Have you had the conversation? Have you filled out your documents? And do your loved ones know your wishes? If you can’t easily answer these questions then you need to get up to speed about advance directives – and no better time to think about these issues than now, in honor of National Health Care Decisions Day, which is April 16th. It’s critically important to consider the choices and decisions that may arise should you become seriously ill and unable to speak for yourself and also, to make sure your loved ones and care providers know your wishes. So, to get the conversation started, take a look at The Conversation Project, and the plans they are promoting for National Health Care Decisions Day. And while you’re giving thought to these matters, you may also want to check out ” Defining Hope,” a new documentary airing on local PBS stations, that takes you through the conversations and decisions of a group of seriously ill people as they consider what’s important in their lives in the face of life-threatening illness. None of us knows for sure what lies ahead but we can consider for ourselves, and share with our loved ones, what we find meaningful and essential.