This has been a very stressful week for me and the staff at one of my schools. One of the staff had a medical emergency on Tuesday. She was actually found on the floor in the bathroom. When I arrived there was no pulse or respirations. Of course we did CPR, but in my heart I knew there was no chance(maybe a miracle). The EMT's also did CPR all the way to the hospital and she was placed on full life support. On Thursday she was taken off life support and the end was not long in coming. This was a vibrant 32 yr old single mother of a 12 yr old daughter. The staff was amazing in trying to comfort the family, providing food and vigilance at the ICU.
Why am I posting this sad news? In February I lost my father, yes he was older but he was not sick either. He broke his leg and due to the doctor's who have lost compassion and think of the bottom line only, and staff that are so task oriented that they miss what is really going on with the individual patient, he became septic and was not able to fight it. After a 2 month battle, he lost but is now pain free and in a better place.In both instances life was taken away without warning.
I feel we get so caught up in trivial, non important issues and waste so much time complaining about things we cannot control that this has re-opened my eyes. We have to live each day to the fullest, enjoy and thank God for our families, our health and the life we have and we have to love and care for each other. We never know when something like this may happen to us or a loved one.
True, incidents such as this help us put our lives and gripes into perspective.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about the death of this healthy young woman and, like you, wondered if it would not have been easier for her to have passed quickly. The events may have given the family time to accept the inevitable and say their goodbyes; or maybe they were given a glimpse of hope, only to have it jerked from them. There are so many "what ifs".
Without faith, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to deal with the tragedies that hit so close to home. I feel the need to touch my loved ones and tell them how much I love them and how I value their presence in my life. We frequently put things off with family and friends (and, unhappily, I find myself in those ranks) because we are too busy. Again, the need for perspective. I am reminded of Harry Chapin’s song, “Cat’s in the Cradle”.
I couldn't agree with you more about counting our blessings and remembering what is really important in life. In late October a girl who was one year ahead of me in High School dropped dead. The cause was not known, she just went out for a walk one day and never came back. That hit me pretty hard, she had her whole life ahead of her. It certainly made me stop and think about what is most important in life and to remind me to always kiss my family good-bye and tell them I love them. They can never be kissed too much or be told too often!!
ReplyDeleteWell said, Claire and Faith. "Ditto" to both of your comments. My husband often sends me those chain type emails that remind you to remember each day that we have is a "gift". They are his way of telling me to slow down, enjoy life more and be thankful for all that we have. I also have a friend that loves dragonflies. I know that this sounds random,however, she was explaining to a child the other day "why" she likes them so much. She said "It's because they are a constant reminder to me that I should make the most of each day. Their lives are very short". So, her goal is just that and she does make the most of every day. I will try to slow down and remember to tell those that I love that "I love them". Also, to remember and thank those loved ones for supporting me while I worked through this graduate program.
ReplyDeleteSue, you are so right when it comes to our view of the world when we have recently experienced loss. Things that were seemingly significant become trivial, and the things that really matter like family, friends and our relationship with our God become of utmost importance. When someone I know is experiencing sorrow or loss, I feel as if I want to do something to help them, to make their suffering less raw, to help them find peace. But deep down, I know that grieving is a process in which we all must find our own answers. I feel as if you are working through this with grace and honesty. I know that you did all you could for your father, mother and your family during your father’s illness and passing. I think that helps when we know that we supported and honored our loved one by being thee for them. It also helps when we have faith that our loved one is in the presence of our Heavenly Father. What rejoicing your father must have experienced when he met Jesus face to face.
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