Rhonda returned to her home sweet home yesterday around 2:30. Her favorite chair quickly captured her and Scruffy her cat assumed the usual position with delight. He has really grown!
These last days seem to be passing so quickly with our dear friend. A social worker and nurse, each with Hospice, met with us for a couple of hours. They were kind and easy with us, moving through the mechanics their services quickly, but taking time over the details that were most important to Rhonda and to us. They waited with us and gave us time to respond. There was no hurry.
As you can imagine, it again and again took us to places of mourning. Replacing the take out menu on the refrigerator with the emergency contact information for Hospice care was one of those that was sharp and painful for me. The "normal" things of living getting pushed aside for this unwelcome season. It is not what we want for her. It is what He has for us and we will continue in this journey together.
Amidst the sadness and anger, we continue to also enjoy good belly laughs and make the most of our times together. Her family plans for a wedding this week in Florida, while at the same time loves and grieves with Rhonda as she looks toward Home. Please pray that they will super-naturally have the ability to be fully present in each of these. Some of her family will be here and others will join the wedding party.
She continues to be amazed with your kindnesses and prayers. We are so very grateful.
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2 comments:
dear rhonda,
been thinking for days about what to write and i still don't know. the lump in my throat just won't go away and i am so very very sad. but, it sometimes takes the words of my very wise, almost 4 year old to remind me of what really matters. as we prayed our regular nightly prayer for you this evening, i shared your news with ringo, as gently as i could. but, he knew exactly what i was talking about. as we were talking, i got a little choked up and started to cry. he asked me why i was sad. i told him that you are very special to me and i don't want you to leave. he said, "mommy, we will see her very soon. she will be with gabby (our cat) and they will run and play until we can get there, too, and then we can play, too." he was so convincing and his childlike faith reminded me of what my faith is supposed to look like. i pray for a childlike faith for you in the coming weeks. a faith that is so simple and secure that you will be able to rest in the fact that this is a very, very temporary separation from your loved ones. in the blink of an eye, we will be having a big feast together...laughing...dancing...
singing. it will be grand. i am so grateful that God used my child to help me believe that tonight. i love you so much and i don't even have the words to begin describing the depth of my affection for you.
Rhonda-
So much prayer and love for you. How different our cancer's have been; how different our fights. You are loved, God be praised.
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