See you in Heaven

 

My mum has returned to the Lord on 19 Jan. Man can try to revive but GOD alone can give Life… and Eternal Life in Heaven.

The day after my last post on 14 Jan, we learnt from the doctor that she was fast deteriorating as her heart and kidneys were functioning at less than 20%, to the extent that they didn’t think she would last a week. We were deeply devastated.

Upon her admission on Tuesday (5 Jan), the priest had anointed her with Holy Unction and given her Holy Eucharist the very next day. Her condition improved. That Sunday (10 Jan), she received the Eucharist again.

During this time, she was being shuttled around the various wards, depending on her condition, so much so she complained that she felt so lost she didn’t know where she was.

Once, when everyone kept quiet as we presumed she was sleeping, she suddenly blurted out “Why isn’t anyone speaking?”.  During a visit to her in the High Dependency cubicle, she gazed sadly through the glass panels, surrounded by all the equipment, and remarked “Why is this place so quiet?” I realised how sad and lonely she felt during her first and only stay at a hospital, so we tried to accompany her for as long as possible, sometimes extending our stay through the night.

It was amazing how, given my blurry vision and cataracts, i could barely make out the numbers on the other patients’ cardiac monitors across the room; but my mum could rattle them off without any difficulty.

On Sunday (17 Jan), she received Communion for the last time. Each time she received Jesus, it was as though Jesus had renewed her strength and she became lucid and cheerful. Our daughter, who had dreamt of her grandma smiling happily the night before, encouraged all of us to take photos together. Mum happily took photos with each of us (except our son) while still on oxygen mask, drip and all. When Ben teased my mum to laugh when taking photos, she naively complied and laughed loudly behind the oxygen mask to the amusement of everyone else.

The following Monday however, her condition had deteriorated rapidly, but she miraculously ‘awoke’ to recognise our son and took one last photo with him.

On Tuesday (19 Jan) at 4 am, we were called to the hospital. Her heart rate dropped suddenly at 7.30 am and she passed away while the nurses were still attending to her. She passed away exactly 2 weeks after admission.

Filled with sorrow and pain, God was with us and with her.       By R

(To be continued)