On Thursdays, Oct. 22 and 29, End of Life Education will feature questions from past sessions and small-group discussions.
I realize that this is no one’s favorite topic, but I cannot count the times that people have said to me how important and helpful these sessions have been.
For people who have led a planned-for and orderly life, it is so important to find out what options are available and make what choices you have. It is better to face reality and prepare as much as possible for the options that are available.
The meetings will begin at 1 p.m. at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St., in their fellowship hall, which has a side door right off the parking lot. (The front doors are often locked if there are no other church activities.)
There is a basket for a church donation, or people can bring food for the church pantry, but otherwise there is no cost.
On Oct. 22, we will have a speaker from a local funeral home to present information and answer questions. On Oct. 29, we will have a review of all information presented with available brochures and small-group discussions.
When you come to any of our meetings, you can get the booklet for end-of-life decisions that is given to you when you enter a hospital in Colorado. Now is a better time to get it and carefully read the choices that you can make.
On Nov. 12, we will try again to meet with the Emergency Medical Service team to find out what happens when you call 911. You may hope your fairy godmother shows up, but it is actually a team of what I think are true heroes. This is when you need to have a do-not-resuscitate form on your refrigerator.
You might ask why you would ever want to not be resuscitated. The truth of the matter is that if they resuscitate you, it means that you were actually dead. I have decided that if I am dead, I would prefer to stay dead. My life was great and it is over, and I am grateful for a quick and easy end.
Now, for some people, especially at an early age, resuscitation makes sense. I know of a man who was resuscitated in his 50s, and he is happy he did it. But, if you have lived a full life there comes a point that you don’t want to be resuscitated only to die again, perhaps a slower and more painful process. There is life and then there is also quality of life. There is much to be considered.
I wish that people would know how important these sessions can be and help themselves by being as prepared as possible. It is not morbid to face reality, and it does not make you sad. It can make you love others and appreciate much more the life you have and available choices until the end.
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