Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted on BestEndings.com  a website whose mission and mandate is to help navigate personal and medical decisions as life’s end nears.  Founder, Kathy Kastner, encouraged me to tackle the subject, after all, who’s a better candidate for an abrupt, or unpredictable ending, than a 61 year-old male with a life-long chronic illness. Its definitely a touchy subject, but she gave me some tools and direction to get started. Here’s my first take: Who’s important in my end-of-life plan?

Contemplating that question, it took me a moment to realize that “I’m important!”  Taking Inventory of Who I Am It starts here, similar in some respects to a computer chip, the intelligence that powers the organism, I am:

61 years old, orphan son Living with Crohn’s disease for 30+ years, with multiple surgeries, treatments, medications Husband of 32 years in a loving relationship (more on this later) Parent of 2 young adults who are compassionate, thoughtful, open minded critical thinkers.

Who are my ‘important’ extended family relationships?

I’m a younger brother (yes at 61) he and his wife are present in my life. I’m a cousin to people who are important to me. Some of these relationships play major continuing roles that are vital to my [...] continue the story