Advance Care Planing

Today is my Advance care Planning Appointment with the Oncology office

I received this packed of paperwork to be completed before the important appointment.  Where is the human compassion in suggesting Advance care planning to a cancer patient is this like a judgment or what?  It makes you feel weak and less strong seemingly planning in advance.  I have to keep reminding myself that most people do actually live and make it in my position this is just smart planning incase>

Tamar‘s advance planning

Tamar means ‘date palm’, source of food, shade, life

Judah means ‘give praise to God’  

Er, Judah’s firstborn was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan ‘Go into your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law; raise up offspring for your brother.’Read 

Genesis 38:1-11. 

The truth is that we think we plan in advance but God always has a plan himself for long-term.  Bad things happen to good people and good things to bad people. Keep reminding yourself that good can come from any evil plan that the enemy planned to destroy you, God can even use our mistakes for our own good and to glorify him.  Genesis 38: 1 – 11 Tamar married Judah’s eldest son Er.  Er died had a young age and then Judah gave Tamar to the next in line brother Onan.  Tamar did not conceive a child since Onan practiced a form of contraception most like withdrawing before ejaculation, and so Tamar was childless again.  For a women in the Jewish community this was a shame it seemingly was a punishment from God.  Onan did not obey his father and did not follow the law to give Tamar a son that would inherit Er‘s name and claim  Er’s inheritance.  God punished Onan and he died.  Now Tamar had the right to the third son, Shelah of Judah, was too young  to father a child. Tamar waited since Judah said he will send for her when the boy is old enough. But Judah did not sent for Tamar.  She decide to take it upon herself to do advance planning, she dressed as a prostitute covering her face sat and waited for her father in-law, at the cities entrance – he took to her and they  had sex .  Judah left his (seal cord) and staff with her (that he thought was  prostitute) in the agreement that he will collect it later when he sent payment for services with a messenger.  She left though with his belonging and the messenger never found the prostitute. Tamar took off the prostitute close put on her widow garment and went home.  .

Leviate Law. This law was found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. If a man died, and his wife had not yet had a child by him, she could go to his brother and demand that he marry her and give her a child who would inherit the property of the dead husband.

‘Tamar put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage. When Judah saw her he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.’      Genesis 38:12-19

Judah properbly had no desire to give his third son to Tamar after two sons died that had being with her.  He considered her as badluck. Later Judah learned that Tamar was pregnantand he accused her of being a whore.  Juda was a tribal head and therefor could past judgement on her.

And Judah said “Bring her out and let her be burned”.  Genesis 38:20-26.

Tamar has not completed her planning yet she sent back to Judah the seal cord and staff and said this belong to the father of my child.  Judah was now confronted with evidence of the event and realized she acted according to the Levite law and she was correct.

 Genesis 38:27-30.

Tamar’s had twin  sons that she  called Perez and Zerah. Perez would be an ancestor of King David and alter the savior Jesus Christ. 

Thus with some unorthodox advance planning Tamar where able to collect the inheritance for her and her sons and above all a spiritual inheritance in the lineage Christ our Lord.

Now getting back to my advance planning  I first started completing the patient Values for Healthcare, my Living will as a directive to Physicians and Family Surrogates.  Very important in my case is the Medical power of Attorney that has to be completed in case something goes wrong in emergency or the surgery when removing a part of me.  My spouse now and I are not married we are domestic partners (my ex-husband) so it is ultimately important that I name him and then secondary my two eldest children.  I did not complete the out of Hospital do not resuscitate because I really do want to live you know