On Monday Sybil Aunty had a blackout for a few seconds.She had her first one 5 years ago ,then last July and now.Its an incurable heart condition.She is on medication to regulate her heart rate and high blood pressure.
I was not in the house when this happened but Mom got help from the neighbours.Sybil Aunty is fading away gradually.Eats a lot less and keeps laying down most of the time. Her dementia is also increasing.
Two other aunts of mine are heart patients and get sick from time to time.
On Monday night I get a call from my BIL Prem from New Brunswick, Canada saying his mother is critically ill with type 2 respiratory failure.She is in intensive care in a hospital in Chennai (South India). She cannot breathe without the respirator.
Prem is on his way to India. He will be arriving early Friday morning a few hours from now.Mrs Jeyapaul (his mother) is not responding to treatment. They cannot wean her off the respirator She is a woman of strong faith she has asked for the family to gather around to say goodbye and switch off the machines so that she can rest in the Lord. They are refraining from that.When Prem arrives we shall get more information.His brother and sister are at their mother 's side.Please pray for Mrs Jeyapaul and her husband and family.They are all believers.
With all this happening around us our peace of mind has been disturbed.
But I received strength from God 's Word and a piece of writing by Henri Nouwen (although I don 't agree with all of his theology I like his books)
In his devotional Bread For the Journey, he says;"When we watch a sailboat leaving port and moving towards the horizon it becomes smaller and smaller until we can no longer see it.But we must trust that someone is standing on a far away shore seeing the same sailboat become larger and larger until it reaches a new harbour".
When we see our elders approach the dusk of life they seem to be getting smaller and smaller on earth 's shore but in heaven 's harbour they are getting larger and larger and Jesus is there to welcome them.What a comfort. And I keep the pictures of the sailboats in front of my mind.
Our electricity supply is very erratic with the summer approaching very fast. Yesterday we hardly had any power supply. And no Cable TV since a week. Well, this might read like a gloomy post but we cannot escape from the realities of life and affirm that when we are passing through muddy waters Christ is there to hold us up.
Please pray for the Jeyapauls and Aunt Sybil
Tomorrow I will be representing my church at the court hearing please pray for that. The victory is ours God 's enemy cannot take His land away from Him. Proclaim this with us.
I want to visit Aunty Prem and some cousins this evening. The hot weather drains my energy faster.
16 Fertilize my soul:
Hi Amrita!
Thinking of you today and praying for your family. The illustration of the boats fading from view is so true. Those of us who have "fading" elderly in our lives know what that is all about!
Glad you're bearing up Amrita - you are a very strong woman. I will pray for all the family. Hope everything goes well tomorrow.
Thank you Carol-Ann and Jackie,
I just found this illustration so comforting. The lord is withus and I know the saints- the family of God is praying for us.
Also thought how God the Father must have felt to see His Sin Jesus suffering and dying like a forsaken sinner on the Cross. He knows how we feel.
Will pray for your family. You have a lot on your shoulders right now.
Glad you were able to post today - I was starting to have withdrawals. :-)
Thank you for sharing your life with us, dear sister.
Oh Renae that was so sweet.Actually I want to stay online a lot more and answer each comment too, but because of shortage of time and electricity and telephone bill (I have a dial-up connection) I am unable to do so.
I loved what you quoted from Henri Nouwen, and it is a comforting picture to keep in mind, not just when we think of our elderly loved ones but also when we some day find ourselves in that fading place.
I have not read much of Henri Nouwen so am not sure about all his theology. I only have one book, "Adam, God's Beloved" which I like very much. Have you read that one, Amrita?
My thoughts and prayers are with you, Amrita.
Amrita, what a beautiful and comforting quote. My parents were with me last summer and fall for medical issues and it hurt to see how frail they had become. This week, 3 godly men from our church went to be with the Lord. It is a comfort to know what a homecoming they all will have from Jesus Himself.
May God grant you all that you need for this time with a special touch of His love for you.
~Blessings, Sita~
Dear Amrita,
thank you for visiting. You are such a faithful friend.
I sure will pray for the Jeyapauls and your Aunt Sybil.
It's heartbreaking when those ships fade away though.
My Mom decided she was well enough to live alone in her home (where I grew up).
She walks and talks pretty well, but is in my opinion by far not well enough to live alone.
My bro brought her home for a short visit in Easter and the next day she demanded to be returned home. Both Gunnar and I are devastated, we have put so much effort in her being fully recovered, but then again, my Mom is fully sane and aware of her doings and will.
We'll just have to place it all in the hands of the Lord and "be prepared" as we said when I was a scout.
It's good that we can pray for aand with each other.
Ypurs Felisol
Hi Amrita;
Praying for strength, comfort, wisdom and peace for you and yours. Walk knowing that God goes before you and that you are not alone in any of this (nor your loved ones).
blessings and a big hug;
Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted
Thank you so much for your comforting words friends.
No Jeanette I have not read that book.I 've got 3 of his books. I really appreciate what he did for disabled people.
HI Ash, hope you 're doing well in Cardiff.
Yes Sita when our elders grow frail its difficult to accept it but we have to let go. I can 't imagine what Jesus went thru knowing He was descending to earth to suffer a cruel death.He was under the shadow of death for 33 years. He understands our feelings
Felisol my dear all the women of your family are very brave and strong.Just pray yourMom will do well.Its good if she feels confident. I know Gunnar and you did a lot for her and will always be at her side.And being in a state of preparedness to meet our Lord we should all be.
Thank you for praying for us.The Jeyapauls have to make some tough decisions with the doctors help.
Dear Kimmie, I want to reccond Bonnie 's blog http://bonya.wordpress.com/ she is involved in an orphans ministry in Ethiopia.I read her blog from time to time.God bless
just said a prayer for you and your loved ones. stay strong, amrita. God is on your side. when Jesus rose again from the dead on the third day, He already defeated satan and therefore we are already victorious in Christ Jesus.
Hello Amrita,
Thinking about you and wishing you a happy weekend, take care my friend I love your photography,
Have a great weekend , please come for a visit at my blog with 48 Sky's (collage) from Luxemburg...
Greetings from JoAnn (Holland)
and I've more of my travels...in Europe.
Amrita, you are so special. Praying on all accounts. The Nouwen quote was very appropriate and full of hope. I'm blessed by seeing others find hope during difficult times like you're describing. God bless you and your family.
Dear Amrita...I just came by to see how Jeyapauls is and then I read this sad post. I am so sorry for your auntie. It just looks like she is giving up, and that is so sad. I pray that she will eat a little more so that she will have strength
My job as a nurse's aid was to look after people that had dementia. I used to hug and hug them to death almost and they always appreciated it!!
Please know that I am praying...Love Terry
29 March 2008 08:30
Aunt Sybil is slightly better. rests a lot. I feed with things which are soft like porridge so she can eat easily.Thank you for your prayers.
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