THE LIVING SMART STORY: A Letter from Deborah Dillion

My name is Deborah Dillon and I am the founder of Living Smart Software. I worked as the chief investment officer for a billion dollar life insurance company and later became a partner in a private investment firm. Approximately five years ago I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctors said that it was unlikely that surgery would remove all of the tumor cells, resulting in the probability of death at some unknown time in the future.

During the many weeks of surgery, hospitalization, and recovery, I was unable to manage any aspect of my life. I was completely dependent upon friends and family members to care for me and my personal affairs, including running my household, finances, pets, and even my business. There were many friends and family members who wanted to help me; unfortunately we discovered that they were unable to provide all of the help I needed because they lacked the necessary information, instructions, and legal authorizations.

Even though I was married, we discovered that my husband wasn’t allowed to pick up my x-rays, sign for certified mail or packages or even be my insurance advocate on coverage issues while I was in intensive care (despite the fact that my health insurance coverage was through his employer)! My recovery took much longer than expected, resulting in unanswered voice mails and email (both personal and professional) because no one had my passwords or access codes. My cell phone contract expired and was cancelled because my husband wasn’t on the account; the cellular provider wouldn’t discuss the account with him, much less allow him to renew the contract. These types of events happened repeatedly until I was able to regain control of my own life again.

After sharing my story with other people, I learned that what I experienced was all too common – sometimes with devastating results. Like me, most people never think sudden illness or injury will happen to them or those they love. Most people have absolutely no idea how difficult it is for their loved ones (or caregivers) to help them without the necessary tools.

I had no idea how long I would live following my surgery but I was determined to help others avoid what I experienced. I sold my business and consulted financial, family, legal and other experts to help me to create a unique software package that would make it possible for us to easily and inexpensively care for each other in times of crisis and emergency. I also wanted a tool that would allow us to quickly and easily update and change the information, instructions and authorizations to reflect the changes in our lives. With the click of a mouse, the details that define your life can be modified to meet your current situation as often as necessary.

Despite predictions to the contrary by the teams of neurosurgeons who treated me at the Mayo Clinic, several years of MRI’s have confirmed that they were in fact able to completely remove the brain tumor during my surgery and I am no longer facing the end of my life.

I am now able to dedicate my future to helping others become prepared for the uncertainties that lie ahead and care for one another when it matters most.