In Today's Purse I would like to share...
“The Day That My Life Changed Forever”
It was Wednesday, September 28, 2010. My day started out as usual: got up out the bed and headed off to work. I talked to Aintee Connie at about 9:30am; we would usually do our daily check in before 10:00 am. Both of our days were busy and we never even discussed meeting for lunch. I didn’t hear from her again until 4:45, her quitting time. That was our usual check out time, during which we would discuss if we were doing anything after work. On this particular day it was my niece Loni’s and my aunt’s best friend Ernestine’s birthday. She gave me Ernestine’s phone number so that I could wish her a Happy Birthday. I told aintee that I was going to dinner with my sister and niece and she said that she was going home. I said, goodbye and I’ll see you tomorrow. Those of you that knew Connie she would never say goodbye; she would just hang up.
So, I went home and my sister decided to pick something up and came to my house for dinner. We talked and laughed and celebrated my niece’s birthday. When they left I was up gathering bills and cleaning out my work bag. I found a piece of mail that I had been meaning to take to my Aintee Connie. I packed it in my work bag and zipped it up for the night. I left Ernestine’s number on the counter top, written on a post-it note, but I didn’t know that I would be using it in a couple hours. I was up watching TV and soon the TV was watching me. Suddenly, the phone rang at about 11:20pm and I jumped up to answer and it was my mom.
She said, “Keesha,” and I said, “Yes.”
She said, “Uncle Terri just called and Connie’s in the ambulance headed to the hospital.”
I said “what?” As she started to repeat herself, I interrupted, “I heard you but what’s wrong?”
My mom said, “I don’t know”. I ran down the stairs and my husband was still up playing a video game. He looked up and asked “what’s wrong?” and I told him.
He told me “if you take that ugly hat off I’ll take you.” Those of you that know my husband know that he always has something smart to say but loves me dearly. He grabbed his word scramble and we headed out to pick up my mom and then off to the hospital. So, I received the call at 11:20, picked my mom up by 11:40, made it to the hospital at 12:15.
My mom was the first one through the emergency room door. She darted for the reception desk and said, “We are here for my sister Connie.” I will never forget the look on that woman’s face. It was blank, without expression.
The receptionist’s arm extended to this fragile Asian woman in a white doctors coat. As we were walking toward her she was walking to meet us. She took us into this waiting room and the unthinkable words came from her lips. “I’m sorry she did not make it; she had a heart attack.”
I said very loudly, “Didn’t make it? Didn’t make it? What do you mean?”
My mom balled up on the couch, while Uncle Terri was off in the corner, and my husband was still standing in the door way. I laid across a chair and I thought my heart stopped. I have never felt such instant sharp pain in my life. It was like a piercing pain that would not quit. I was short of breath and the tears were unstoppable. How could this be? I just talked to her seven hours ago. It was like my world was spinning. Everything was uncontrollable: the tears, the sadness, the piercing pain, the sting, and the heartache; the pain was unbearable. How could this be? That phrase, “here today, gone today” was an experience to me at that moment. September 28, 2010 at 11:58pm. My life changed forever. My Aintee was gone, my mom’s sister was gone, Uncle Terri’s wife was gone and my cousin’s mother was gone. It was so sudden, so fast, and so hurtful. I was lost and lonely without a clue of what to do next. The only thing I knew was that the rock of our family was no longer with us. All I could say was LORD help us.
I never imagined my life without my Aintee. My Aintee has been there for me since day one. She was my aunt, my shopping buddy, my advisor, my travel agent; my set of ears when I needed to vent; my comforter when I needed to be held and treated like a baby; my cheerleader , my biggest fan, but most of all she was my best friend. Some of my deepest secrets went to the grave with her.
My Life Will Never Be The Same!
If you have a loved one that maybe you fell out with, or something happened where you may not be on speaking terms for whatever reason, or if you have someone that you love that you haven’t talked to in a while. Give them a call and tell them that you love them, make plans to be with the people you love and make memories, because “here today gone today” can happen to you.
One thing for sure, Aintee talked to each of us the day she passed away, and we all knew that she loved us not only in words but she showed us in her “Actions of Love”. I am hopeful that I will become a person that shows “Actions of Love”. What about you?
I leave you with These Three Words-Stevie Wonder
I Love You!
