Name: In-Between
ISBN: 9780593499931

Hadley Vlahos

Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments

In-Between

🌸 Crybaby 🌸

"Momma, it's me. Im sorry I was so harsh yesterday. I just feel so lost. You taught me everything I know except one very important thing: You never taught me how to handle losing the most important person in my life."

Her daughter laid her head on her moms arm. "You can go be with your sister," she sobbed. "I know you miss her. I miss you already, Momma. I love you."

Just then, there was a loud pop in the corner of the room. The chandelier had burned out, leaving us in completes darkness.

 I reminded myself to live for today, not the fears of tomorrowa promise I had made to myself when I started working in hospice.

I silently thanked Mr. Carl for making me look way more knowledgeable than I was.

"What can I do to help you find her?" I asked him. He looked directly at me with tears in his eyes and said., "I know where she is.?"

"Yes, but I can't get to her yet. I think I will soon, though. That's what my mom said,"

 "Yes," he replied matter-of-factly. What should we do now?"

 "I guess lie down" He shrugged. I nodded and gently led Carl back to his hospital bed.

" For giving me something to look forward to instead of death." I felt hot tears on my cheeks and flushed with embarrassment.

 "Im gonna miss you, kid," he said, barely able to keep his eyes open at this point.

 "Im gonna miss you too, Mr. Carl," I replied, unable to see through my tears 

"Take good care of your daddy for me, Anna."

Nursing school has everything to do with learning how to heal patients-or at least try to-and little to do with how to comfort them.

"A higher power that allows what we see to happen isn't someone I want to spend eternity with."

As time has passed, Ive found it to be generally true inlife that, in the end, things are usually okay. Sometimes it just takes a lot of hard work and uncertainty to get there. 

"Hey, I know that one day you'll have a long line of people waiting to greet you at the gates of Heaven, but hey better get out of my way because l'l be the first one to hug you when you get there, okay?"

Sometimes you're not sure if someone's breath will be their last, but other times you just know it is. I knew it was Reggie's last

 At that moment, the radio host announced that a special request just came in for a special someone"and the crow of a Country singer soon followed. him "Randy Travis," Lisa said.This was the song we danced to at our wedding"

. I knew exactly where we were, and I didnt want to look at the headstone. I didn't feel worthy of being at Carls and Anna's graves today.

"As I was looking around," he continued, I noticed something that I think you should see too. Look around at the headstones."

 I scanned the cemetery; so many last names of patients I had cared for stared back at me.

 "That's a lot of people I love," I said, tearing up. 

"It's a whole lot, Hadley." he said. "It's a lot of peaceful passings you assisted with"

"I feel like the worst nurse ever today,"I told him.

 Steve put his arm around me and squeezed."I know, kid. But better days are coming, okay?" 

As I walked out of the condo, I thought about my own friends. Who would do that for me? And who would I be that person for? The answer was obvious to me, and I suddenly understood that no amount of time or geography was ever going to change that. 

MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE a loved one with a terminal illness find themselves either altering their plarıs because of it or putting life on hold. Death is like birth: You know it's coming, but the timing is unpredictable

In-Between Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments

Reviews

Highlights