It's strange when someone dies and being around death many times I can attest it's even more uncomfortable when it's a child's death. It's a mixture of feeling you don't know what to do but knowing you know exactly what to do all at the same time. I cannot truly explain what it's like to watch your child die but I can tell you that it leaves you in utter shock, then somehow you find a way to move even though you feel frozen in place. I called my dad and step-mom, I called Jude's nurse, and I called Mike's mother. All three families contacted asked if they could come over. It was odd to me at first because you think people just want to attend the funeral but they wanted to come see him before he left. I also called my aunt in Missouri. Those core people were all in charge of informing the rest of the family but not saying a word to Emily until we reached her. If you remember, Emily was away in Dallas.
I remember picking up the phone and calling the funeral home and making arrangements for them to come pick Jude up. I then looked at Mike and asked him to go get some new Superman Pajama's from the store. It gave him a project because he was stunned in silence. I then contacted Trey Ganem who made his custom Superman casket and he had that item turned around and delivered within 48 hours. Mike made it to the store and said he was just standing in the children's clothing section and a clerk came over to ask him if he could help him locate something. Mike said, My son just died and my wife asked me to get him Superman pajama's." The clerk had him covered and helped Mike every step of the way.
Once home with Jude's clothing his nurse Charlotte helped me bathe Jude, dress him, and fix his hair. That was disturbing to see Jude like that but comforting that Charlotte helped me make Jude look handsome. As family flowed in so did the funeral home who had a director by the name of Matthew who since had become a friend. He was kind, talked slow and calm, and helped every step of the way. He cried with us saying he had young children and he put his heart into everything he did. Lucas Funeral homes were truly amazing to us. They even joined in with Jude's theme.
Matt gently explained at the house that they would be taking Jude out covered and loading him in the hearse to go to the funeral home. They told us to take our time but everyone was ready. Silently they covered his little body with a golden type of blanket and they asked Mike if he would like to push him. Mike agreed and it was one of the best things the funeral home could have done. We all silently followed behind Jude, then Matt advised us we would meet the next day, and then Jude was gone. It was so strange and so final.
After that we had meetings with churches, friends, pastors, and more regarding music, speech's, flowers, and other items that were for the living. Jude however didn't have to worry about any of that. I think he just sat back and watched how much everyone loved him and how much he touched everyone's lives.
So the waves of grief are smaller in height now and grower fewer between crashes but when one does hit me these are the flickering pictures that run through my head of the very worst day of my life but the best day of Jude's. He got to see heaven that day and that was pretty amazing I am sure. I have learned through this difficult course that it's okay to have a grief day every once in awhile and to have a really good cry. I think it soothes the soul.
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