Snips from the Seventh-day Adventist Statement on Dying

... Developments in modern medicine have added to the complexity of decisions about care for the dying. In times past, little could be done to extend human life. But the power of today's medicine to forestall death has generated difficult moral and ethical questions.

... Seventh-day Adventists affirm God's creation of human life, a wonderful gift worthy of being protected and sustained (Genesis 1-2). They also affirm God's wonderful gift of redemption that provides eternal life for those who believe (John 3:15; 17:3). Thus they support the use of modern medicine to extend human life in this world. However, this power should be used in compassionate ways that reveal God's grace by minimizing suffering. Since we have God's promise of eternal life in the earth made new, Christians need not cling anxiously to the last vestiges of life on this earth. Nor is it necessary to accept or offer all possible medical treatments that merely prolong the process of dying.

Because of their commitment to care for the whole person, Seventh-day Adventists are concerned about the physical, emotional, and spiritual care of the dying. To this end, they offer the following biblically based principles:

1) A person who is approaching the end of life, and is capable of understanding, deserves to know the truth about his or her condition, the treatment choices and the possible outcomes. The truth should not be withheld but shared with Christian love and with sensitivity to the patient's personal and cultural circumstances (Ephesians 4:15).

2) God has given human beings freedom of choice and asks them to use their freedom responsibly. Seventh-day Adventists believe that this freedom extends to decisions about medical care. After seeking divine guidance and considering the interests of those affected by the decision (Romans 14:7) as well as medical advice, a person who is capable of deciding should determine whether to accept or reject life-extending medical interventions. Such persons should not be forced to submit to medical treatment that they find unacceptable.

3) God's plan is for people to be nourished within a family and a faith community. Decisions about human life are best made within the context of healthy family relationships after considering medical advice (Genesis 2:18; Mark 10:6-9; Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 5-6). When a dying person is unable to give consent or express preferences regarding medical intervention, such decisions should be made by someone chosen by the dying person. If no one has been chosen, someone close to the dying person should make the determination. Except in extraordinary circumstances, medical or legal professionals should defer decisions about medical interventions for a dying person to those closest to that individual. Wishes or decisions of the individual are best made in writing and should be in agreement with existing legal requirements.

4) Christian love is practical and responsible (Romans 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 13; James 1:27; 2:14-17). Such love does not deny faith nor obligate us to offer or to accept medical interventions whose burdens outweigh the probable benefits. For example, when medical care merely preserves bodily functions, without hope of returning a patient to mental awareness, it is futile and may, in good conscience, be withheld or withdrawn. Similarly, life-extending medical treatments may be omitted or stopped if they only add to the patient's suffering or needlessly prolong the process of dying. Any action taken should be in harmony with legal mandates.

5) While Christian love may lead to the withholding or withdrawing of medical interventions that only increase suffering or prolong dying, Seventh-day Adventists do not practice "mercy killing" or assist in suicide (Genesis 9:5- 6; Exodus 20:13; 23:7). They are opposed to active euthanasia, the intentional taking of the life of a suffering or dying person.

6) Christian compassion calls for the alleviation of suffering (Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 10:29-37). In caring for the dying, it is a Christian responsibility to relieve pain and suffering, to the fullest extent possible, not to include active euthanasia. When it is clear that medical intervention will not cure a patient, the primary goal of care should shift to relief from suffering.

7) The biblical principle of justice prescribes that added care be given the needs of those who are defenseless and dependent (Psalm 82:3- 4; Proverbs 24:11-12; Isaiah 1:1-18; Micah 6:8; Luke 1:52-54). Because of their vulnerable condition, special care should be taken to ensure that dying persons are treated with respect for their dignity and without unfair discrimination. Care for the dying should be based on their spiritual and medical needs and their expressed choices rather than on perceptions of their social worthiness (James 2:1-9).

As Seventh-day Adventists seek to apply these principles, they take hope and courage from the fact that God answers the prayers of His children and is able to work miraculously for their well-being (Psalm 103:1-5; James 5:13-16). Following Jesus' example, they also pray to accept the will of God in all things (Matthew 26:39). They are confident that they can call on God's power to aid them in caring for the physical and spiritual needs of suffering and dying individuals. They know that the grace of God is sufficient to enable them to endure adversity (Psalm 50:14-15). They believe that eternal life for all who have faith in Jesus is secure in the triumph of God's love.

More more... the Church's main site.

Big Willie Style

Saw Will Smith on "Today" this morning. Just gotta love that guy. I've been a fan since "Parents Just Don't Understand." Glad he has a new album coming out. Should be fun. I like the rap beat, but don't appreciate the negativity of most rap lyrics, so Will's stuff is the best of both worlds.

I need to stop drinking so much diet soda. It's seriously bad for you; probably damages DNA as well as causing cancer. Water is just so boring. And don't tell me to add a little lemon. Yuck! I also need to cut down on salt. Maybe I should go cold turkey on soda, salt and sugar to retrain my taster. Right; we'll see.

Tired of the headlines

I'm getting really tired of reading about the Schiavo case, Jackson's trial, the ailing pope and Wendy's giving somebody the finger. I'd bet a zillion dollars (if I had it) that poor Terri wanted to let go 14 years ago. But even if she weren't mentally vegetative, in fact, especially if she were mentally alert, she would not want to "live" like she has been for 15 years. All the same, I feel badly for the parents, who probably survive day to day on the hope that she might someday recover, even if that hope is not based on facts or evidence. People should really make living wills.

