Lisa Ohlen Harris shared a household with her mother-in-law, Jeanne, for seven years. When Jeanne s health deteriorated due to COPD, Harris became one of 65 million American family caregivers. The two women grew so intertwined that Harris began to feel she herself was the one fading away.
Harris helped Jeanne file an advance directive specifying that no extraordinary measures were to be taken to preserve life. As they navigated the healthcare system in Jeanne s final months, Harris and her mother-in-law realized that an advance directive is not as clear and controlled as it seems. End of...