Angel

Angel

There once was an Angel
Who was so sweet and fair
She brought great happiness to all
Even though her stature was small
In the ways that count
She was so very tall
She was sweet and innocent and fair
She was even born with beautiful hair
She was a miracle come from God
And where she was
Only angels dare to trod
She was sweet and loving and fair
She taught us all to share
Except when she was being good
Then we all turned into hoods
Because we all wanted her for ourselves
But we were not really selfish
Just wanting that generous love
She portioned in each of our hearts
Now better we are more loving
More kind
For in heaven we someday want to be
With Angel; Angelica Dawn.

Love, Daddy*

 

 

*Cleve Esplin

Angelica's funeral

Today was Angelica's funeral. It was wonderful. All three of her sisters spoke, her dad & her grandma Luana. LuAnn accompanied the girls & their families in their songs. The spirit was sooo strong. She was buried in the Preston Cemetery, on the same end of the cemetery as my family, but a road further on.

Ramen noodles was Angelica's favorite food. We had ramen noodles for supper tonight in memory of Angelica.

Angelica

I am sitting here in shock. I want to cry, but I'm just numb. This is what I found when I logged into Facebook this morning on her sister Mary's status:

Thank you everyone who prayed on my family's behalf. Our beautiful Angelica died this morning. She fought for 49 days at Primary Children's Medical Center, but Heavenly Father must have needed her more than we do. We know we will see her again someday. Now we have extra motivation to live our lives the right way.

Now Cleve & Sylvia need our prayers. Luana has expressed many times she thinks the only reason Cleve is still here is because of Angelica.

I'm going to let Luana tell Mother. Luana said yesterday she could tell it was a bad day as soon as she heard Sylvia's voice. Yesterday I was wondering where they would bury her. The cemetery here in Preston is full.

Some updates

I've updated Mother's Caring Bridge journal a couple of times since I've made an entry here. She's doing much better. She's been sleeping in the recliner for the past month. She's doing so well, she may soon be able to go back to sleeping in her bed.

I, on the other hand, spend way too much time in bed. I need to be more faithful in taking my potassium. Perhaps I wouldn't be so tired all the time.

Luana is going down to see her granddaughter Angelica tomorrow. Angelica had surgery on her sinuses & she is sitting up. She can't sit up for very long, but it's better than being in a medicated coma or restrained so she won't pull tubes & things. I can't wait to hear what Luana has to report.

I found out some interesting things about my 3rd great-grandfather, Thomas Marshall. The story goes that Sarah Goode Marshall wanted to emigrate to the United States to gather with the Latter-day Saints in Zion (Salt Lake City). Her husband Tom didn't like the Mormons. She would go to church & sometimes the spirit would whisper or sometimes the other members would see him coming to get her & warn her. She prayed that a way would be opened for her to come & Tom died.

One history I read said that "Brother" Marshall had poor health.

OK, we now have proof through four newspaper articles published at the time that Tom committed suicide. He was having an affair & had been saving money so he & his paramour could emigrate. Sarah got that money. She also had to borrow from the Perpetual Emigration Fund so she, her children & her younger sister could come.

I can't wait to find out more. I never did like Thomas Marshall.

Update on Angelica

Not much of an update, still in Primary Children's, no longer in a medicated coma, but the doctor's still don't know what's going on.

Please pray

My aunt Luana's 13-yo granddaughter Angelica, Cleve's daughter, was lifeflighted to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City last night. She is in critical condition. Please include her in your prayers. She was hospitalized here at Franklin County Medical Center Sunday with pneumonia. It is now systemic pneumonia. She is in a medically induced coma. They intubated her here in Preston before she was flown down.

So, never having heard of systemic pneumonia, I googled it. I remembered my sister Wanda died of pneumonia. She had systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE). Had several hits for both pneumonia & SLE.

However, Angelica has Down Syndrome. I found this in googling "Down Syndrome pneumonia"

In addition, there is a 62-fold higher incidence of pneumonia in children with Down syndrome than in the general population.

Wow! Didn't find much on systemic pneumonia. I guess I'll have to wait for updates from Luana.

Also, the head of nursing over the nursing home is a real biddy & Sylvia, Angelica's mother, may lose her job if she misses too much work. Please include Sylvia in your prayers also.