Health Care Proxy

By: Celena Romero

Clinical Quality Specialist

Lehigh Valley Health Network

It is very easy to get caught up in day-to-day routine activities. Rarely is there time to think about the “what if” questions until it’s too late. I’m specifically referring to advance care planning. I’d like to share my personal experience that triggered my thoughts of advance care planning at 35 years old.

My husband and I were healthy newlyweds taking our ordinary life for granted until my husband became critically ill with the Swine flu and MRSA pneumonia. Suddenly, I was making health care decisions and signing consent forms on his behalf, as he remained intubated in a medically induced coma. I asked myself, “If we weren’t married who would be making his healthcare decisions? Would it be my husband’s parents; his 18 year old son? Who would these decisions be legally deferred to? Would I be left in the dark as far as his medical care or prognosis?” Fortunately, my husband made a full recovery and is doing exceptionally well thanks to the care he received at Lehigh Valley Health Network. But, I still wonder what things would have been like if we weren’t married during those crucial moments in the intensive care unit.

I also question, “What if I were the one in a coma? Is my husband comfortable making medical decisions on my behalf?” As it turns out, he’s not best suited for the task. I defer my healthcare decision making to my mom. My mom is my health care proxy. Everyone over 18 years old needs a health care proxy - a person who knows your care wishes and will express them to doctors in the event you cannot speak for yourself. This is an example of advance care planning.

The Conversation Project's user friendly guide, How to Choose a Health Care Proxy and How to Be a Health Care Proxy offers facts and tips to make sound decisions about choosing, and being, a health care proxy. This guide can found at http://theconversationproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ConversationProject-ProxyKit-English.pdf. For more information about advance care planning, please visit http://yourlifeyourwishes.com/.