New Year--2009

Sure am glad the Christmas season is over...at least the hustle and bustle...

Sue and I have an old friend who was diagnosed in August 08 with brain cancer...after a lengthy battle, she went home to the Lord on Jan. 3, 2009. She was tired. Sue and I helped her daughter, Carolyn take care of her the last few months when she was bedridden.

One day when we were at Carolyn's home, she gave us a book to read while we were there watching over her Mom. It was about death...what to expect, etc. from a Hospice view. It talked about being partially in the earthly world and partially in a spiritual world. How your earthly body reacts when your spiritual body is enteracting with people you know and love who have passed before you.

It talked about how totally immobile people would suddenly become visibly engaged in conversations, physical movements, etc. It also claims that these are just one of the signs to look for approximately 2-3 weeks before death.

There were other signs to look for, but this is the one that really hit me hard. Frances was in an almost comatose state and had been for quite some time...occasionally, we would be able to get her to open her mouth to swallow a pill thru a straw, but nothing more.

We were there this particular day, Frances wasn't moving or talking. Drawing more and more into a permanent fetal position. Her arms, hands drawn up close to her body and twisted and contorted (sp). She suddenly pulled her arms out from under her bed covers, and raised them up into the air as if she was hugging someone. She was talking to whomever she was hugging. At first, she appeared fairly calm, then suddenly she was very aggitated. You could see her chest heaving as she was breathing. Sue and I just watched her the entire time, not saying anything.

This went on for what appeared to be forever, but I know it truly wasn't. But we couldn't take our eyes off of her and her reactions. Now, she is bedridden and totally unable to move or talk, but yet, she was carrying on a very strong conversation with someone.

Then suddenly...she appeared to be hugging this person again...and her breathing once again, calmed down...and then she went back into the fetal position and didn't move anymore, not while we were there.

Long story short...I believed Sue and I both witnessed Frances talking to someone in Heaven. This is just another, "for instance" that totally makes me a believer...and for the life of me...I cannot understand how anyone can not believe in God.

I am so grateful that Frances is now without pain and in Heaven...but there is still an emptiness I'm feeling inside of me. I am so grateful we were given the opportunity to help Frances when she needed us. Thanks God...and please kiss Frances for us...