Catholic Singles

MY FINAL HOUR
BY: MARK ANTHONY ROSOLOWSKI

Few people can say that they have experienced their final hour. It is that moment in time of the ending of their mortal life and the beginning of their eternal life. I can not honestly say that I actually experienced that moment. It could have been a real experience, or it might have just been a dream. Either way it is a moment in time that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I was in the hospital; it was after my heart attack and my stroke. I was admitted that time for intermittent chest pain and the medication that they were giving me just did not seem to be working. I was uncomfortable, the oxygen did not seem to be helping and I could not get comfortable in the bed. I had taken my medication to help me sleep but even that medication did not help, I was restless, very anxious and was tossing and turning. I was praying to God for relief of the pain and to help me rest.

At one point I either drifted off to sleep and into a dream, or I passed out and was actually seeing what came before me. At that time I can remember seeing my wife, who had dies the previous year walking towards me. She was as beautiful as the day we met; she was walking without any problems. She had what I use to call her pretty smile; I use to tease her about it because whenever she smiled like that she had a soft laugh that came with it. As she got closer I saw her eyes, they were sparkling just like they always had. I saw she was walking with someone, I could not make out who it was, and there was a bright light all around whoever it was. As she got closer I could hear her saying something, but could not make out what she was saying.

I could feel myself moving towards her, I felt so good, I was so happy to see her again; I was going to be with her. It was then I saw her shaking her head, she spoke again and told me, “Mark, it is not your time yet, you have to go back, and you still have things you have to do.” I continued t try to get to her when I felt someone shaking me, I heard my name being called but it was as if it was far away. The shaking became harder and I heard my name clearer, Donna was fading from my sight, I was reaching out for her, then she was gone. I was opening my eyes, I was in my hospital room, nurses were all around me, I felt them taking my blood pressure, starting a new intravenous line, I tried to talk but I could not form any words.

After a short time, everything was clear and I could speak and I asked what had happened. I was told that while I was sleeping my heart rate was almost nonexistent, they could not get a blood pressure on me and my breathing had almost stopped. The one nurse told me that they were about to call a cardiac arrest (Code Blue), on me if I did not respond. They told me I had just come around right before they were going to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation. After giving me medication and moving me to the Intensive Care Unit, I started to think about what had just happened to me. I do not know if I really saw my wife and I do not know if she really did speak to me, but I like to believe that it did actually happen, that it was not a dream. I have the faith to acknowledge that it did happen, that even if it was a dream, it was a dream sent to make me realize that I had a mission to do. That God wants me here to do whatever He wants me to do, it was also a message to me that what I believe is true, that there is a place of eternal happiness and love and that I will be going there someday