Could It Be

A happy memory shared

"Sue... did I do the right thing?  Should I have given Dad a feeding tube?"  My cousin cried into the phone.  Grief stricken over the loss of her dad, she blurted out, "I won't be able to hug him anymore!"

Her words struck my heart.  I felt her pain.  I wanted to reach through the phone and hug her.

"Of course you did the right thing.   It was his time.  You are a great daughter and should be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished.  Your dad loves you.  You know that you always make the right decision when you go with your first instinct.  You did the right thing."  I said as I offered encouragement and reassurance.

There was and is no cure for what Uncle Al had and the illness that is part of my mom's life.  To me, it's cruel to extend someone's life.  The body stops eating for a reason; it's shutting down.  The natural progression of life can not be stopped; death is part of life.  Feeding tubes add more pain and suffering, prolonging the inevitable... death.

My cousin made the right decision to let her dad go.  Showing incredible courage during Uncle Al's final days; she made him proud.

I find it incredible that we as human's are more humane to animals than we are to humans.  We can take our terminally ill animal to a vet and have it put down.  However, sick people are kept alive regardless of the pain and suffering that the patient is required to endure.  It takes a brave Health Care Proxy to be able to recognize the end and be willing to pull the proverbial plug.

My cousin gave me a glimpse in the window of what life will be like when Care Giving is over.  I wonder if I'll cry?  I wonder if I'll second guess my decisions leading up to my mom's passing?

Grief is a heavy emotion.  I remember how I felt when my father died in 1979.  My world collapsed around me and I cried; a lot.  I understand my cousins emptiness.  Father's fill a special place in a girls heart.

Death, is it final?

I like to believe that when a person passes their energy is transformed into its purest form; death is just the beginning of our new existence.

Memories keep the person alive.

A song on the radio or another subtle sign entice the living, "Could it be?"