b'Planning Aheadfor YourCommunicationNeeds Its wise for anyone to planahead for their medical needs,regardlessofwhetherornotthey have chronic health conditions. Accidents and medical emergencies can createcircumstances where a person cannot speak for themselves.For individuals with a condition like multiple sclerosis, which has the ability to aectyour speech and your cognition, planning ahead is even more critical. An occasionmay arise where you are unable to communicate your needs and wishes clearly. Howcan you handle such a situation? There are two basic approaches to planning ahead for your medical needs: you cancommunicate your plans in writing with an advance medical directive, and you canassign someone to be your healthcare surrogate. An advance medical directive is a legal document that species the types of medicaltreatment you consent to have in the event that you need treatment while unable tocommunicate. It is sometimes referred to as a living will because advance medicaldirectives often address end-of-life decisions, such as the use of life support or organdonation. However, an advance medical directive can be used to address any healthcarechoices that are of concern to you. In addition to end-of-life decisions, you may wish to specify any treatments youknow in advance that you would wish to accept or refuse, whether your preference isto recuperate at home or in a skilled nursing facility, or whether you would accept visitsfrom clergy while in the hospital. A major limitation of an advance medical directiveis that you cannot possibly plan for every choice you may face, but it can be helpfulwith major decisions.Appointing a healthcare surrogate is a more exible option. Using a legal documentcalled a durable power of attorney for healthcare (sometimes referred to as a healthcareproxy), you designate a trusted family member or friend to make decisions on yourbehalf in the event that you are incapable of giving your consent. Using this method,you can give the person as much or as little authority as you choose, but you are relyingon that person to know your wishes. 12'