Last Friday, June 3, 2011, my 78 yr. old ex-mother-in law Florence, had an appointment at 5:15. She was in Hospice at North Memorial, and had been there since Sunday, May 29, 2011. There were multiple problems going on with her body and it was decided that there was nothing to do to help her, and she accepted this. She made a list of people she wanted to see, and I was fortunate enough to be on that list. I would have been very upset not getting a last chance to talk with her. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to make her wonderful caramel rolls together, but the next time I attempt to make caramel rolls, I will try my hardest to make them like she did, big and tall and tightly wound with caramel all through the layers, not just on top. Yum!!
On Thursday, the 2nd, she mentioned that she had an appointment at 5:15, more than once. Apparently no one thought too much of it, because 5:15 a.m. came and went without anything happening. A little after 5 p.m. the nurses came in to roll her onto her other side, straighten her bed and just tidy up a bit. The family members on vigil left the room instead of staying as usual. At 5:17 the Doctor was called and at 5:30 she was pronounced dead, just like that! I would say that she certainly made her appointment. I prefer to think it was the angels she had an appointment with because she said she was anxious to see them, but maybe she had already seen them, and her appointment was with their Boss! Pretty cool, I think. It’s very sad for everyone left that she is no longer on earth, but I think she is just happy as a clam in Heaven.
Nancy called me with the news and while we were talking, I asked if they had decided on some sort of clue so they would know for sure when she was ‘with’ them. She said they hadn’t specifically talked about that, but the whole family had this idea that when they saw an eagle, it was meant to be a family member watching over them. (I’m taking a little liberty here, because I’m not exactly sure of these details)
Yesterday, June 11, 2011 I was giving some loving care to my strawberry beds and I was talking to Florence in my head, apologizing to her for not staying for the luncheon following her funeral, thanking her for coming to my kids grad parties, taking the time to inform me when Laverne was in the hospital, etc. I figured I had already made two family members uncomfortable enough with our bedside conversation and just about running them down at the funeral, and I decided she would understand if I just slipped out. So as I was chatting away, I heard a screeching sound overhead that I have never heard outside of the MN Zoo and the Wabasha Eagle Center, a beautiful Bald Eagle and a hawk. Now this was just too weird, because although we have a few eagles near home, they usually stay nearer the river, and like I said, I’ve never heard them make a sound, I’ve just been lucky enough to be looking in the right direction when they fly by. I think it was Florence, in eagle form, letting me know that everything was A-Okay with everything.
This may sound a little sappy, I don’t care, I happen to believe that Anything is possible. I believe in God, ghosts, angels, the devil, aliens, UFOs…can’t think of anything else at the moment, but if it can be thought of, then I’ll believe it. We were talking about seeing the angels the first day I visited her, and on the second day I asked if she had seen any angels yet and she said she hadn’t, but she couldn’t wait. Now where most people are afraid to die, she was really okay with it, anxious even, to see what it was like ‘up there’. She is pain free now, surrounded by many, many people, friends, family and her husband Laverne. Rest in peace Florence, you will be greatly missed by all of us left on earth. Please keep an eye out for my Mom and my mother-in law Marie, unless I get there before them.
P.S. Please give us a little heads up close to October 23, 2011. Is the world as we know it really going to end??
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