Our family tradition is to celebrate the 4th of July at my Mom’s summer cottage at Humarock Beach. This particular July my mom was about 88 years old. She hadn’t slept well the night before, but said she just kept thinking of how wonderful her life and her family was. She was counting her blessings and seemed to be getting her affairs in order as if to say her final goodbye when family gathered. It was a sweet day, and she did have touching conversations with each member of our family, as if she knew her time here on earth was ending. Early that evening, she became a bit dizzy, then simply gasped a little bit, fell to the floor and stopped breathing.
All our family was around her, along with Becky, who is a close friend and neighbor. Becky is a RN with a master’s degree and a lifetime of nursing experience. Becky and I got on our knees to care for Mom. Becky checked my mom’s pulse, and there was nothing. I checked my Mom’s carotid pulse, (which is easy to locate even in an elderly person). No pulse. No breathing. I positioned my Mom’s head to open her airway. No breath, no pulse… At that moment, Becky was going to start CPR. I have enough emergency training to know that this can be so physically crushing on an elderly woman. She was about to undergo broken ribs and more than likely, punctured lungs. A messy and difficult process for the whole family to watch.
I said to Becky: Give me a second! I needed time to pray… so I bowed my head and did just that. I silently asked God: If this is Your will Lord, then call my mother home and I will praise you. If you could leave her with us so that she could pass in a more peaceful way in the future, I will also praise you. May Your will be done. In Jesus name, Amen.
I repositioned her airway once again, and she started to breathe, God had brought her back! Doctors told us we just “missed” her faint pulse. I know differently. The gift of my mother’s life has allowed us to talk about death. In God’s time, Mom will gladly be called home to be with her Lord and Savior. She has a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate order) posted on her refrigerator. She knows she will someday be in heaven. She has met her great-great granddaughter named Elia (after her), 97 years her junior. Today she is 98, still sharp as a tack and social as anyone in her assisted living home. She is lovingly enjoying her family and we are lovingly enjoying her.
As He always does, God has greatly blessed us!
Thank you Jesus!
Jeff – September 2017 – Marshfield MA
