Recently I was brought in to the hospital for emergency surgery.  If someone told me that on this day of this month I would need emergency surgery so be prepared.  I probably would have laughed at them.
 
No one asked me if I had a health care proxy form filled out or who did I want to make health care decisions if I was not able to make them for myself.  So I was going into surgery and these people did not have a clue who to ask to speak for me if…
 
If I didn’t wake up from anesthesia

If I had a stroke in surgery and was left unable to care for myself.

If they nicked the bowel and I required a colostomy
 
Certainly these are all hypotheticals, but until that moment that I had that excruciating pain in my abdomen emergency surgery was just a hypothetical.  It was a hypothetical until it was my reality.
 
Be prepared for life’s little bumps fill out a health care proxy form.

Appoint a health care agent.

Discuss your wishes with a health care professional.  Allow your health care professional to dispel misconceptions regarding health care wishes.

Get the facts.

Let your health care agent know your medical wishes so that they may collaborate with the health care team.
 
Give a copy of your health care proxy form to your health care agent, your doctor, close family members and keep a copy under your ICE number (in case of emergency number if you have a smart phone).