Let Me Go

Today, I had the opportunity of seeing a dear friend in the hospital. He was in so much pain that he was begging the Lord to let him die. His father was sitting at his bedside saying, "Oh, come on, you don't mean that. You're going to be fine."

This man has colon cancer. He is bleeding internally. He is going to die. These are FACTS! He isn't going to be fine. He is in constant pain. They have him on so much morphine that he can barely stay awake long enough to take a sip of water. He has had 5 bags of blood given to him (transfusion) in the last 30 hours. Yet, a loving father doesn't want to see his son die.

This is a common dilemma for parents. Most parents feel they should not outlive their children. While this is generally the rule of life, periodically, it is not always the case. Accidents and illness take young people. As much as we wish it wouldn't happen -- it does.

A loving parent has a hard time letting go of their child. Would you expect any less from someone you love. This is a double edged sword. The love you hold for the dying child can keep them here out of reciprocated love, keeping their pain and suffering alive as well. Wouldn't letting the child die be more humane than letting them suffer out of love?

This is such a fine line. When we said good night, another friend was there in the hospital room with us. He was so kind and loving. He said, "If you can't hold on, don't. It's okay to leave. Things are being taken care of." However saddened we were by the comment, we were also relieved that someone had voiced it. Prolonging the suffering is only hurting us all. Grief will come and go, but why make it drag on longer than it has to. My friend NEEDS to die. Let him go....please.

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