Leonard Henderson's mother passes on
July 29, 2010
On Monday the 19th at about 3pm, my dear mother
suffered a major ischemic
stroke. In the hospital, she was able to talk, but
her left side wasn't working. She could see and hear. Later, brain
swelling caused her not to be able to talk. She couldn't drink or eat.
She was opening her eyes and could communicate by right hand squeeze
meaning Yes and shake her head NO.
Mom was a grizzly old Registered Nurse and she knew exactly what was wrong
with her- and what her future in this condition would entail. She was
resigned to not wanting to live with that disability and refused to be fed
with a tube or hydrated intravenously.
My brother-in-law took me over there on the 22nd. The hospital set up a cot at the hospital in her room so I could be with mom. This turned out very well, because I could sit in a wheelchair and use the hospital oxygen. All the other family that had arrived had plenty of other things they needed to do, so I was able to visit with and watch over my mom 24 hours a day.
On July 28 at 3:10 am, mom took her last breath. She needed no pain meds and endured her descent peacefully and gracefully. She was 81 years old.
Throughout her life, mom helped uncountable numbers of people, both as a nurse and as a friend and neighbor. If I attempted to extol her life, I could account for only a very small portion of it.
My mom lived a truly virtuous and honorable life of helping others. She did not have an enemy in the world.
I am very proud of my mother, and hope that I imitate her Christian desire to help others who hurt or are in need.
Matthew 25:34- “.... ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (New Living Translation)