Amazing Stories of Life After Death by Liz Gwyn

Author:Liz Gwyn [Gwyn, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
ISBN: 9781616386122
Amazon: 1616386126
Publisher: Charisma House
Published: 2012-07-03T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

A Little Boy, a Grandpa, and Jesus

Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] shall not in any way enter it [at all].

—LUKE 18:17

ANTHONY, A TEN-YEAR-OLD diagnosed with an incurable liver disease, spent the final moments of his life in a hospital bed surrounded by family and medical personnel. His nurse Sheri stood by his side on the opposite side from his mother.

His care was palliative at this point, meaning comfort measures only. Because of various setbacks Anthony didn’t receive the treatment he needed when he needed it. Anthony’s quality of life could have been good for many years or he could have gone into remission, if he had had proper medical care. Because of situations in his family his medical care had been delayed, and now it was too late to reverse the damage to his liver

Now they stood watching, waiting for the heartbreaking last breath.

Tears streamed down Sheri’s flushed face as she ensured his oxygen was securely snuggled beneath his nose. She brushed her hand gently across his cool forehead and down his cheek as his little body became lifeless.

Anthony’s mother held a tissue to her nose and ran her fingers through his soft hair with her free hand. She struggled to speak. “It’s OK, Anthony. I’m here.”

Other members of the family fought back their own tears. Some sniffled. Some held tight to each other.

Doctors and nurses, tears in their eyes as well, stood at the ready.

Anthony gasped, quieting the room. He looked up into his mother’s eyes.

As Sheri’s heart raced, she wished she could do more than be an authentic presence. She focused on the family.

This was it—Anthony’s last raspy breaths. In three years since graduating from nursing school, this day had become one of the hardest of her career.

“This hurts too much. Anthony is such a sweet boy. This just isn’t fair. He’s too young. If only they could have taken him to the doctor earlier,” she thought.

Sheri took a deep breath and held back the tears.

Anthony’s eyes moved from his mother’s to off in the distance. He smiled. “Momma, I see Jesus.”

He relaxed. The gasping stopped as he released his final breath.

An eerie silence settled over the room for a moment.

No one breathed. No one moved until Anthony’s mother collapsed onto her son’s little chest. She held his lifeless body tight for the last time. The sniffles returned. Tears flowed. Heavy sobs filled the air that a moment ago hung in silence.

Sheri thought, “We can’t always know why things happen as they do, but one thing is for sure; when a child dies, it brings out the humanity in us all and the grace of God.”

Despite the knowledge that earlier treatment might have prolonged Anthony’s life, or even saved it, his family can take comfort knowing he walked from the loving arms of his family into the loving arms of Jesus.

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