When I got to the hospital on Friday morning they had moved her back into the intensive care ward. It was bright and sunny - much nicer than the room she had been in for most of the week. For the first time since she was admitted, her body was completely at peace. She lay unconscious on her back with her mouth open and her eyes closed, and a brightly-colored soft toy ladybird clutched in one hand.
They had moved the morphine shunt round to her back because she kept pulling it out of her arm, and I could hear from time to time the now familiar "zzzt" as it delivered a measured dose of the drug into her body.
There was a CD player by the bed with some relaxing music playing. I went back to the car and brought out some Christian CDs. The one I chose was "Simply Worship II" by Hillsongs Australia, which has some very beautiful tracks. And I sat down by the bed, put my hand on hers and prayed to God to take her - as I had done several times over the past few days.
Pastor Lynley arrived at 1pm. She came up to the head of the bed and took hold of my mother's other hand. Bending down with her face very close to Kath's she began a wonderful whispered 'conversation' with her. She reminded Kath that soon she would be with the Lord and she would then have a perfect, beautiful, spiritual body, like the body she had as a young woman. She talked about the beauty of heaven and the joy of leaving this earth for a new existence that has no end. And I watched in fascination as her love and care reached out to touch my mother's soul. I thought of the deathbed stories I'd read and seen, and hoped Kath's soul WAS listening, somewhere nearby.
Then Lynley asked me, "Have you told her she can go?" Surprised, I said "No." I had been so busy asking God to take her, that I hadn't thought of that.
"Tell her she can go," Lynley said.
I put my hand on Kath's arm. "Lovey, you can go!" It was a painful moment.
Lynley took out her anointing oil and finished her task. We had a few moments together and then she went, having travelled nearly an hour to get there. I shall be forever grateful for the very special, personal way she ministered to my mom that day - and I shall never forget it.
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