Proud parents!
Daddy started failing the week before he died. Walking became a struggle, so I borrowed a wheelchair from church. When the hospice nurses assessed him on the Monday before he died, they told us we were looking at a few weeks.
My first thoughts were “No. No. No, we cannot have a Christmas funeral. No Christmas funeral.”
Then he stopped swallowing except for applesauce. Then his breathing began to be labored.
On Wednesday morning, I thought, “Hope, you’re being selfish. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for Daddy to spend this Christmas in Heaven with Jesus?” I immediately thought, “Yes. Absolutely.” and felt peace.
The Last Details
When I got to their house, Daddy lay on the hospital bed in the family room. He’d spent his first night in it. I walked over to him and whispered, “Daddy, go spend Christmas with Jesus. We’ll be fine.” I didn’t know till later that my mother and brother had said similar words to him earlier that morning.
Within three hours, he was gone, celebrating Christmas in Heaven. I was the first one to realize it.
He’d been breathing so hard since mid-morning. The hospice nurse called for morphine around noon because he stopped swallowing and couldn’t take pain medicine with applesauce. He received the first dose at 1:35. Katie began her shift at 2:00. I gave the second dose about 2:25.
The hospice nurse called to check about 2:45. I mentioned the morphine hadn’t seemed to kick in.
A social worker called from her car, asking if she’d arrived at the right house. I saw her through the window and confirmed.
Our New Reality
Then I looked at Daddy and didn’t hear anything from my seat at the kitchen table. I went to his bedside. No labored sound. I looked for a rising and falling of his chest. Nothing.
I didn’t want to make the call. Our preacher visited with my mother a few feet away. Looking across the room, I caught Dwayne’s eye, made an “I don’t know” motion and glanced down at Daddy.
About that time, the social worker entered the back door, and I made the same motion to her as she said, “Hello.” I called for Katie, in the back of the house, to come to the family rom. The social worker and Katie gathered round. Dwayne and Momma joined them at Daddy’s bedside. Momma asked about his breathing. I grabbed my phone to call my brother.
Epiphany
A few minutes later as I sat at the table thinking between texting people, I suddenly realized Daddy was already in Heaven. Had been for several minutes.
An incredible feeling came over me. Gratefulness. Peace. Joy that Daddy was in the presence of Almighty God. Right then. Already!
Praise God for keeping His promises, for peace, for joy, for loving us.
Daddy celebrated Christmas in Heaven!
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