It began on Sunday.  Remembering last year on Sunday when Frank made the decision to sign-up for hospice and come home.  Our two sons and their wives along with Frank’s best friend, Jimmy, were in the hospital room as we explained to him what hospice meant (just to make certain that he was understanding at this time).   He did and he signed the papers to go home.  Both to go our home here, but also to go home to be with Jesus.  It was a deeply emotional time for us all.  I prayed that night that God would give Frank at least 2-3 nights in his own/our bed before taking him home.

Monday it took awhile, but he finally made it home to be with us.  Jimmy left to return to his home and work.  Our son, Stephen, stayed at the house with us, and Andy went to his own home just a few miles away.  Both were here during the day.  Frank was able to sleep in his own (our) bed and that made him happy.

Tuesday, he mostly slept in his recliner.  He didn’t even turn on his computer that was always beside him there.  He ate very little (feeding tube nourishment).  Just slept very little interaction with us.  Then, he slept in his own/our bed again.

Wednesday morning, he was trying to get out of bed and so I got up to help him into the wheelchair since he couldn’t walk right.  He began to fall and Stephen heard me trying to get him to sit back on the bed and came to help.  Finally, we were able to get him up and taken care of.  Then took him to his chair again.  He just sat there all day.  He seemed unaware of his surroundings and was unresponsive when we tried to talk with him.  Late in the afternoon, we were going to feed him…but drew green fluid from his tube.  Bile.  So we called hospice.  When he finally got here to check him out, he said his pulse and blood pressure was good, so he expected he would be ok for another few days.  He told us that in order to breathe, Frank would need to sleep in the hospital bed provided by hospice.  God had given him 2 nights in our bed.

About 10:45 pm, hospice left.  Then Andy and Kat left.  As I came back in from seeing them off, Stephen was standing by his dad feeling for a pulse.  He told me he had stopped breathing.  I felt for a pulse and found none.  Called hospice and Andy both returned quickly and at 11:03, Wednesday, January 29, Frank was pronounced dead.  He had gone home from this sick, weak body to be with the Lord in a new healed life.  Never to suffer again.  Praise God for Jesus!

It is difficult for me to believe that it has been a year.  Technically, a year tomorrow…and my Lord has shown Himself to be loving, comforting, faithfully giving me what I need and caring for me.  There is no other so great as He.  The Lord Jesus Christ is truly all we need to face any situation with joy and peace through His love.