It's been a while since I posted here- I frequently lurk, but have been busy with work, life, and not letting the fact that I was a JW for so long linger over my life and become overcome with "what if's?"
Yesterday we got a phone call from my mother in law who is a JW. She was distraught because she still has my husband (her son) who is no longer a JW as her medical and legal POA. This is all between her and attornies, not the actualy "WT proxy form". She prefers it that way. He's her only child- her only family. He would respect and honor whatever her wishes are merely because they're HER wishes.
She finally got around to getting the WT's version of the proxy form filled out and she put her son as the decision maker should she not be able to. The elders refused to sign it! They told her she has to have a JW as her POA, not her son who is no longer a JW. It disgusts me that they think she should just relinquish her rights to some moron in the hall she doesn't know well rather than keep it with her family who she still loves.
Thankfully my mother in law called my husband first to find out if they can truly "do" this. She was panicking over the thought of someone she didn't know making decisions about her life. He told her not to worry- he said that the form needed to be signed by a witness, which could be ANYONE and not necessarily a Jehovah's Witness.
She was so relieved that legally she could keep his name on her POA form. I just can't believe the elders pulled that crap on this elderly woman!
Then she asked if my husband was ever going to come back to the "truth" and he said probably not. She responded, "that's ok". and thanked him for his help.