provisions of this declaration:
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Zip Code: ___________________
Phone: _____________________
I understand the full import of this declaration, and I am emotionally and mentally competent to make this declaration.
Additional instructions (optional):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Signed: _______________________________________________________________________
Date: ______________________________
Witnesses:
1. Signature: __________________________________________________________________
Printed Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Signature: __________________________________________________________________
Printed Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Be sure you have a Living Will. Do not keep it locked in a safe. Keep it somewhere so that it can be grabbed quickly. This way, everyone will know your wishes. Mine is in my dresser drawer and I have told all sorts of people about it. Remember you may tell your spouse you don't want to be "hooked up" or perhaps you do, however, keep in mind mom may try and fight that. Make it as easy as possible for the family.
Of course insurance. You might say money is nothing in the big picture but trust me when your S.O. wants to mourn but can't because they have to worry about how to bury you - money is a big deal. There has just been a death of an SB member and guess what... NO insurance! This family is SOL and relying on the gratitude of others. Think about that before you go diving.
BTW, FWIW, you can download a Living Will for nothing. Fill it out (should take ten minutes or so for a basic one) and get it notarized. In no time, you have taken a huge burden off of your family and made your wishes known. Most banks will notarize for free if you have an account with them.
Here is a sample form for the state of florida:
LIVING WILL
(Florida Statutes 765-303)
Declaration made this _____ day of _______________________________________, 20_____, I, ___________________________________________________________________________, willfully and voluntarily make known my desire that my dying not be artificially prolonged under the circumstances set forth below, and I do hereby declare that, if at any time I am incapacitated and (initial as applicable)
________ I have a terminal condition
________ I have an end-stage condition
________ I am in a persistent vegetative state
and if my attending or treating physician and another consulting physician have determined that there is no reasonable medical probability of my recovery from such condition, I direct that lifeprolonging procedures be withheld or withdrawn when the application of such procedures would serve only to prolong artificially the process of dying, and that I be permitted to die naturally with only the administration of medication or the performance of any medical procedure deemed necessary to provide me with comfort care or to alleviate pain.
It is my intention that this declaration be honored by my family and physician as the final expression of my legal right to refuse medical or surgical treatment and to accept the consequences for such refusal.
In the event that I have been determined to be unable to provide express and informed consent
regarding the withholding, withdrawal, or continuation of life-prolonging procedures, I wish to
designate, as my surrogate to carry out the provisions of this declaration:
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Zip Code: ___________________
Phone: _____________________
I understand the full import of this declaration, and I am emotionally and mentally competent to make this declaration.
Additional instructions (optional):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Signed: _______________________________________________________________________
Date: ______________________________
Witnesses:
1. Signature: __________________________________________________________________
Printed Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________
2. Signature: __________________________________________________________________
Printed Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Missdirected
Contributor
Hrmmm, I think I killed the thread.
mikerault
Contributor
I have about 2 million in insurance, as well as coverage from dive insurers and work. I also have a living will.
Mike
Mike
ArcticDiver
Contributor
Nope, as this and other threads illustrate, most folks don't like to face the reality that life is a terminal illness. That is, unless there are some of the Lazarus Family about us.
Then, as a general matter people have a very poor idea of actual risk for any activity. That is why I used the term "perceived risk" in my earlier post.
The Only group of people I personally know who universally accept and take care of this kind of business are the military folks. Although it is a regulation for them to do so, very, very few have to be coaxed.
Darnold9999
Contributor
Mentioned before, but worth resaying. Get a will done and get it done or at least reviewed by a lawyer.
My SO's father hated lawyers, why she became one is a whole other story, but he decided that he didn't need one and could write his last will himself - didn't even bother to run it by her. He died - 5 years later - 30 % of the estate gone to lawyers fees - the estate was finally distributed.
You would think that this was an estate worth millions - nope total less than $400,000 - just some really stupid drafting, words that mean different things to different people, unclear gifts to charitible institutions with in house lawyers, a distribution that didn't add up to 100% and no clear residual beneficiary.
Spend the $ on getting a lawyer to look at your will. Yes it will cost you a few bucks, but it will almost certainly save your estate money.
There can be some really bizarre results if there is no will particularly with todays blended families. Real example: unmarried couple lost at sea with no will. Assets (house and insurance) held in common went to the younger(presumed to have survived longer), her children inherited. His children got nothing, and ended up raising her children in the family home until they turned 18 when the house was transferred to her children.
My SO's father hated lawyers, why she became one is a whole other story, but he decided that he didn't need one and could write his last will himself - didn't even bother to run it by her. He died - 5 years later - 30 % of the estate gone to lawyers fees - the estate was finally distributed.
You would think that this was an estate worth millions - nope total less than $400,000 - just some really stupid drafting, words that mean different things to different people, unclear gifts to charitible institutions with in house lawyers, a distribution that didn't add up to 100% and no clear residual beneficiary.
Spend the $ on getting a lawyer to look at your will. Yes it will cost you a few bucks, but it will almost certainly save your estate money.
There can be some really bizarre results if there is no will particularly with todays blended families. Real example: unmarried couple lost at sea with no will. Assets (house and insurance) held in common went to the younger(presumed to have survived longer), her children inherited. His children got nothing, and ended up raising her children in the family home until they turned 18 when the house was transferred to her children.
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