I have just received a letter from the Bereavement Support Program of the Providence Medical Center of Everett, WA , a catholic hospital. Our eldest son Joselito suffered a massive stroke on Oct. 20,2013 and was rushed to Harborview Medical Center of Seattle, where doctors performed an emergency brain surgery on him. He stayed at the ICU for a month without recovering from his coma. He was gradually transferred to a skilled nursing facility in Everett . While there for almost 3 months, he suffered another stroke and was brought to the Providence Medical Center of Everett on Feb. 9, 2014. He was declared brain dead already by that time and after a family conference with the medical staff , we gave our permission to them to disconnect his life support because we knew then at that time that theres no more hope for his survival, no amount of modern medical technology could save him. On Feb. 11, 2014 , everybody in the family were at his bedside when he drew his last breath... I am sharing with all of you the letter I just received from the support group. WITH HEALING COMES A NEW LIFE Its been almost a year since your loved one passed out of life. Perhaps you are still struggling to find an inner peace- a distance that only a healing can bring. The following is a collection of thoughts and an exercise shared by people who successfully worked through their grief . We found the same healing thread responsible for restoring harmony and balance to their lives. We passed this thread on to you. A major injury whether physical or emotional causes pain and suffering. A persons total being needs time and extensive healing in order to face life again as he or she knew it. The experience of grieving can be painfully tedious and you dont want to endure the discomfort even though it means the road to recovery. As healing continues , the mind responds. Healing brings strength and wellness to the whole body. Balance is restored to their life. Experiencing the loss of a loved one causes intense pain and suffering, as it touches every part of the body. The emotional injuries require special therapy in order for the survivor to face life again. Time and a good support system carries the survivor through much of the grieving process. But the greatest advancement comes when the survivor alone recognizes and accepts his or her loss. With this difficult moment behind, the sadness ebbs and the healing process begins. Last, the most important thread of healing common to these families who have experienced the grief process, is that they found peace and healing when they were able to allow their loved one to become an ongoing part of their life experience . They continued to find joy in remembering the special times they had shared together. Although this exercise was painful, with practice they developed a different and meaningful relationship with their loved one. The memories fade, but never go away. The sun begins to shine . With healing comes new life. May the healing of this peace come to you. Thank you everybody for bearing with me . Thank you for reading this letter. Please say a little prayer for all the departed loved ones!!
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 18:21:35 +0000