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At about 6pm Thursday, a 52 year-old patient in ICU went into cardiac arrest. Our Code-Blue team members rushed to his room and worked with him for 45 minutes, but could not revive a pulse. The doctor and I made the dreaded trudge to the family waiting room to let them know their Loved One did not survive.The patient's daughter, age 22, had just moved from Michigan to the Atlanta area to live closer to her parents. As can be expected, the family was devastated; blown away by the tragic and unexpected bad news. After the doctor left, I stayed with them for several hours, consoling where possible. I stayed with them as they began notifying friends and extended family.We prayed together for strength in their difficult time. Scripture says God is a present help in the time of trouble. They so much needed His presence.They wanted to see him and after the room was cleaned (Code Blue response sometimes has 15 or more medical people in the room with all of them desperately trying to revive the patient.) I led the family to him and stayed with them as they saw him and began coming to terms that he was gone from them. They stayed with his body for several hours. We gathered at his bedside, held hands and prayed.I returned several times from being with patients in the ER, to check on them. They were kind and gracious. They hugged my neck and thanked me for being there with them. At around midnight, they went home to get some sleep.This morning, the patient's wife was back at the hospital - arriving by ambulance. During the night, the wife had taken an overdose of sleeping pills. The daughter called 911 but when the wife arrived at the hospital, her life in this life was gone. When I heard the news, I had to find a place to sit down briefly. It was not a case of being weak in the knees. My heart was so heavy for their daughter and for the precious one who had ended her own life, that I sat down for a moment. Instead of burying her dad, the daughter is now making preparations to bury her father and mother.I have struggled with the situation. I have wondered if there was something more I could have done for them that the wife would not have taken her life. She didn't show any outward signs of harming herself. We are trained to look for that when people are suddenly thrust into deep grief. I've backed the mental video of the entire situation up and played it in my mind several times. Late last night, I texted a friend and shared that I was feeling down because of the situation. Is there something I missed?This morning, he called and said he had a Word for me about the situation. He said, Jesus spent years doing all He could to help Judas. Judas had heard Jesus preach and pray and teach. And yet, Judas ended up taking his own life. No one can blame Jesus for the decision Judas made.It was the word of hope I needed. I'm still feeling down about it but the flow of patients is continuous. No complaint here - there are amazing opportunities to be a strength to people who are hurting. Like you, I'm Called to do it.

Doyle, thanks for sharing that. I know that it has been a rough couple of days for you. That was a good word from your friend. I will be praying for you and this precious daughter. This story hit me pretty hard. I am 52. Something you also need to know is that the wife may have been menopausal. I know there is no excuse for suicide, but me and my wife both have been struggling with things related to mid-life, lately. Some crazy emotions and depression and all kinds of other things.

I don't mean to get away from the main topic, but I will mention that a friend of mine was prescribed an estrogen patch which eased the transition of hormones. She would find herself crying for no reason, but once she had the patch, those extreme mood swings were eliminated. It affects different people in different ways; some go through it without as many problems. (I don't know how long my friend stayed on the patch.)To the OP, I've known people who committed suicide and have wondered what I could have said or done. One in particular was a high school classmate (in a very small school). He worked in the lunchroom taking the empty trays and dumping any left over food. As I put my tray away, I felt I should say something to him encouraging, but I didn't know what to say. I often wondered if I could have helped him. I also had a great uncle who committed suicide about a half mile from our house. I was a youngster at the time. In my mind I tried to imagine scenarios in which I could have rescued him, but I realized my imaginations weren't realistic. Sometimes we wish we could have changed things that were not in our control, but I think we should try to be sensitive to what the Spirit in case there is something to say that IS within our control. I know our pastor has given a testimony of encountering someone in a home improvement store. He felt led to go back and say something. The man broke down in tears and confessed to feeling suicidal. I just mention that to say we should be open to the Spirit, not that anyone should feel condemned if they feel they missed an opportunity.What a tragedy for the daughter to have lost both parents at once!

Amen and Amen Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/