My father-in-law had been in the ICU for three days, unresponsive. His family had surrounded him throughout the days, for as long as we were allowed to be there. To my surprise, when my daughter and I arrived at the beginning of visiting hours on Thursday to take up another silent vigil, he was awake, alert, talking and so happy to see us. We were given the gift of two uninterrupted hours with him, holding his hands, and listening to him as he blessed each of our family members. He would not stop talking and reliving so many special events…
Could I have Done More by Mary Jane Holt
Two months before his death my husband said, “Honey, you can live without me, but I can’t live without you. You’ve got to rest more.” His words were true. I have a nursing background which helped me know early on that I would have to make hard choices and pace myself in order to walk well through what lay before us. I cut out or limited anything and anyone who drained me excessively. I stopped all in home entertaining except for a couple of very close friends and relatives who were supportive without adding to our stress. I encouraged my…
