tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9166176.post7383268783315944566..comments2023-07-08T09:49:02.800-04:00Comments on GW Catholic Q & A: 33rd Sunday - homilyFr Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17394217028562458631noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9166176.post-26184803586561968092009-11-17T20:04:16.241-05:002009-11-17T20:04:16.241-05:00My daughter is looking forward to the basketball g...My daughter is looking forward to the basketball game this Friday. She claims to be interested in basketball, but I suspect she’s mostly interested in the pizza. ;)<br /><br />Over the past several weeks, I’ve had reason to think about being prepared for death. My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in mid-October and was told that she likely would pass away within three months. Mom declined more rapidly than expected, and entered inpatient hospice two weeks ago. Most of the past week Mom seemed confused, and not aware of my sister’s or my presence. She passed away on Monday morning. Unfortunately, neither my sister nor I were with her because we didn’t think the end was THAT near, but we were assured that she seemed peaceful.<br /><br />Mom had long since prepared for death – she had documents drawn up to put her possessions in a trust, and to give me medical and general powers of attorney so that I had the authority to make decisions about Mom’s care and manage her affairs once she was unable. Mom also had a living will, a document that backed up the discussions she’d had with my sister and me about the kind of end-of-life care she wanted. She even had already purchased a niche in a columbarium.<br /><br />When Mom was given her prognosis, she said that she wasn’t afraid of “what comes next.” I’m not sure how ready she really was for death, but she did her best to take care of my sister and me, right until the very end. For that, I am grateful, and humbled.CynthiaBChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09725203247889469056noreply@blogger.com