Three Generations Gather for End-of-Life Conversation
The family then turned to medical decisions.
"OK, Dad, so if you were in a condition where you couldn't make decisions for yourself, how extreme would you want us to take measures to save your life, versus letting you go," Jennings asked.
"Well, I think I'm ready to go any time," Ranz said. "I wouldn't prolong anything. I've lived a great life -- I'm pretty lucky, and it's because of you guys."
Other family members began to weigh in about what they would want in their final moments.
"I wouldn't want anyone to take extreme measures to keep me alive just to have me with you," said Jennings. "I don't want to be on machines or in a coma just being fed IVs."
Calhoun also weighed in.
"I think I've lived a great life," she said. " I have great kids, I have a great family, so I would be perfectly content if I was in that place if you stopped medications and stopped IVs and anything like that and let me go."
Even some of the younger generation spoke up about their wishes. Brett Jennings, Ranz' 28-year-old grandson, told his entire family when it would be OK for them to let him go.
"If there was no meaningful communication, then I would want you to stop trying to intervene," he said.
With that conversation, the entire family joined the rising tide of people taking time to talk about end of life care with their loved ones.
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