Our Time With Mom

Today will be three weeks since we brought Mom home from the hospital.  We found out that the nurses and personal support workers had been told that Mom likely only had 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to live from the time she left the hospital.  We are so thankful to be given this precious time with Mom and are cherishing every moment.

Mom is getting weaker and more pale every day.  She has had some episodes where she experiences shortness of breath, to the point where she begins to panic.  Thankfully, we are able to administer medication to alleviate this feeling.  She continues to remain pain-free and is very alert during the time that she is awake, allowing us to have such meaningful conversations with her.  It has been a blessing that the children, grandchildren, family and friends are able to visit at anytime.  The grandchildren, especially, have brought a lot of joy to Mom and Dad.

So many of you have sent Mom encouraging e-mail messages, cards and flowers, left telephone messages, made quilts, shawls, picture frames, etc..  All of these have been passed on to her.  She is too weak to respond to your specific messages, but she wanted us to assure you that your kind thoughts and actions have meant so much to her.

We are thankful that we were able to bring Mom home and that the transition has gone so smoothly.  The nursing care and personal support workers have been so caring and helpful.  Our church community and friends have continued to uphold us all in prayer and the offers for meals, babysitting, etc. have been overwhelming.

Please continue to pray for the following:

miraculous healing;

that Mom remains pain-free and at peace with the plans that God has for her;

that Dad is able to care for Mom while feeling God's everlasting arms carrying him through this difficult time;

that we all continue to experience peace and rely on our heavenly Father for strength.

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,

    And a time to die;

A time to plant,

    And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,

    And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

    And a time to build up;

A time to weep,

    And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

    And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

    And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

    And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

    And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

    And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,

    And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

    And a time to speak;

A time to love,

    And a time to hate;

A time of war,

    And a time of peace.

Eccl. 3:1-8