March 19, 2010

Pop Pop's Goodbye Dream

Rate this encounter:[an error occurred while processing this directive] Kathy - Jacksonville, Florida - March 16, 1989

This is a true story. I am not adding or deleting any details. It is a happy story... but one that still gives me chills. I was married at the age of 19 to my now ex-husband, who was in the Navy. I knew that after our honeymoon in the Poconos we would have to move to Jacksonville, Florida. This was an extremely hard thing for me to do as I was very close to my parents, siblings, and friends. It was hardest for me to leave my Pop Pop, who was dying of cancer. I knew that when I said goodbye to him, it would be forever, that when we got back home to Philadelphia, Pa, my Pop Pop, would be gone.

Prior to moving to Florida, we went to the hospital to tell him that I loved him and I would miss him while I was in Florida. He did hear me, but was so weak he could not respond. He had tubes everywhere, and was on a ventilator, but was awake and alert.

My encounter took place in a dream. I dreamt that my Pop Pop was sitting up in bed at the hospital. He was smiling and had no pain. He told me that he felt great, and that nothing hurt anymore. He told me not to be sad, and to be happy for him, that he is with Nana now. He had no tubes in him, and looked healthy, not sick at all. When he was done talking, it was 3:20 AM. I was awoken by the telephone and my mother crying on the other end of the phone. She told me that my Pop had passed away that morning. I asked her what time did he die, she asked me why, kind of annoyed that I even cared about what time. When I pressed her for the time, she told me that the nurse told her that he died at exactly 3:19 AM. I know that this was my Pop's way of telling me that he loved me and since I was the only family member who was not home, he wanted to say goodbye to me. I told my mom this story, and she cried happy tears. She said to me that this was just like her dad… thinking of everyone else before himself. Although this was a beautiful thing for me to experience, it still gives me the chills every now and then, since my Pop was dead when he said goodbye to me. Every time I get sad about how I miss him, I just remember that I was the only one that he came to prior to meeting my Nana in heaven. I feel so loved!