Last Hospital Visit

Mother had been in the hospital many times in her life. She had about 7 major surgeries in her short fifty some years. Than old store just worked her and dad to death. Mother had suffered from a failing liver for about 8 years. Always when she checked into the hospital, she would keep her wedding rings on. The last time dad admitted her into the hospital and they got her settled into the room. She took her rings off and handed them to day and said, “ She wouldn’t be coming home this time”. Dad told her not to worry; she would be going home in a couple days. He had to go back home to run the Café, on his way out as he passed by the flower shop, he stopped and purchased her some yellow roses (Mom’s favorite) and took them back to the room and gave her a big hug and kiss goodbye and told her he loved her. By the time dad had arrived back to the business he received a call that mother had slipped off into a coma.


I am finding this story very emotional for me to recall. I may have to come back to it occasionally to get if finished. There were so many special events that took place during the week Mom was in that Hospital.

As fate would have it, dad couldn’t get in touch with Silky or Velvet. I don’t know where Silky was but Velvet and her husband at that time were in Dallas, Texas attending a Gun Convention. I was living in Houston, Texas in 1977 when I received dad’s call. I wanted to leave the next day but the Spirit prevented me. I felt a real check in my spirit about leaving so soon. I did leave for Arizona on the third day. This delay left dad alone for three days and nights with a lot to think about. When I arrived at the airport, we drove by to see mother then the long drive out to the old home place between Buckeye and Gila Bend.

Dad and I talked mostly about the Lord all that evening. Around midnight, I asked dad if he was a Christian? He told me he did not think God wanted him because he ran a bar and had served liquor to many people. He felt like this was a very bad thing, but really all he had known growing up in that same place. I asked him if he could believe the Lord would accept him just as he was, doing whatever he was doing! He asked Jesus to come into his heart and save his soul. When dad did this, a supernatural peace came over him. The Lord took all of our grieving out of both my and dad’s heart. He went on to grow in the Lord and the Lord gave him a new heart. The doctors told us that mother could live on in her condition for many years. Mom died two days later after Velvet, Dad stood beside mother’s hospital bed and I prayed to release her into God’s loving care. To quote Velvet’s prayer “ Dear God, Please heal my mother or take her home”. I would say it was one of the most powerful I had ever heard. It was short and powerful. Mother slipped of into eternity that evening while the three of us were out having dinner.