Do you believe Part II #23
Hello Everyone,
A few weeks ago we told you about our butterfly story and how sometimes you need to believe. I am going to apologize in advance for any rambling or grammar errors. This post will be painfully hard for me to get through. Today marks four years that April Lynn Hacker passed away after her second double lung transplant due to complications from Cystic Fibrosis. So let's go back and talk about the number 23. My husband and I found it cute that we both had the number 23 as our favorite number. We did not know that years after we met that the number 23 would take on a whole other meaning. April had a successful double lung transplant in November 2009 and we celebrated with a party in December. It was a few weeks later April had some trouble breathing and was rushed by ambulance to Presby. in Pittsburgh. Shortly after it was discovered April's new lungs were failing she was set for her second double lung transplant in just 2 months. We had fears if her body would be able to handle the trauma but we all had hope. April was a fighter and had fought this disease for 24 years. I remember sitting in our living room on January 19th about 3 or 4 am and we were exhausted and rick pulled out a ring box. I was confused what was going on and without going into the gushy details Rick asked me to marry him after 5 years of dating! I did not realize after April had her first transplant her and Rick had went to the jewelers and designed my engagement ring. So the next day we went to see April and tell the family the exciting news. April's mom, Marian, was sitting at her bed side when I told her Rick proposed! She reached across the bed and grabbed my left hand. I was so excited and also relieved that she had built up some strength. A few days later we learned April had a stroke and there were problems with her new lungs. January 24th Rick and I had a late night visit with April and I told her about using Purple for our wedding colors to show our support for CF and just talked hoping she could hear me. It was that night that April squeezed Rick's hand and when Rick left the room I saw her wiggle her toe. We were so happy that April had given us a sign that she was still fighting. I can see those days and nights at the hospital like it was yesterday. So we left and headed home and were not prepared for what the next days would bring. You see it was 4 years ago that 23 people stood hand in hand with eyes full of tears and disbelief along Aprils bedside and watched her take her last breath on this earth. On January 25, 2010 April had lost her battle. I will never forget getting the call to get to the hospital that April was not going to make it. I rushed in to her room to see Rick and the nurse made me sit down because all of the color left my face. I did not want to believe this was really happening, I just saw her wiggle her toe and squeeze Rick's hand? Well it was real and frankly it sucked. April was like a sister to me and a hero to so many. The entire hospital staff and even other families in the waiting area we saddened by her loss. So 23 people squeezed into her room as Pastor Steve asked God to open the gates for April. I had never felt more defeated in my life but managed to stay strong and promise April that I would take care of her family. That night we didn't sleep and Twilight was on tv and I remember being touched by a line in the movie. It was something like "Death is easy, It is living that is the hard." I was being selfish by crying and trying to reason why April was gone but remembered she had a hard long internal battle that so many could not see and none of us will ever understand and she was finally breathing easy in heaven. Fast forward a few days of funeral planning and when we got to the funeral home we were pleasantly surprised that the In Loving Memory cards at the viewing had Psalm 23 on them. During April's church service a beautiful ray of light came into the church and everyone in the room could feel the light and I believe it was a message from April that she was alright. As I stated before Pastor Steve talked about the butterfly and how they have to go through the struggle to become a butterfly. It is because of April that we started Clicks for a Cause. We want to bring awareness to CF, celebrate her life and help other causes raise money for valuable research. Our first Clicks for CF was held at Mt. Olivet Church in the spring of 2012 and you will never believe that we had 23 sessions! There are many times since that the number 23 or a butterfly has come along and makes us take a moment to leave our hectic lives and remember a beautiful daughter, sister, friend who lost her battle just a week before her 25th birthday. We miss you April Lynn!
A few weeks ago we told you about our butterfly story and how sometimes you need to believe. I am going to apologize in advance for any rambling or grammar errors. This post will be painfully hard for me to get through. Today marks four years that April Lynn Hacker passed away after her second double lung transplant due to complications from Cystic Fibrosis. So let's go back and talk about the number 23. My husband and I found it cute that we both had the number 23 as our favorite number. We did not know that years after we met that the number 23 would take on a whole other meaning. April had a successful double lung transplant in November 2009 and we celebrated with a party in December. It was a few weeks later April had some trouble breathing and was rushed by ambulance to Presby. in Pittsburgh. Shortly after it was discovered April's new lungs were failing she was set for her second double lung transplant in just 2 months. We had fears if her body would be able to handle the trauma but we all had hope. April was a fighter and had fought this disease for 24 years. I remember sitting in our living room on January 19th about 3 or 4 am and we were exhausted and rick pulled out a ring box. I was confused what was going on and without going into the gushy details Rick asked me to marry him after 5 years of dating! I did not realize after April had her first transplant her and Rick had went to the jewelers and designed my engagement ring. So the next day we went to see April and tell the family the exciting news. April's mom, Marian, was sitting at her bed side when I told her Rick proposed! She reached across the bed and grabbed my left hand. I was so excited and also relieved that she had built up some strength. A few days later we learned April had a stroke and there were problems with her new lungs. January 24th Rick and I had a late night visit with April and I told her about using Purple for our wedding colors to show our support for CF and just talked hoping she could hear me. It was that night that April squeezed Rick's hand and when Rick left the room I saw her wiggle her toe. We were so happy that April had given us a sign that she was still fighting. I can see those days and nights at the hospital like it was yesterday. So we left and headed home and were not prepared for what the next days would bring. You see it was 4 years ago that 23 people stood hand in hand with eyes full of tears and disbelief along Aprils bedside and watched her take her last breath on this earth. On January 25, 2010 April had lost her battle. I will never forget getting the call to get to the hospital that April was not going to make it. I rushed in to her room to see Rick and the nurse made me sit down because all of the color left my face. I did not want to believe this was really happening, I just saw her wiggle her toe and squeeze Rick's hand? Well it was real and frankly it sucked. April was like a sister to me and a hero to so many. The entire hospital staff and even other families in the waiting area we saddened by her loss. So 23 people squeezed into her room as Pastor Steve asked God to open the gates for April. I had never felt more defeated in my life but managed to stay strong and promise April that I would take care of her family. That night we didn't sleep and Twilight was on tv and I remember being touched by a line in the movie. It was something like "Death is easy, It is living that is the hard." I was being selfish by crying and trying to reason why April was gone but remembered she had a hard long internal battle that so many could not see and none of us will ever understand and she was finally breathing easy in heaven. Fast forward a few days of funeral planning and when we got to the funeral home we were pleasantly surprised that the In Loving Memory cards at the viewing had Psalm 23 on them. During April's church service a beautiful ray of light came into the church and everyone in the room could feel the light and I believe it was a message from April that she was alright. As I stated before Pastor Steve talked about the butterfly and how they have to go through the struggle to become a butterfly. It is because of April that we started Clicks for a Cause. We want to bring awareness to CF, celebrate her life and help other causes raise money for valuable research. Our first Clicks for CF was held at Mt. Olivet Church in the spring of 2012 and you will never believe that we had 23 sessions! There are many times since that the number 23 or a butterfly has come along and makes us take a moment to leave our hectic lives and remember a beautiful daughter, sister, friend who lost her battle just a week before her 25th birthday. We miss you April Lynn!
beyond beautiful
ReplyDeleteso very sorry for your loss, and yet grateful for the comfort of touches from the other side