Second, I signed a new health care directive naming my oldest friend, Joyce Whitaker, from church. Joyce had been my friend for forty years. She’d driven me to every cardiology appointment for the last six months, because my kids were “too busy.”
Third, I signed a new durable power of attorney for finances. Also naming Joyce. Effective only if two doctors certified that I was incapacitated.
Fourth, I signed a letter instructing the hospital not to release any information about me to David, Sarah, or Michael without my written permission.
My hand was shaking by the end. But every signature was mine.
“One more thing,” Gloria said. “The most important thing.”
“What?”
“You need an independent capacity evaluation,” she said. “Not by anyone they picked. Not by anyone at this hospital, so nobody can say Dr. Chen influenced it. By a board-certified geriatrician who’s never met you. As soon as your doctors say you’re medically stable enough.”
