Such good points @victorkach. While one can't possibly foresee all the "what ifs," talking about preferences and what you and you wife value and what quality of life means for you, will help future decision making. It helps ease burdens and possible difficult choices in the future. Do your adult children find these discussions difficult to have?

@victorkach, I salute you and your wife for making decisions now that will make end-of-life decisions so much easier for your children and others later.

How much easier it would have been for me if we had known about and instituted DNR orders many years ago when my elderly dad was hospitalized for the last time following a massive, totally debilitating stroke which left him helpless and unaware the last 5 yrs of his life.

By the time I arrived, life saving equipment had been installed and my mom instructed me to make the decision about its removal. At the time, as emotionally difficult as the decision was, I knew beyond doubt that my beloved dad would not have wanted to continue as he was. Only later did I wonder why my mom shifted the decision to me, a very young adult with a new baby. Was it because she knew how close my dad and I were or was it because her grief made the decision so difficult? Regardless, it was what my dad would have desired.

Because it was so long ago and our family physician and close neighbor of decades knew the family well, my decision, along with my mom's agreement, was all required to remove the equipment. Today, without a DNR and documented written medical instructions, a mere vocal request might be handled far differently.

Years later, by the time of my mom's and sister's deaths, I was so grateful that we had discussed and had documents in place for their end-of-life desires. I made my "Right to Die" wishes known to my daughter years ago and those are incorporated in my legal documents. I am especially grateful that Colorado is one of only 7 current states that make assisted suicide legal.

A few years ago, I accompanied a close friend to a series of classes held at one of our large hospitals on "How to Plan Now As We Age". We were shocked at the number of elderly couples who had not discussed nor given thought or plan to their final wishes.

Whatever the individual preference or desire may be, I wish all could read, consider and act upon the importance of your last sentence, Victor. Regarding the subject of DNR orders: "It allowed us to think, to counsel, and to discuss this decision point before a decision had to be faced" . Thank you.