Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Shock and Sadness

It’s with the greatest of sadness that I share the loss of my mom.

Yesterday she and my dad had decided to get out of town and spend a little time in the mountains, which they loved to do throughout my life. They were thrilled as well as anxious about taking a little trip as it had been the first since mom’s severe heart attack in May of this year.

They stayed at a beautiful campground with a beautiful view of the Sierra Mountains and a soothing running river in the background.

They were thrilled to be outdoors, enjoying the fresh air, sunlight, sounds of the mountains and being together, along with Cruiser the little puppy.

According to my dad, the day could not have been more perfectly spent.

Turning in for the night my mom was overly excited at the thought of sleeping on a cot outside under the starts with her dog. Something she did countless times throughout her life. During the early morning hours mom woke up and decided to get into their 5th wheel trailer when she fell hitting her head. My dad of course rushed immediately to her aid. He could tell immediately it was not good because she was throwing up.

Thankfully they had cell service, so my dad called 9-1-1 and reported the situation. The lady on the phone told him a helicopter was on the way along with medical personnel but that in the meantime my dad would have to give my mom CPR and provided him with guided instructions until help arrived. Once help arrived they airlifted my mom to a well-known trauma hospital in Reno, Nevada, which took my dad about an hour to drive there from their campsite.

Once to the hospital after several test the neurologist said there was very little chance of survival due to the severe bleed her head had suffered. So much so that it had already caused her brain to swell and shift to one side of her brain.

My father called both my brother and I around 4 a.m. and gave us little information other than mom was not doing well, so we immediately began heading to Reno, which took us over two hours to get too.

Truly nothing in this life prepares you for death. We can rationalize it, we can explain it, we can experience it, but no matter how many times, we can never truly prepare for what we will feel or experience after it happens.

I can say my mom for all intensive purposes passed peacefully for she never regained consciousness after falling. Moreover, she was so blessed to pass doing something she truly loved, and it wasn't even as a result of any of her medical conditions. You just never know when your time here is up.

We as a family were so blessed to have this precious time with her as well because truly it was a miracle she lived through the heart attack in May.

Of course during times such as these we find ourselves reflecting on so many things and for me a couple of them is not telling people enough how much they mean to me or not taking more time to live outside of just working. It seems we are so engrossed in our everyday lives and enslaved to our jobs for the sake of financial survival that we forget to tell those we know how much we love them and how much they mean to us.

My mom does know how much we love her as we not only told her but we showed her as well. She is the foundation to our family, the glue that seems to bind us together, the focal point that draws us all near. What an extremely precious and dear woman. I love my mom so much.

I LOVE ALL OF YOU.

29 comments:

Mixed Up Me said...

Yor Mom was a great woman and will be missed tremendously each day. SHe's an angel now, just as she was here on earth as well. I love you!!! Thinking about you always.

PH said...

I'm so sorry to hear about the passing of your mother, May she rest in peace and be blessed with Gods forgiveness and graciousness. Mothers are the foundation of all of our families and having a mother like yours is a blessing in itself. I hope that knowing how much she enjoyed her last day and how peaceful it was for her will help you cope with her passing, my deepest condolences to you and your family ......

a_akak said...

I am very sorry to hear this and may Allah give you and your family strength to get through these hard time

May she rest in peace

Fe Aman Allah
Ahmed

Fatima said...

Ibee I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. Its evident that she was an amazing woman and a woman that not only loved but was loved in return. I pray that you and your family get through this. Stay strong sweetie. You're in my thoughts xxx

Akram said...

Please accept my most sincere condolences on your loss. 'Ina lilah wa ina ilihi laraji3un'.

Highlander said...

You just never know when your time here is up.

I am so sorry for your loss Ibee, mums are to be cherished.

Love and hugs from Libya
Highlander

Living Away said...

i'm so very sorry for your loss!
for sure we are never prepared for such a moment, but god will provide the comfort you need...it's just inside your heart and in the wonderful memories you have of her!

