ForeverMissed
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Her Life

What happened?

January 23, 2014

That's the question I keep hearing.  "She was so young, what happened?!"  

Let me begin with a little about my mom.  She was a wonderful person with a generous heart.  Every person on the corner asking for money would find her emptying her purse.  She used to pack sack lunches and hand them out to the homeless.  She taught me a servant spirit by taking me to serve food at Salvation Army when I was young.  She is the person who would give her the shirt off her back, literally.  She loved Jesus, no matter what was going on in her life.

In September, my mom fell while on vacation and broke her leg.  Because of sitting for so long in a wheelchair, she developed an abscess.  She had several other health problems happening and because of her weakened immune system, the abscess turned into necrotizing fasciitis, a terribly aggressive infection.  After 3 surgical procedures, 5 days in the ICU unresponsive and on life support, we consulted several doctors to talk about options for my sweet mom.

Just before we could have this family discussion, my mom, for the first time in 5 days, opened her eyes!  We had about 5 hours of wonderful time with my mother once we removed her breathing machine.  She asked for ice and then for Ashley. :)  

We spent our time laughing, dancing, singing, playing music, telling stories and telling my mom everything we wanted her to know before she left us.  As she deteriorated, they made sure she was extremely comfortable. Life support was removed Sunday, the 19th about 7:30 pm.  My mom stayed with us peacefully until Tuesday, the 21st about 9:30 pm. The doctors were amazed at how long she held onto life, even calling it "incredible".  We told the doctors - they didn't know my mom and how stubborn she could be! ;-) 

My mom got everything she wanted: all of the people she loved in one room, having meals, conversations, sharing our hearts and stories, camping out, laughing and celebrating the woman that she was.  She also got to leave her broken body behind and join Jesus for eternity.  As she left us with her final breaths we were bonded together as permanent family - even those not blood related. 

I will miss her for my entire life.  But we will gather at her memorial and celebrate the life that she lived in love and generosity. We will not remember how she died; we will remember how she lived.  And she lived love. 

John 13:24
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

Julie