This has been an emotional week for me and my family. One of my cousins, whom I am extremely close too, bid farewell to his mother yesterday. It started Monday with a text asking for prayer because she hadn’t been feeling well, then a CT scan that revealed blockage in her lower intestines followed by surgery the next day! Although the surgery was a “success” she never fully recovered she coded three times and needed to be placed life support.
My cousin had to make the excruciating decision to take her off. That Wednesday he had a conference call with his three closes cousins, all of which are only children as he, and we prayed. We prayed for God’s wisdom and strength. We all knew the right decision to be made, but that doesn’t make it any easier does it? NO!!!!
On Friday she was taken off life support and he stayed there with her until she took her last breath yesterday afternoon. What he described to me was beautiful. He had been reading her the Mother’s Day cards when she took in a long breath and then she left. Eye close as if sleeping.
What I learned from this week is that God is still very good! My aunt wasn’t in any pain in the end and her transition was peaceful. My cousin was able to be with her the entire time. Initially there were the protocols of the hospital and the gearing up in PPE even though she was a COVID patient and they won’t let him in the surgery lobby during her surgery, BUT in the end they allowed him to stay with her until she took her last breath. He was able to have closer and peace with her departure. It taught me how to “be there” for my cousin even though I couldn’t physically be there, he lives in another state. In fact all all us only children cousin are spread out in different states. I talked with him throughout this entire process sometimes until 2am what ever he needed. I called him first thing when I woke up and I was the first person he called after her departure. He stayed at the hospital until midnight not wanting to leave her….
Yes this week has been tiring but what I have determined is that God gives all of us exactly what we can handle. I told my cousin the mere fact that he was experiencing this was a sign that he would be able to bare it. God made us an knows the amount of stress, heart ache bull crap all of it take we can handle. So if your going through something know that you have what it takes to make it through.
This is Mother’s Day and although the pain of losing his mom is an open wound we all rejoice on this day knowing that she loved him and is now in the very presence of her savior!
Caregiver tip:
Know that you have been given the privilege of caring for someone else. Do not take it lightly God has entrusted YOU to take care of one of his sons or daughters. Honor him in how you care for them.
Caregiving.....Screaming is allowed! 