OUR VIEW: Florida coma prompts thought

In Florida, the fate of a woman who has been in a coma for 13 years is being decided by legislatures and by courts. Her body lives because of modern medicine, but whether there is hope for recovery is still debated.

Most university students are bright, young, strong and healthy. They come to school to prepare for their futures.

Hopefully, no one here will have to face a decision like the one that will be made in Florida, but the possibility always exists. While the woman’s husband says she told him she wouldn’t want to be kept alive artificially, the courts have only his word to verify this, and the parents of the woman dispute his statement.

Life is unpredictable. Accidents happen and illness can overtake even those who seem to be in the prime of their lives. Inevitably, life makes each of us face difficult decisions at some point.

But this decision could have been much easier if she had made her wishes known.

Thinking about one’s own mortality is not easy, especially for young people with hope for the future. But should the unthinkable happen, wouldn’t you want to make your own decisions? Putting your wishes in writing for those who care

about you will be the only way to do that. Let them know if you would want to be an organ donor, or if and how long you would want to be kept on life support. Don’t put them in a situation where they have to choose for you.