I am replying to Grace Siedel — You are right, beware religious hospitals. In the middle of the night, my mother was transferred from a rehabilitation center to a religious hospital that refused to honor her advanced healthcare directive. By the time I found Mama the next morning, she was heading into surgery. Despite my protestations, she came out of surgery and was hooked up to 17 tubes and placed in the ICU. When Mama woke up — three days later- she was in excruciating pain.

My mother’s brother and my husband hired an attorney. It took a week, but they finally secured her release. An hour after Mom arrived home, hospice had her out of pain and lucid. We spent several more happy weeks together.