Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Religion Minor

I was a religion minor in college, that means, I know a little about a LOT of religions. Tell me this, at what point do you STOP hoping for a miracle, do you pray until the last minute, or is there a point at which you accept it as God's will and let it be done!??? At this moment in my life, I am so confused!!!!! What does "terminal" mean? Is it an excuse to get the insurance companies to stop paying? OR are you REALLY supposed to just give up!??? AND, what does a "terminal" patient want!??? I need answers, and I don't know where to get them!

3 comments:

Claire said...

In my life, I pray through to the end. I pray that God's will would be done, but if it is possible that His Will could include this person's miraculous recovery - that it would come to pass. So that we might all be able to profess His grace and mercy. I have seen God act, and I have also seen God say no.

As far as hospitals determining someone to be terminal... I think there is just a point where they determine the patient is no longer responding to treatment. But I have heard of people who were terminal who have lived for a very long time with their continuing condition. So, you just never know. As always, our medical system never has all the answers.

Is this someone with a new ailment, or someone I have heard about already? I would love to add them to my prayers!

Brad said...

I'm with Claire. You have to pray to the end and keep "hoping". If you lose the hope it means you've lost the faith at which point prayer doesn't matter. We need to have faith to the end!

Cynthia said...

How fitting that you wrote this and I read it today. On my walk this morning I was thinking about miracles and praying for some for several people in my life.

IMO you pray until the end. There are miracles and when it becomes clear there won't be a miracle you pray for strength for the person, peace and ease of pain. If you give up even when Dr's are telling you there is no hope, I feel like it becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy. Hope & faith are so important in recovery.

Each patient is different with what they want. Some will want to stop treatment that isn't doing much good so they can enjoy (and that's not really the right way to phrase that) what time they do have left with their loved ones, they aren't necessarily giving up but focusing on quality of life, accepting the cards they've been dealt, yet still hoping for a new hand. Others will hold onto the treatment as long as the Dr's provide it, just praying it takes.

I think if the Dr's think treatment will work and/or is necessary even if the label "terminal" is on the persons chart, the insurance company will pay.

and Claire is right, people can be labeled terminal and live a long time. Look at Elizabeth Edwards.