As far as Michael Jackson goes, I bet he didn't touch that kid, but regardless, he's mentally ill enough that prison might help him figure his life out. Or maybe he's too far gone already. I'm guessing that he'll be acquitted, because that accuser's family completely lacks credibility.

I think the news I enjoy most is the Strange and Weird lists from AP and Reuters. Then again, that's where the finger-chili story keeps appearing. I use iWon.com for my home page, and you can set it up with all this personalized content, which I love.

Well, Ken's working on taxes and I'm spring cleaning, so I guess I'll get back to it before I lose the motivation.

Moving Forward

Well, the funeral services were very nice. I'd never attended one with full military honors before (21-gun salute, taps, flag folding, etc.), so that was interesting. Only seen them on TV. Now we're just easing back into regular life, whatever that means exactly. Tomorrow mom and I are headed to the Palace spa for a day of beauty. Should be relaxing and enjoyable. But now, errands...

Death

Well, my dad died this morning after a 15-month battle against small cell lung cancer. We knew the diagnosis was terminal and were very blessed to have him around for this long (the docs gave him 4-12 months, depending on treatment). He was 86. It's a lesson for smokers, though. He had the habit for nearly 50 years, but quit 25 years ago. If he hadn't quit then, he probably would've died 20 years ago. Amazing the body's regenerative capacity. My half-brother, also a smoker, died of the same type of cancer in 1996. He was about 50 at that time, I think. No idea when this photo of dad was taken, but he was sure handsome!




Anyway, the grief really hasn't set in. I'm sure it'll hit me like a tidal wave when I see a picture of us or remember a funny moment or think of our goodbye. In the meantime, I'm thankful for a deferred heartbreak.

Ummm... Ooohhh Kaaaayyyy...

I must say, there are some VERY odd blogs out there. I like flipping through with the "Next Blog" button to see what's out there. Some are blatent spam-like sales pitches. Others are not in English (which is fine, but they're useless to me). A few are well-written journals. But most seem to be written by mentally ill people. Seriously. What's the deal with that?

Apparently we have a mole or gopher in our yard and the dog really wants to find him!

Char-grilled and fire-roasted

I arrived at the office this morning to find that Cisco's, the Mexican restaurant next door to our building, burned down during the night. Wow! Seems weird, like someone I know died. (I don't think anyone was actually in there, as the fire apparently started about 2:30 a.m.) We just ate there last week and they cater for us quite regularly. Too bad, too, because they'd recently gotten all new booths and it was looking very nice. I wonder if they'll rebuild?

Ken's in Redding this week servicing his clients up there. It's a terrible long drive, and we're hoping business down here picks up soon so that he can stop going up there. I think he'd like to continue servicing the Redding customers via UPS. I hope they go for that.

Well, my magazine's on deadline and I have lots of poorly-written stories to edit, so I better get back to it. Sure is a beautiful Southern California day. Wish I were outside!

Rodents and Idols

So we've been having a rodent problem around here lately. We live in a relatively rural area with open space all around, and rats love it. All the rain has driven them in even more. We can't go in the kitchen because something has died in the walls and it smells terrible rotten. Then tonight we were sitting on the couch watching "American Idol" when from the corner of my eye I see a mouse run down the hall! We chased the little bastard into a closet, and Ken herded him out the door. Perhaps he'll head into one of the six Orkin rat-size bait boxes we have out for his last meal... Speaking of those boxes, they just placed them Tuesday, and we checked them Sunday — EMPTY! Those rats have cleaned them out; I can't imagine how many dead ones there are. Fortunately, they take the bait back to their nests and feed the family with it, so they're not dying here (at least no evidence yet). I hate feeling so invaded.

And speaking of "Idol," the guys are just so awesome. I totally see the top six being all guys. I even voted tonight for the first time this season. How hip am I?

Lazy Sunday

Can't remember the last time we had such a lazy day. I stayed in bed 'til after 9, then made biscuits, eggs, hashbrowns and MSF links for breakfast (brunch?). We watched a little TV, then puttered around the house, asking each other, "So, what are we doing today?" Garbage out, dog poop picked up, baseboards dusted, bathroom cleaned, laundry done, etc. We even sat on the front porch, eating beef jerkey and watching the dog chew a bone in the grass. How wonderful is that? Ken made supper (mango chutney chicken!) while I was picking up some stuff at Target, and now we're waiting for the dark chocolate cake to cool. We're watching a little "Rocky" while TiVoing "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." We're getting kind of annoyed that "American Dreams" hasn't been on for so long. Seems like the TV season schedules are messed up in recent years. Hmmm.

Ken, back from his first ride in Sycamore Canyon. Not sure what the dog is saying...

Ken's new bike, a Weyless SP Pro 2004.

Mountain Biking

Well, Ken is out mountain biking with Jon. They got a late start (left here about 3:30ish?), so they probably won't have enough daylight to overdo it. Ken's had a sore ankle since trying a stunt on the bike earlier this week. Anyway, I figured I'd give blogging a go just to say that I do/can. Good to know something about it. Oooh, just heard the boys come back. More later!

Ken and Alicia 

Entering the mad, mad, mad, mad world of blogging...

I used to be a front-runner in technology. I knew what there was to know. But now, my age is showing and web-related stuff has run far, far ahead of me. Apparently blogging has been around for some five years. A techie friend of mine mentioned a couple years ago that he was moving away from his usual HTMLing to start blogging. I had no idea what he was going on about, and didn't give it another thought until recent months. So I figured I ought to try it out, if for nothing more than to say that I have a clue what it's about.