Hello Everyone,
As some of you might know, my mother passed on at 10:50 AM Saturday morning. (I apologize to those who did not get personal calls. I hope you understand.) All that was keeping her alive was the life support. We as a family decided that we did not want to keep her alive under the current conditions. At the present time her kidneys had failed and were not working, her liver was not working, her lungs were filling with water. Just so much wrong, the doctor stated that even by some miracle she could have survived this infection, the cancer that was attacking her kidney and liver was so far advanced that in his 30 years of experience with cancer she would not have made it and would have died a more horrible death. The nurses and doctors assured us that she did not feel any pain. Very little if any.
She did not go without a fight. She did not struggle, but I was there when she took her last breath. RIght before she passed she opened her eyes slightly, looked at me, then my brother, then my sister, then my dad, she looked around the room and then shut them again. The moment she passed an overwhelming feeling of peace entered my body. I felt her place her hand on my shoulder and a whisper telling me that everything was going to be all right. And it is.
I hope that I have a tenth of the strength and faith that she had. The nurse said that clear up to the moment she was put under for the surgery, she was smiling and her last words were, "don't worry everything will be all right, I will see you in a few hours." That was the last time she was able to speak and be completely responsive.
She is a great woman, and will never be forgotten. She will be with us in spirit. The thought that brings me more comfort is that I will see her again. If I live my life pleasing unto the Lord the time that I will spend with my family here on earth is a blink of the eye in comparison to the amount of time I will get to spend with them and the Lord after I cross the vail. In fact I feel her words of comfort right now. I can feel her presence.
There will be a viewing in St. George on Tuesday night. There will then ba a veiwing Wednesday morning and the funeral at 1:00 Wednesday afternoon. My mother is such a great person that they are letting the entire school out so those that want to attend will be able to attend. The Lady that talked to me said that so many teachers wanted to get off work that they could not find enough subs to take their place.
This is not going to be an easy Christmas for many of us. I don't mean that in an unchrist like way. Let me try to explain. It will be most hard for my sweet grandmother. When us kids were growing up, the person that we called father, did not deserve that titled. He was in no way a father to us, I know that sounds cold, but it is true. Some of you that knew him would agree with me. He did cold hatred things to us kids when he was around. But usually if he was around he was sleeping. My Grandfather (my mom's dad) was who I call my father. He took me every sunday for a drive and we would talk about any and everything. He played catch with me in the backyard, he took me on walks to find old pop cans to turn in so I could buy some candy. He was our father figure. Always there to talk to and tell our problems to. Especially after my mother got divorced. A few years thereafter my mother met Boyd who adopted us. He is a good father and provided every need. We never went without. My Grandparents then moved up here to New Harmony to be closer to us kids. The altitude got to my Grandfather and on December 26th he passed on due to heart problems. That was a traumatic time for us, we lost our father and grandfather. My Grandmother lost a soul mate. Now that my mother has passed on in this wonderful month, my grandmother and many other family members do not care about celebrating Christmas. Christmas time is my mother's favorite time of year and I and my wife are going to celebrate it. Heather was a little sad that we won't get much this year, but I told her it's the feeling. All I want for christmas is my family to be happy and make it through these tough times, and to be with Heather. That to me would be a great Christmas.
I don't know how, but we are going to make it through this. I know that if I put full faith in God he knows us and our needs and knows that our hearts are troubled. He will comfort us.
Thank yoiu for all the wonderful messages of encouragement. It has meant alot and will mean alot for years to come.
Best Regards,
Nathan W. Pace
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