Sunday, April 15, 2012

Visiting the Sick and the Dying



My wife, my daughter and I – along with some other friends – have spent many days sitting with our friend Dorothy at the hospital over the past couple of weeks. She is in the Palliative Care Unit and is in the process of dying. She has lived a good life against incredible odds. I stayed with her for about eight hours yesterday. It is not likely that she will make it through the weekend. This is what my wife said:

“As Dorothy ever so slowly slips away, I am reminded of Mother Theresa who said, "Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work." Dorothy is giving us an opportunity to hold the hand of Jesus as he looks upon us in love.”

Dorothy Burdette
sitting on her front porch
During the past couple of years, I sat with Dorothy Burdette at her apartment and got her to tell her life story as I recorded it on tape. I was able to get her words down in her own book which I presented to her on her 82nd birthday last February. I’ll tell you more about her on this blog sometime in the weeks ahead.

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