We recently attended a wonderful seminar at Grace, the topic of which was how important it is to communicate your wishes for care if you become incapacitated by an accident or illness. This seminar was titled “ADVANCE DIRECTIVE, Your Life. Your Decisions.” It was led by Gretchen Brauer-Rieke, RN, MNS, who also happens to be our Bishop’s wife. Many topics were covered including, “Why is it so hard to talk about death, what do we gain by not talking about it, and what do we lose by not thinking about it.” It is never too early to plan for the inevitable so that your loved ones will know your wishes and be able to carry out your wishes for care when the time comes.

A member of our church had firsthand experience with the consequences of not communicating and preparing ahead of time. When her sister went into a coma at the age of 39, her earthly body was kept alive for six years. No advance directive had been made for her and by the means of feeding tubes, IV feeding, and a breathing apparatus, the process of death was delayed. One can only imagine the sorrow that their loved ones went through. If an advance directive had been made, her wishes would have been known and perhaps most likely, the length of treatment and type of treatment would have been drastically different. Because no advance directive had been made, her family tried desperately to do what they thought was best, even when there was no hope that she would ever come out of the coma.

Most of us will never have to experience a scenario like the one above, but each of us will experience illnesses and the stages of aging in our own way. Many times, processes like these can be difficult, but with prayerful thought, and adequate discussions with loved ones, one can expect their wishes to be known and followed, thus creating a smoother transition for all.

There are many choices that each of us need to make concerning matters such as these. By making them ahead time and discussing them with a responsible party, your loved ones and your doctor, your

Continued below.