Post by HAWGDADDY on Mar 12, 2011 16:48:07 GMT -6
"Something amazing happened at 9:21pm last night. A miracle. Kevin went to heaven! " ~~ Katie Oldham
It is with heavy heart that I must relay the following the news: Last night at 9:21pm Kevin Oldham passed away. His wife writes "He endured so much...and was exhausted.....and sincerely excited to die and go to heaven. It was his time. And I just thank God for the grace and salvation He gave Kevin."
Kevin is survived by his wife Kati...e and two young daughters Stella and Evie. Please keep them in your prayers.
Katie Caringbridge Journal entry from last night:
Something amazing happened at 9:21pm last night. A miracle. Kevin went to heaven!
Here is how it happened:
I was writing the previous caring bridge update as I sat in the hospice room across from Kevin (you know, the one that I mentioned how not much was different with Kevin?). As usual, I glanced up at him every so often to stare at the rising and lowering of his chest. My phone rang but I decided to ignore it in order to complete my thougths for the update.
When I completed the entry, I read the concluding Bible verse to Kevin. If you have not read it, you must....it was so fitting to his circumstance. Because it was so fitting, I told Kevin, 'here Honey, I will read this one to you again because it is a good one for you right now'. I read it again, got up, touched his hand and kissed him on the forehead like I did every time I left our hospice home of 11 days. I think that I told him to look for the gates and that God would be calling soon but I told him that so many times that I can't be certain if I repeated it that time.
I told him that I would be right back, that I just had to go for a little walk and make a phone call.
I was across the hall on the phone for no more than 10 minutes when the nurse came to me. She said, 'come Katie, I think he is gone.' I hung up the phone and walked with her into the room and she was right.
Kevin had waited for the moment I left the room to leave for his eternal life in heaven. Maybe he did not want me to witness the last breath. Maybe his unaware mind heard the Bible verse and decided it was time. God picked the perfect moment to take him. He got to go to his feast last night! (he had been telling everyone that he was excited to go to his feast in heaven)
I had this overwhelming sense of relief and I was not afraid. Kevin's body was peaceful. I called Kevin's parents to tell them it was time for them to come. The nurse took out the gastric tube, straightened the covers and let me have some time alone. It is so strange because I felt so, so proud of him. He worked so hard, he fought so hard and through it all he LIVED. We made it through his cancer and he has victory and comfort and NO PAIN anymore.
While I feel so much pride and relief for him, I feel so much sorrow in the permenance of 'never'. I knew this was the reality of what was to come. But I could still touch him and talk him. I am so sad. He was amazing for me. He was my best friend, my love, and the daddy to my little baby girls. He is gone from this earth forever. And I am sad and in disbelief that it is all over...I look at the last year and truly cannot grasp what we did, that Kevin had pancreatic cancer, and that my 33 year old husband endured so much. He endured so much...and was exhausted.....and sincerely excited to die and go to heaven. It was his time.
And I just thank God for the grace and salvation He gave Kevin. It will be my comfort.
Back to the hospice room...I packed up the pictures and my things. Said my last goodbyes, sobbed, took his wedding ring and the castle bracelet that Stella gave to him and walked out for the last time. That was our last home together. It wasn't so bad.
So, the next steps will be very difficult for me. But, I know that I can keep depending on God, my friends and family and the smiling faces of my girls.
It is all over now.........Kevin is healed.
GOD BLESS THIS FAMILY
HAWGDADDY
It is with heavy heart that I must relay the following the news: Last night at 9:21pm Kevin Oldham passed away. His wife writes "He endured so much...and was exhausted.....and sincerely excited to die and go to heaven. It was his time. And I just thank God for the grace and salvation He gave Kevin."
Kevin is survived by his wife Kati...e and two young daughters Stella and Evie. Please keep them in your prayers.
Katie Caringbridge Journal entry from last night:
Something amazing happened at 9:21pm last night. A miracle. Kevin went to heaven!
Here is how it happened:
I was writing the previous caring bridge update as I sat in the hospice room across from Kevin (you know, the one that I mentioned how not much was different with Kevin?). As usual, I glanced up at him every so often to stare at the rising and lowering of his chest. My phone rang but I decided to ignore it in order to complete my thougths for the update.
When I completed the entry, I read the concluding Bible verse to Kevin. If you have not read it, you must....it was so fitting to his circumstance. Because it was so fitting, I told Kevin, 'here Honey, I will read this one to you again because it is a good one for you right now'. I read it again, got up, touched his hand and kissed him on the forehead like I did every time I left our hospice home of 11 days. I think that I told him to look for the gates and that God would be calling soon but I told him that so many times that I can't be certain if I repeated it that time.
I told him that I would be right back, that I just had to go for a little walk and make a phone call.
I was across the hall on the phone for no more than 10 minutes when the nurse came to me. She said, 'come Katie, I think he is gone.' I hung up the phone and walked with her into the room and she was right.
Kevin had waited for the moment I left the room to leave for his eternal life in heaven. Maybe he did not want me to witness the last breath. Maybe his unaware mind heard the Bible verse and decided it was time. God picked the perfect moment to take him. He got to go to his feast last night! (he had been telling everyone that he was excited to go to his feast in heaven)
I had this overwhelming sense of relief and I was not afraid. Kevin's body was peaceful. I called Kevin's parents to tell them it was time for them to come. The nurse took out the gastric tube, straightened the covers and let me have some time alone. It is so strange because I felt so, so proud of him. He worked so hard, he fought so hard and through it all he LIVED. We made it through his cancer and he has victory and comfort and NO PAIN anymore.
While I feel so much pride and relief for him, I feel so much sorrow in the permenance of 'never'. I knew this was the reality of what was to come. But I could still touch him and talk him. I am so sad. He was amazing for me. He was my best friend, my love, and the daddy to my little baby girls. He is gone from this earth forever. And I am sad and in disbelief that it is all over...I look at the last year and truly cannot grasp what we did, that Kevin had pancreatic cancer, and that my 33 year old husband endured so much. He endured so much...and was exhausted.....and sincerely excited to die and go to heaven. It was his time.
And I just thank God for the grace and salvation He gave Kevin. It will be my comfort.
Back to the hospice room...I packed up the pictures and my things. Said my last goodbyes, sobbed, took his wedding ring and the castle bracelet that Stella gave to him and walked out for the last time. That was our last home together. It wasn't so bad.
So, the next steps will be very difficult for me. But, I know that I can keep depending on God, my friends and family and the smiling faces of my girls.
It is all over now.........Kevin is healed.
GOD BLESS THIS FAMILY
HAWGDADDY
Attachments:
