Friday, January 9, 2015

2015

As I write this, it is the second day of the New Year. On December 17, just a little over 2 weeks ago, Mom entered God's presence around 3:30 AM. I was with her until around 8:15 PM the night before. Her eyes did not open while I was with her on December 16th. The night nurse at Mary Washington Hospital had called me just before 7 AM on the 16th. She asked me what time I would be in to help Mom with her breakfast. When I told her that I would be in around 8:45, she said I might want to come in a little earlier. Amy, the night nurse, told me that Mom's heart had done "a weird thing" in the middle of the night of the 16th. The evening of December 15th, Mom had been able to have her oxygen mask removed and just a nose tube at the tip of her nose was there to give her oxygen. She had aspirated on some food at Hughes Home on Sunday around 1 PM and had been taken to the Emergency Room. I was on my way to see her that day and actually passed the ambulance as it was leaving the Hughes Home parking lot. I wondered who might be in the ambulance. They had called the house phone to let me know she was on her way to the ER, but I had already left the house at that point. When I arrived at the ER, Mom had the full oxygen mask on and her eyes were closed. I stayed with her until around 4:15 and then left for church which would start at 5. They were getting her ready to move to a room on the 2nd floor. When I went back Sunday evening after church, she was in her second floor room at Mary Washington. She was asleep, so I just stayed with her a short time. On Monday morning when I went to her room, she still had the full oxygen mask on and through it, she said, "Help me." I know she was claustrophobic with it on. I said, I am trying to help you mom. Around 1:00, Tracy Lunceford, the Pastor from First Christian Church where Mom was a member and where we go now (in the morning), came in to pray over Mom. I think her eyes would open briefly, but not sure. When I went in to see Mom Monday evening, her oxygen mask was off. She was able to eat a full dinner of pureed pears, peaches, applesauce, mashed potatoes, vanilla pudding and thickened cranberry juice. I helped feed her, but she took the spoon for the pudding and fed herself!  I turned on TV and she watched a little Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.  The night nurse, Amy, came in and Mom looked right at her and said, "Call your Mama." I sent a picture to Megan and Rebecca to see and to say that,"Grandma is amazing", thinking she was rebounding. Then on Tuesday, December 16th, our Pastor Toby Larson came in to see Mom around 1 PM. The Hospice nurse had been in to tell me that Mom was in the final hours of her life. Toby prayed over Mom and together we read liturgy as Mom's Last Rites were read and prayed. I left the hospital for a couple hours just to go home. I came back around 4 PM. Sandy Ovitt came shortly after that and stayed with me  the rest of the time. Mom was being moved to the Palliative Care floor, the 4th floor from her 2nd floor intermediate care room. During that evening, Sandy and I each put on a pair of green and red Christmas fuzzy socks on Mom's feet. Sandy put her left sock on and I put on her right  sock. The Hospice nurse suggested if there was anyone who might want to say goodbye to Mom then maybe now would be a good time to do that. Sandy thought so too. I called Patsy so she could go down to Uncle Noah's. Patsy and Uncle Noah said goodbye over the phone. I called Megan, Rebecca (and Gordon Lee), Katy (Debbie was with her) and Douglas and held the phone for each to say  their goodbyes and comforting words. Diana, Pam, Charlotte, and Mike were also able to talk to Mom. I am thankful I did that as I hadn't planned on doing this. Thank you God for the evening of December 15th as Mom and I had such a great evening together in her hospital room. I know Mom is with God and all of her family who ventured to heaven before her. Most especially, her Mom, my Dad, and her beloved David. I'll see you later, Mom. I love you.