Barbara Curtis.....For He is Our Peace...

Barbara Curtis, beloved by husband, children, family, and
friends worldwide died suddenly this week of a hemorrhagic stroke.  In death as in life, hers was orchestrated by
Our Heavenly Father. Unbeknownst to us all her spirit was preparing for this
time over the last month. She reached out and touched so many of those she
loved while conducting her ongoing battles against injustice, falsehood, and
evil while continuing her life's mission of upholding the value life,
motherhood, and parenting.  She even made
sure that our refrigerators, freezers, and pantry were well stocked with food.

Barbara had gone up to Rochester, NY to see one of our sons,
Ben performing in an opera at Eastman. Her plan was to go to church with Ben
and Anna, (his wife) the next morning and then head back home. She changed her
mind that night and decided to leave early in the morn. If she had followed her
plan, she would have had the stroke while driving on the freeway and died
alone. She arrived home around 4pm as I was preparing to leave on a mission
regarding the coming hurricane and busily getting the house secure during the
storm for her and the 3 youngest boys at home. 
She was in a great mood, started a load of laundry, even had time to cut
my hair, our last intimate moment. I was supposed to leave at 5pm and noticed I
was way behind. After looking at my watch and seeing it was 5:37 I went to kiss
her and the boys goodbye. She was sitting on our loveseat in the living room
with a dazed expression on her face. I asked her what was wrong and she uttered
a discombobulated incomprehensible sentence. 
This is a woman who had never uttered an inarticulate statement in her
life. I suspected stroke and ran the test. She failed. After calling a good
friend who is a ER Doc, I dialed 911. At the hospital the first ct scan showed
a 5 cent. blood clot on her brain over her language center. Our oldest daughter
and son with their spouses were there. She was still not making sense, but had
a sense of humor about it...even kind of laughing herself a little. The docs
and nurses told us that she seemed to be improving and after giving some
medicine to assist blood clotting were going to do another ct scan at 1am
Monday morning.

Shortly thereafter at 11:30 I noticed she was trying to
vomit. I went to help her and her eyes suddenly went blank and her body went limp.
Keeping her from aspirating, I called the nurse and they immediately intubated
her and sent her for another ct scan. 
She never gained consciousness again. The ct scan showed the blood clot
was now 13 cent. and growing.

The doctors said that doing surgery would not remedy anything
and probably they would damage her brain even more. The damage was severe. Even
if she survived, she would be immobile. She would never be able to speak or
understand again. She would require around the clock care for the rest of her
days as a vegetable. I realized then that if I had left on time, Barbara would
have died at home with our 3 youngest who would not comprehend, and our son
Matt would have come the next morning to find his mother dead with 3 distressed
special needs boys. God's orchestration. God had made it possible for her
husband and children to be with her when she went to be with her Lord and
Savior.

Barbara and I had talked about this many times over the
years. We both agreed that when our times came we did not want to thwart God's
will. The medical community pride's itself on being able to take a life in the
mother's womb while keeping life that is over alive.  Seems a little like playing God.

The miracles surrounding this time will be treasured by her
family.  Needless to say, God arranged
for all her children to be there at her passing. Though she was comatose,
all  had a chance to speak with her
privately and corporately as a family. The hospital allowed us all to be with
her before and after she was removed from life support. We prayed and sang her
favorite hymns as she was removed from life support. Though it took only 15
minutes it seemed like eternity as her soul passed. As she came to rest, I
realized that in all the years I had known her, I had never seen her so at
peace.

She was the most incredible person I have ever known.
Brilliant communicator, constant seeker of truth, champion of the weak, fierce
opponent of injustice, lover of art, music, literature and culture, believer in
constant examination of self & motivation, consumed with passion for life
and family, and an undying zeal to pursue God's will.  She was a force to be reckoned with.  It is only fitting that she should depart in
the eye of the hurricane. Her only regret is probably that she didn't absentee
vote. But God knows she can be more effective in these times from her vantage
point now that she is with that
"great cloud of witnesses" above.

She has left behind a loving family and a veritable host of
warriors that she has helped and encouraged throughout the years to carry on
the fight.  We will do our best from this
end. Many of you have asked of ways to help. 
We set up an account today to help with our family's mission and the
four Down Syndrome children left behind without their Mama Bear.

Barbara Curtis Mommylife Memorial Fund

PO Box 682 Lovettsville, VA 20180-0682

Barbara's Memorial Mass will be held 1230, Saturday, Nov.
3rd, 2012, at St Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, VA.

While we were courting years ago, we enjoyed reading poetry
together. One of our favorites was Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in particular
this verse....."God's gifts put Man's best dreams to shame."  Certainly she was a gift to us all.  She made me a better man than I ever would
have been.  In obedience we constantly
bit off more than we could chew and then had to chew it.  Through it all, Our Father always provided.

May the Lord bless you and keep you all.  Cherish your times together for you never  know
when it may end.

Pax vobiscum....

 

Tripp