Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Just to clarify: I demand Jude Law by my side if I'm departing this earth.

I was handed a Very Adult Packet of Documents on Friday by my doctor, which both creeped me out and excited me.

It gave me goosebumps for a few seconds because of what it is: A living will and power of attorney for health care packet. That's heavy, man.

Excited me because I love filling out forms. I'm serious. Especially when it's about me. It's like a test I know all the answers to. Look at me filling in the blanks! E-R-I-N F W-A-S-I-N-G-E-R. Female! Yay! Ask me more! Date of birth? I thought you'd never ask! (I'm that person who fills out surveys and warranty slips for mundane items such as the DVD player and the vacuum. I can't help it. And yes, I am on medicine for that. Ha.)

But I'm in my mid-20s. I don't want to think about what I want around me when I die. Music I want playing? People I want there? Items I'd like to have? Let's see ... the Postal Service, Jude Law and a box of those Hostess cupcakes with the white swirls on top. Because I get what I want then, right? That's what that means? Oh, so weird.

Now, if this were a conversation about what to do with my stuff? That'd be another thing. When I was younger, my brother and I overheard someone talking about what a will was, so we got out our notebooks and started making one of our own. Cassette tapes: To Derrick. GI Joes: To Matt. My piggy bank: To Mom. It was fun, and slightly disturbing that at 8 and 6 we felt the need to clarify where our stuff should go. I'm sure Mom was beaming with pride.

But that kind of will, I'm not talking about. I assume if, God forbid, something should happen to Dave and I, that people will take turns raising Big. Because who wouldn't want him? And ya'll can share my debts. Hope you like writing checks! You're welcome!

The doctor said I'm to fill these living will and power of attorney for health care forms out with Dave and to talk to him about it, and then have him fill one out as well. Few things are awkward with Dave; this probably won't be either. But it's not really one of those conversations we'll be having over any candlelight dinners.

Because we do that ALL the time. All the time.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I started filling mine out last year at this time. I was going to a different church then.
Monday I received a call that my best friend's husband had a massive heart attack and stroke at age 36 and was in a coma. They never filled out this paper work. When I talked to her, she said they did not do it because it just doesn't happen to you.
Mine is now complete and signed. We are starting our will this weekend.

Erin said...

I love filling out forms, too. LOL

Dude, we haven't done any of that will stuff ... Why did your doctor give you them? Is that where you get such documents?

As you can tell, I'm clueless about this stuff.

Erin said...

I'm pretty sure that if I were dying, my doctor would've mentioned that when she handed me the paper. But I think it's just something that was on the form, that "how are you feeling today? and by the way, did your mom have any of these 75 diseases?" one.

Weird...