An Angel Amongst Us

At the risk of offending some people... (Which I am OFTEN told by my brother Vic that I do!) and is not my intention (and am asking forgiveness now just in case) I would like to share a story that happened to me on Tuesday. When our mother passed away some teachers from her school donated money to Deborah Hospital and had her name added to the tree of life. With the acknowledgement card a tin maple leaf charm with the name Deborah Hospital imprinted on the back is sent to the family. The first Christmas without my mother I received a gift from my husband...He took the charm and had it made into real gold so that I may wear it always. I often get asked about this charm as people seem to think it is a pot leaf. (But to those of us that know a pot leaf is much thinner! LOL!) The day after I learned the news of Patrick I immediately called Deborah and sent for a leaf so he could be on the tree with mom. I rushed to the jewelers to have it made into real gold and have it in time for the funeral. I am friends with the jewelers and she was able to make it happen but asked me to return with it to put some finishing touches on it after the funeral. I was able to return to her on Tuesday and she said I would like to engrave each name and date so you can tell which is for whom. Wonderful. Well, I could not remember the year my mom passed. I said 1993 but wait let me go call Vic and double check. I go to the car and my daughter says Mom Uncle Vic just called. WOW! I was just calling him...Jenna calls and says Mom needs the year mom-mom passed away. 1994. Are you sure? Well since it's tattooed on me it better be right! (Which brings me to the I don't want to offend anyone by sharing this part of the story.) At L2 on Saturday night several of us were discussing Tattoos. I want to get one with Vic in memory of Patrick. I ask Tai to share his Coqui story and tattoo. He proudly unbuttons his shirt and says how Patrick and he got them placed over their hearts together.... Vic says in his dry way...Tai, you do realize your heart is on the other side of your chest? While in the jewelers and the whole mix up date thing brought the memory of this event from Saturday to mind and I couldn't stop grinning and laughing the rest of the day. My first instinct was to go home and call and share this story with PATRICK. To hear him laugh to. The next best thing I decided was to call Kate and Marlana and share the story. I couldn’t reach Kate and when Marlana answered she sounded awful. I then learned she had just returned from the hospital after being in a near fatal car crash while on the job and she thought I was calling because of it. I until this point knew nothing about it. Needless to say I stopped grinning and after hearing her story was once again crying until she said....
Fran, I could have been and probably should be dead right now...except
I HAD AN ANGEL SITTING BESIDE ME. We all know who that is.
Thanks Patrick for being there and Marlana please have a speedy recovery because we need to get those tattoos as I think if I remember right Vic said I am waiting for this phase to pass in Fran’s life! (This is another story for another time)