Today is Monday, July 15th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2611

The call came mid-afternoon on Friday. It wasn't unexpected, but it may have been sooner than we'd thought.
 
"All of you need to come. Your mom isn't doing well" was the message.
 
In the next two hours plus, all five of us girls made our way from different directions to the Clear Lake care center. And began our 'final hours' watch as mom struggled between life and death.
 
Among other people waiting with us were long-time friends of our family and our oldest sister's retired pastor, Denny and  his wife Sharon..
 
As the afternoon moved on, the hospice worker said, "It will probably be between 24 - 48 hours."
 
Denny and Sharon made their way to leave around supper time. Sharon said, "You girls need to go in and talk with your mom, one-by-one to tell her good-bye and that it is okay for her to go. I've seen it speed up the dying process." Most of us have heard of that before. Sometimes we need to be reminded.
 
Mom was in a two-person room which had two chairs by her bedside. Sometimes we'd bring in an additional folding chair. We'd rotate spots and times sitting with her in her room.
 
Shortly after nine, I was spending a couple of minutes in her room alone. I took one of her thin hands and said to her, "Mom, it's okay. You have been a good mom to us. We love you very much. We are all going to be okay. You don't have to stay here for us any longer. When you get to heaven, will you tell Merry (our daughter who died about 14 years ago) hello from us, let her know how much we love and miss her. And that we will all be together again soon. Good-bye, Mom."
 
Our youngest sister ventured in as our watch continued. Within 10 - 15 minutes, mom's breathing changed. Eileen motioned for the other three sisters to come into mom's room. Another 10 - 15 minutes and she drew her last breath.
 
Was Sharon right telling us how to let her go and that made a difference? We don't know, nor will we ever.
 
But we do know one thing:  Mom's now home at last to her new forever home!
 
Time to praise God for lives which never end!
 
 

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