Sunday, August 19, 2012

Gerrit


Friends,

I am so sad to tell you that Gerrit, known to you as G, died very suddenly last Sunday evening.

He had had a very good couple of weeks just prior to that, as the new medicine that he had started taking in early July was really making a difference: not just in his ability to move, but in his ability to think and to speak.  The improvement was quite remarkable, although he was still very compromised.  Since we returned home after our family vacation, I had composed dozens of blog posts in my head about how our vacation had gone, and how things were going now that we were home again, and that Gerrit had started back at the day program...lots to tell you about, but the pictures stayed on the camera and the words stayed in my head.

We had the memorial service for Gerrit yesterday, and right now his two daughters are somewhere over the Atlantic, headed back home to the Netherlands.  They arrived here on Wednesday, and we had an extraordinary and healing time together dealing with Gerrit's death and planning the service.  I had so much support from family, friends, neighbors, and church family, and the events of this weekend felt so right in honoring Gerrit and creating meaning and comfort for ourselves, that I am still experiencing a kind of euphoria.  I know it won't last and that there are rough waters ahead as I cope with this loss.  But I am so thankful that Gerrit's last few weeks, and even up to those last few minutes, were good ones.  And that he is no longer in pain, no longer suffering.

Ginnie

7 comments:

  1. May the Lord bless you and hold you close in your sorrow, you'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

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  2. Oh my dear Ginnie - I have been thinking about you for weeks, wondering how you were, and mentally composing e-mails to you ... but, like your blog posts, somehow they stayed in my head.

    What a very sweet smile on your Gerrit's face. I am so glad to know that his last weeks and days were pleasant and more alert. Also that you have been surrounded by so much love and support.

    God bless you and bring you comfort and peace in the days to come.

    Hugs to you.

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  3. I am so sorry. I have been reading your blog for a while, full of admiration and awe for the way in which you both faced up to what life had thrown at you, and I'm really glad that you managed to have some happier times recently.
    Look after yourself.
    Linda

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  4. Dear Ginnie,
    I can well understand how and why you fell in love with Gerrit. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. His eyes reflect such love and joy and spirit of goodness...everything shines out of that photo, a good man with purpose, energy, joy, humor, and an abundance of, for a better want of a word, character.
    Love to you, Ellen.

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  5. I'm so sorry to hear that Gerrit has died so suddenly , such a shock .
    Look after yourself ...

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  6. I am so very sorry, Ginnie. May peace and love be with you in the days to come. As someone told me recently, 'there are people praying for you that you don't even know'. Somehow there is comfort in that. Angel hugs, fairy dust and love coming to you.

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Thank you!