Simone, Nov. 4th

My, niece, Minta who is Simone's daughter made a statement to her own children:

"If you are lucky, you get to leave this world the way you came into it"

Which meant, similar to Benjamin Button, you would regress to 

the baby you once were, being fed, cleaned, Comforted, loved.

All those things that were lovingly done for you as an infant

will once again be done for you as an elder.

As we watch and support my Oldest sibling this statement has become truth.

Hospice is a wonderful thing and having my sister back at the 

Nursing Home with KD as her hospice nurse is such a comfort to us all.

Yesterday AM was a tough one, KD called Minta and I to come to 

the home as she was there, making sure Simone was comfortable

and that loved ones were around her. 

When I got there, She was struggling and I did not think we had

much time left with her. Being a nurse, I started to do those things

that comes naturally to me. Then my dear Kd, My wonderful

Daughter-in- law, told me,

"You let me be the nurse and you be the sister"

Her words to me gave me a release that I had not felt since this ordeal began.

With this, I was able to be the comforter. I wiped her face,

held her hand, calmed her fears and finally just climbed into her

bed, held her and whispered the rosary in her ear as I beaded it on

her "Momma Rosary".

I layed my body next to hers just as she and other family members 

did for me when I had cancer so many years ago.

This along with all the meds Kd gave her to assist her breathing 

and her pain, she began to calm. Her oxygen rate increased,

her eyes closed and she was able to finally rest.

I believed this was her end.

I notified my siblings and family of this. 

MInta and I stayed to assure

she would not be alone as she made her final exit to the 

everlasting life that begin after this one.

And then... In true Simone fashion....

She opened her eyes and began to talk.

Celena, another sister arrived and she and I was given

one of the best gifts anyone could imagine.

As we sat on and at her bedside, she began to talk.

Her breathing was labored at times and her stories 

were not always making sense but we heard and understood

what her messages were relaying to us.

I now know that she, like me, has the gift of gab,

and did she gab... she put my "diarrhea of the mouth" to shame.

She told us stories of her childhood and of our own.

She asked about family members and wanted to speak to our sister, Veronica.

Celena was able to FaceTime Veronica and she was able to share her

love and say her goodbye's. She asked about my brother, Peter 

and we told her he would be coming to visit soon.

She spoke of my brother Larry who has died and his wife Lupita.

She asked about nieces and nephews, and about their children.

At one point Celena and I looked at each other and agreed

that we were so very glad to be a part of this special afternoon.

She warmed our hearts many times over. We prayed, we sang.

For me, she brought me to tears when, talking of her episodes in 

the hospital and of the morning, she said in a few different ways.

"I could not breathe, I thought I was going to die, then you walked in

and I thought to myself, Lilly is here, everything will be alright."

To hear and know that my being there was all she needed to feel peace,

well, not everyone gets to actually hear that from a loved one's mouth.

For every time I decided to go to the nursing home to visit, each time

I put away a painting to go to the hospital, each time I held her hand

and comforted her and even when I climbed into her bed, at that moment,

I was so very glad I followed my heart and not my mind.

No amount of work that would get done, no amount of money my

paintings give me, can compare to knowing what my presence meant to 

my sister and to myself.

Death is a part of the circle of life, Hospice and Kd makes the

transition easier. We will be sad to loose Simone but to 

be there as she takes this final life voyage has been one of the

best gifts I have ever experienced.

She and we are the "lucky ones" my niece spoke about to her children.

She will leave this World the way she came in, comforted and loved.

Thanks so much to everyone for your love, thoughts, prayers and support!