What a week.... Going from the hospital to hospice with Aunt Sue from responding to us to not. I know some of you may think well she was just an aunt but Sue was more than that to us. She spent every Thanksgiving and every Christmas with us. She actually lived with us for many years and lived with me personally for 10 years. She was like a second mother to us. I was so worried that my family would not make it back before she passed and Autumn even commented well maybe she will make it until we get home. Knowing that the unsaved nurse told me that she only had a few hours I doubted Autumn would see her alive. But she kept on living actually 4 more days. The group was in Texas and it was a long 14 hour drive but Aunt Sue was hanging on. I got up Monday morning nit knowing if Sue would still be here and called and they said she was about the same. The night prior Todd and I had told her it was ok that she could go on to Heaven, that we would be ok. She always felt like she had to take care of us. Sunday nights nurse was a Christian and as we talked she shared some of her experiences even with her own mother. She asked is there anyone who has not been here yet and I told her of my children and my niece. She said well it looks like she is waiting for someone. I said they will be here tomorrow, but it may be too late. She said if I were a betting person I would say she will be here. She was right! On Monday I spoke with the day nurse when I got there and I said I think we have decided to remove the oxygen and let her go on. It was a decision that I labored over. My cousins were all so kind as to give Todd and I the choice to do it or not. I honestly did not want to do it. I asked everyone their opinion. I prayed all day that God would just take her so we didnt have to do it but it looked like that she would be stuck in that in between state. I think the family arrived at 5:10 and I began to tell Sue who all was in the room and call out their names. I said we are all here to see you Sue. We all gathered around her bedside and everyone told her how much they loved her. We began to sing, Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus Just to take Him at His word Just to rest upon His Promise Just to know thus saith The Lord We finished with How Beautiful Heaven Must Be Right as we began to finish Sue began to take faster breaths. No oxygen had been removed it was all the same. All of a sudden she took one long breath and that was it. You could almost see and feel her spirit leave her body. I began to pray and thank God with all of our children watching and thank Him for His faithfulness that we never had to make any decisions. It was the most peaceful thing I have ever witnessed and Im so glad the kids saw the handiwork of God and His great compassion. As we were singing a lady popped into the room (not knowing what was going on) and began to say please come please come and sing for us. I didnt hear or see it but Rhonda told me she had asked. For just a moment I thought to myself, I share my life with the world and cant we just have one minute with our own family and grieve? And then God reminded me that this is a gift we have been given and we cant pick and choose the time to share it. I told the nurse to tell them if they wanted us, we would come and sing. We did, and it was a Spanish mother on her death bed. We sang Since Jesus Passes By. The last verse says All my yesterdays are buried in the deepest of the sea That old load of guilt I carried Is all gone praise God Im free Looking for that bright tomorrow Where no tears will dim the eyes Well oh what a difference since Jesus passed by I looked over and the woman next to me had her arms in the air and was saying, gracias gracias. We finished the song, they thanked us and we left the room. Ten minutes later she went to be with Jesus. God allowed us to help usher her into Heaven. What an awesome gift to be given. Im sad and Im joyful at the same time. This makes me think of my mom and my dad and how much I miss them. Our family is shrinking but Im joyful and thankful that He was so compassionate to us today and even continues to use us in some dark times. So the nurses there had 2 patients pass on in a matter go an hour. They were emotionally exhausted but they poured into this families life and I am so grateful. She said to all of us that we just have to have faith and believe that God will always be faithful. I said I didnt believe I had enough faith to believe today and she said thats all it takes just a little. God heard and He answered. She encouraged the kids to stay close to God. I think we experienced a miracle of grace and mercy today. Im truly thankful! Im also thankful to all of you for so many kind words and prayers. We couldnt make it without you!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 05:25:22 +0000
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