Hospice and Communion

 

 This is mom doing one of her tube feedings.  I ended up having to take this over because her hands were too weak to hold it up.

 This was taken this past Saturday, August 20th.

 Amy and Gracie (who is wearing one of mom's crowns) and Mom.

My oldest two boys with mom.  Anderson was sick and had to stay back with Mary Ann.

 This was right after communion with mom.

This past weekend, (Friday the 19th to be exact), we made the painful decision to call in hospice for my mom. Her PET scan from a few weeks ago showed that the cancer has spread and her primary tumor is now taking up a majority of the room in her stomach. Her oncologist gave her two options at that time- hospice or one last chemo. For weeks, we, as a family, struggled with the decision. Mom was determined that her fight was not over and that she needed to try the chemo. She said she needs to be here to watch her grandchildren grow up and she wasn't ready to quit. However, her body has grown just too weak and she made the painful decision that it was time for hospice.

Hospice was at my parents' house by lunch on Friday, and by that evening, everything was set up.  Mom had some good pain relief and was on her way to being comfortable for the first time in 2 years.  On Saturday, my sister and her crew, Tyson and the big boys (I had already come home by that point), and my cousin and her crew all came to be with my mom.  Later that evening, the preacher at my parents' church, Dr. Gilstrap, came over and gave us communion.  As you can imagine it was so very hard...lots of tears were shed, but then again, it was the most spiritually bonding moment I've had between my family.  The preacher read a few passages, but this one obviously hit home for us:

John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."