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| Is Your House in Order?I'd like to propose a New Year's Resolution: let's all make sure we have our wills, medical directives, and other legal documents in order (and available to those who love us)! We are Christians with the promise of eternal life before us, so let's not be afraid to think about, talk about, and plan for our deaths. We'll be doing ourselves, our friends, and our families a huge favor. Medical emergencies can suddenly come upon people of any age. When Ted Thurston went to get himself a donut one Saturday morning, he had no idea that he would end up in the hospital intensive care unit on life support. Ted's tragic situation was made even more difficult by the fact he apparently had no documentation of his wishes for treatment in a circumstance of this nature, and no one was empowered to make decisions on his behalf. Or, if he had such documents, no one knew where to find them. Ted, being the wonderful, caring person that he is, had many friends eager to be of assistance, but hospital administrators feel bound to a strict interpretation of privacy laws. Getting information alternated between hard and impossible. Even as Ted's pastor, and even though Ted's mother in Indiana expressed over and over again her desire that I be kept informed, some days Ted's doctors and nurses were allowed to talk to me, other days not. I'm guessing that none of us wants to find ourselves unconscious in a hospital bed with no one to speak for us, or in a situation where the people giving us medical care are not allowed to share any significant information with the people who love us and can testify to our faith. So please make sure you've made arrangements and communicated your wishes to those who will be in a position to make decisions for you. How do you feel about aggressive treatment? life support? organ donation? Where do you keep your will, power of attorney for health care, and other legal documents? How can they be accessed? We probably all hope to die in our sleep, and don't like to think about worst case scenarios. Avoidance of the issues, though, may not prove to be such a good strategy. Many people find peace of mind by having attorneys draw up appropriate documents, and/or by talking with their doctors about forms that could be completed and kept on file. Speaking of files, if any of you want to sent me a piece of paper with family contact information, primary physician contact information, and lawyer or location of legal documents contact information, I'd be glad to keep it on file in my office. Spending time with Ted in the ICU allowed me to give thanks for Ted's life and ministry, meet and visit with some of his friends, and spend time in focused prayer and contemplation. Sadness and peace, frustration, and connection were a part of every visit. Ted's hospital saga has been a sobering reminder of the importance of planning for even the things we don't like to think about. Perhaps if we put our temporal affairs in order then, when the moment comes, it will be easier for us to say (with Jesus), "Into your hands, Father, I commend my spirit." Thanks for holding Ted in your prayers. May our family of faith grow wiser and stronger through his experience.
Pastor April Editor's note: you may want to visit Ted's Memorial Web Site. |
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