 In
Memory of Jamie
Woods-Whitehead
Told by
Monika Woods
My sister in law, Jamie,
had 3 children. When we were
younger, and our children were small, I used to work a lot. She would
keep my
kids for me, and I was always
so grateful because I was very picky about where I left
them.
We would sit out in her
backyard some days on the kids swing
set and watch the kids play. I would tell her how much I appreciated
everything
she did. She said it was ok, because she knew when she was gone I would
be
there for her kids.
This used to trouble me a
great deal, and I would tell her
not to talk like that. She would say that we all have a time and she
would not
live past 40. She said she knew where she was going and she was fine
with that.
Jamie's other sister
Julie had a baby close to the same time
I had my second child. I was still working many hours, as was her
sister,
Julie. Our boys would stay with Jamie often. Jamie was like a second
mom to
them. She loved babies, so we were happy to let them stay with her.
When
the kids were all in elementary school Jamie called to
ask me if I would go to the doctor with her. She never went to doctors,
so I
knew it was something serious. We went to the clinic on a Friday. Her
long,
beautiful red hair was up in a pony tail. Not just any red, but a dark
auburn, thick and beautiful. She was
smiling, but I knew she was nervous. She held my hand as they put a
needle in
to check the lump. We laughed and talked.
A
few days later the test results came back: non-hodgkins. I
did not know anything about cancer, so I thought non was a good thing,
but she
said no, that she had about 3 months to live. They told her with
treatment she
could probably go an extra year or two, but this too was highly
improbable.
The
treatment places were out of town, so she had to drive a
lot. The kids would usually stay with family members. Her mother in law
usually
went with her. She prayed and asked God to just live until her kids
were in
Middle School.
Miraculously
the cancer went away with no trace. The doctor
was amazed and said that it was a miracle. He warned her that it would
probably
come back, but was thankful that she had more time.
Seven
years went by and the cancer came back. Jamie was ok
with it, she said that she had asked God to get her through until the
kids were
in middle school, and he had.
I
remember the day that she got a terrible headache. It was
before Christmas 2003. Her daughter had been staying overnight with us
because
Jamie was not feeling well. I knew what the headache meant. Jamies
daughter and
I had a long talk. I told her that her mom always knew it would be like
this,
and that when Jesus died on the cross, he told the believer next to
Him,
"This day you will be with me in Paradise".
If
it happened, when Jamie left her earthly body behind, she too would be
absent
from the body and present with
Christ. We would carry
her memory, and she would be my baby
girl. I told her that I had promised her mother 10 years before that I
would
always love her and her brothers and I would be there for them. They
have a
father that loves them and takes good care of them, but this was
something I
promised Jamie. I knew sh ehad a great bond with my kids, and
thankfully, I had
one with hers.
In
February Jamie was laying in a hospital bed at home.
Every breath was difficult. I hugged her and told her the angels were
waiting
for her, they would carry her home. My husband, her brother; her
sister, and
her other brother all were around. Her last moments were in the arms of
her
sister.
I
miss Jamie a lot. Especially at Christmas. She was always
the one to get everyone together. She had a love for kids that was
matched by
no one. She was not wishy washy. She never pretended to be someone she
wasn't,
and she left this earth like she lived, with strength.
I
still see her smile, and can hear echoes of her laugh. The
funny things she used to say. I pray so much that her kids will live,
love and
laugh and remember that she is still with them and always will be.
*
In Memory of Jamie Woods-Whitehead *
dob 2-2-1963
dod 2-18-2004
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