Peace

Aunt Patsy passed away this afternoon about 3:15. She was surrounded by her husband and children. Reality hasn't hit yet for me that she is really gone. A person gets into the hospital visit habit, and it becomes such a routine. I am glad for her to not be suffering any more, but it is a tough time to feel any gladness. We here on earth are the ones who feel like we are suffering now. Her pain and suffering is now over. I know she was an angel here on earth, and now will be watching over all of us. Such a special lady...

Will is an amazing thing.

Our Aunt Patsy's will is amazing. She has been clinging to life, breathing only 4-6 times per minute for about two days now. All of the family has come. Some have had to go back to work, so they have gone home for now. She was able Saturday evening to be conscious enough to say her good byes to everyone. Each person had their moments with her. Now she has asked to only have her husband of over 50 years with her. She doesn't want people to see her go.

She is still a selfless person. Please continue to keep her and her family in your prayers. Thank you.

Amazing night

Well, last night after feeling drained, I posted how awful cancer is. I still think that. Today when I got back from Garden City, Terry and I picked up Emily and went to the hospital to visit Aunt Patsy. There had been quite a change. Hospice has come in and all IV's are removed. She is using a pain patch to make it through the pain. I guess that at about 10:00 this morning, after a very lucid few hours, she began to not really talk and had her eyes open, and seemed to look all around and at everyone.

Tonight I went to church for a women's fellowship group. I didn't want to go, but I did anyway. I did enjoy and especially felt the love of such great women. Afterwards, I went back to the hospital to visit with the family of Aunt Patsy. All of her children had arrived except one son who was on his way from Springfield, MO. Just since I had left, she had closed her eyes and wasn't opening them for anything. While I was there, I witnessed an amazing thing. Her son, Danny arrived, walked up to the head of the bed, and began to stroke her head and talk to her. The other children surrounded her bed along with her husband. She opened her eyes and looked right into Danny's face. She probably kept them open for a couple of minutes, but to see that a spirit like hers was surrounded with all of that love just absolutely moved me. I smiled through the tears, knowing that maybe, just maybe now she could go in peace knowing that all of her children were there surrounding her with their love. The only people that haven't gotten here are one of her brothers, and a couple of grandsons. I don't know if they will make it before she passes, but to have witnessed what I did tonight was in itself a true blessing.

Cancer is an awful disease!

Our Aunt Patsy (Terry's mom's sister) is in the hopital. She is receiving comfort care. It is so hard to watch her family struggle through this. I totally understand, as I went through it with my mom when she died of gall bladder cancer. I feel like a helpful resource for them sometimes because there was so much I didn't know then that I know now. It still doesn't make it any easier. I want to be strong for them, but seeing her suffer is so hard. I try to make daily visits to relieve the family if they need it. Up until tonight, Aunt Patsy participated in conversation, but tonight she seems to be in so much pain that she isn't. She has a pain medicine drip that she can push every eight minutes. So hopefully she will use it. She was resting fairly well when I left tonight, so that is comforting.

June 6, 2007

Today I am learning how to blog. EEEEEEEEEK! Who is ready for school to start?