This morning I watched a video on Facebook.  The 10-minute video shared the story of a young couple and their pregnancy.  Spoiler alert:  from a very tragic prognosis a healthy baby boy was delivered.  A miracle some might say.  What impacted me the most from this video was that although this couple had a very strong faith in God, and they prayed for a miracle, they also planned for the worst.  The husband spoke about planning for his as-yet-unborn son’s funeral and making the necessary arrangements based on the medical prognosis and the likelihood that their son would not live through the pregnancy.  And so, they planned for something they did not want to face.  They did not give up hope; they did not lose faith.  They planned in case a miracle didn’t happen.

Planning for the worst does not diminish Hope.  Planning for death does not negate Faith.  Making healthcare decisions acknowledges our finite life, helps our loved ones know what to do when things go “wrong”, and provides opportunities to experience the richness of life and quality of relationships before we die.

Plans, discussions and decision-making allow us to focus on what is most important at the end of life:  being able to spend and enjoy valuable time with our family and friends. Planning emphasizes Love.

Caring Choices hopes that miracles happen for everyone.  Many of us will simply go quietly into the night while others may still have lengthy experiences with chronic illnesses that slowly claim our lives or acute terminal illnesses that require quick decisions.  Hope, faith and love are important in life; they can become even more important when facing death.

(c) 2014 Caring Choices