Anglo-Libyan said...

I am very sorry for the loss of your dear mum.
my condolences to you and your family, may God give you all patience at these difficult times.

StarLit said...

I'm sorry about your loss, losing a mother is hard thing, but i pray to God to give you strength and May she rest in peace and be blessed with Gods forgiveness.

Super-Ego said...

نسأل الله أن يتغمد روح الفقيدة بواسع رحمته ويسكنها فسيح جنانه ويلهم اهلها وذويها جميل الصبر والسلوان .

انا لله وانا اليه راجعون .

Khalid said...

Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family. May you find strength and healing in the knowledge that she is in the hands of the most merciful and most gracious.

ibeebarbie said...

Mixed Up Me,
I love you to and thank you for being a part of my mom's journey.

Salam PH,
Thank you. Although we are all very numb to a degree and going through the "motions", we keep reminding ourselves that she's no longer crippled with disease and that alone brings comfort. We do pray for God's forgiveness and graciousness.

Salam Ahmed,
Thank you. May Allah have mercy on us all.
Fe Aman Allah

Salam Fatima,
Thank you. Indeed you are correct; she's an amazing woman.

Salam A.Adam,
Thank you dear friend.

Salam Highlander,
I can feel your hug from across the distance and it's a great comfort. Thank you.

Salam Living Away,
Thank you. You are right the memories will never be taken from us.

Salam Anglo-Libyan,
Thank you for your kind thoughts. I know you understand.

Salam Starlit,
Thank you so much for the comfort.

سلام الوطن ،
اشكركم على الكلمات الجميلة من الراحة. ايار / مايو يبارككم الله.

Salam Khalid,
Thank you for your prayers.

Brave Heart said...

I'm so sorry for ur loss Ibee, but that's the life.
May she rest in peace
may Allah support u and ur family

Weldemdina said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Weldemdina said...

My deepest condolences to you and your family in your great lose.

ibeebarbie said...

Salam Brave Heart,
Thank you dear friend.

Salam Weldemdina,
Thank you for your kindness.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear this sad news. May God help you through these difficult times.

naohama said...

I am sorry to hear about your mom passing , Allah yarhamha.
My deep condolences.
Laila

Anonymous said...

Im sorry to hear about your mum

may Allah give you and your family patience at these difficult times.

Adnan

dusk till dawn said...

salam sis ibee
realy so sorry to hear the sad news the loss of ur loving mum , it hurt alot when u lose some body precious and close to u, but as u said u do not know when life has to stop, she did suffer alot , but to be on that break holiday she loves, on behave of my wife and my self and adanan's family we u accept our deepest condolences , we all thinking of u and ur family,

Anonymous said...

Dear Ibee
I am so sorry to hear that

May Allah give you and your family patience through these difficult times.

fe aman Allah

Unknown said...

Enna lellah wa Enna Elaihi Rajeoan...
dear Ibee accept my big hug, and deepest condolences.
may Allah give u and ur family the strength to pass these times.

DaMoon said...

May Allah bless her soul

Amira said...

I'm so sorry to hear this Ibee. My thoughts are with you and your family. Take care of yourself. *hug*

Happymoi said...

i'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I ask you to be patient during this very tough time.... May your mother rest in peace. If you ever need to talk im around. I'm glad to hear that your mother did what she enjoyed and passed away close to those she loved. May she R.I.P....hugs.

"To Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return"

Ms Leila said...

my deepest condolences my dear on the passing of your mother....

May she rest in peace.

Caught in the middle said...

My Deepest Condolences. I am Sorry for your great loss.

E said...

most heartfelt condolences.
may God bestow heaven on her and patience for you and your family.
lots of love,
-eeda

on the edge said...

Oh Ibeebarbie , I just read the sad news and have tears running down my face now as I write . I am so very sorry for you and your family .There are no words to say more for now . Love you and May God bless .