The Living Will gives your doctor permission to withhold or
discontinue life support systems under two
conditions:
1)
You must be terminally and incurably ill, or
2) you must be diagnosed as being in a
persistent vegetative state.
If two doctors diagnose one of these conditions, your
doctor may withhold or discontinue extraordinary
medical treatment or artificial nutrition or
hydration as directed by your Living Will. A
terminal and incurable condition is defined as a
condition for which the administration of medical
treatment will only prolong the dying process and,
without administration of these treatments or
procedures, death will occur in a relatively short
period of time. You are considered to be in a
persistent vegetative state if you have had a
sustained, complete loss of self-aware cognition,
and you will die soon without the use extraordinary
medical treatment or artificial nutrition or
hydration. Extraordinary means or medical treatment
includes any medical procedure which artificially
postpones the moment of death by supporting or
replacing a vital bodily function. Artificial
nutrition or hydration describes the use of feeding
tubes or other invasive means to give someone food
or water. The North Carolina Right to a Natural
Death Act specifically states that the withholding
or discontinuance of any extraordinary means of
keeping a patient alive, or the withholding or
discontinuance of artificial nutrition and
hydration, shall not be considered the cause of
death for any civil or criminal purpose, nor shall
it be considered unprofessional conduct.
