Due to a massive stroke, my mother was incapable of speaking just prior to her death. I deeply regretted not staying with her as she passed although my younger brother and an older sister did.
When my mother in law was dying from a brain tumor, I did stay, along with my husband, his two sisters, their spouses, my oldest daughter and her husband, and one of my mother in law’s sisters and a niece. We were at her home, around her bedside for hours that night and we sang and talked about memories, happy and sad. She had passed the ability to speak but we knew she could hear us.
As her breathing got more labored and took longer between breaths, we knew her time was close so we began to tell her we loved her and asked her to say hello to various loved ones. Then tears began to roll out from under her closed eyes, which made all of us cry too. Maybe it was an involuntary reaction for her. Maybe she was sad to leave us. I don’t know. But within minutes, she took her last breath. A more gentle, peaceful passing I can’t imagine. I hope my death will be as gentle as hers.
Peach
With Mom, we were each taking night time care for her. Sleep was at odd hours. I was with her when she fell asleep about midnight, never to wake again. The next afternoon about 6 pm, I was holding her hand as she passed. There was nothing scarey about it. Peaceful, and seemed like the right way things should have been that day.
Beautiful story about your MIL. Thank you for sharing.
You may never know how big a gift you gave her. I can’t think of a better way to die.
What a very blessed woman.