"Lost Diamonds"

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Yes, it's very sad, but also very mercifull for her, because she suffered so badly.  Her body got swollen to a point where the skin on all her limbs startet to burst open.  I was with her the whole time, and at times I was so frustrated to know that nothing could be done anymore.  It sounds harsh, but if was a relief when she finally "went".

But like you, I also had my laughs during this past week.  She was so confused and at times said the funniest things.  At one time she fought with me about the beer she apparrently just had infront of her (that was when she was flat on her back in hospital and could'nt see so good anymore) and wanted to know who had taken it away.  The other time she mistook me for a cat jumping through the window when I opened the curtains drawn around her bed  -  said "Spring die fokken kat nou hier deur die venster".  She asked the specialist if he was a musician when he examened her chest again.  She called the nurses "louses" that were crawling up her skin.  At one time she threw the sippi-cup I had to use for her away, 'cause she said that deformed things were growing in the cup.  Ag shame, I felt so sorry for her, but couldn't help laughing at the funny things.  You know, I think the Lord made her so confused to keep her mind away from the amount of pain she suffered.   Just before she passed, she asked me for her shoes, 'cause she said she had to walk now.  She constantly heard small children and she was so worried about them and had to go and see if they were okay, so apparrently that was where she had to walk to.

Her funeral will be on Friday next week and she will be buried next to my dad.  Bless them both  -  Big Dirk and Joey - finally together again.!  Boy, and did she miss him!!!!!

[georg ruf jr.]

Hi Dalene.
Sorry about your mom.
My thoughts are with you.
Wish you strength in this hard time.
Georg jr.

[Bev Burchell]

Hi Daleen

Our sincere sympathies at your great loss.  Please just help me out here... was your mom a sister at the hospital in Oranjemund?

regards

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Hi Bev,

No, you are thinking about Linda Coetzee, the wife of Rooi Andries Coetzee, but her and my mom were very good friends and had been so since they were schoolgirls and remained good friends till the end.  My mom used to work in the "goods receiving"? department of the shopping centre.  My dad was Big Dirk, the huge policeman in O'mund from 1973 to 1986.

I will try to post a picture of her at some later stage.

Thank you again to everyone for the messages  -  I appreciate every single one. 

[Debby Opperman (Biccard)]

Dalene

My deepest sympathy to you and your family. I remember Joey well with great fondness, though I was just a kid at the time   

[Bev Burchell]

Hi again

Ok .. gosh I can't handle all these "senior Moments" I have!  I don't remember your mom but I have very fond memories of Linda, Mickey Benade and Francis Havenga from the time I worked at the hospital as Receptionist.

[georg ruf jr.]

Hi Bev,

No, you are thinking about Linda Coetzee, the wife of Rooi Andries Coetzee, but her and my mom were very good friends and had been so since they were schoolgirls and remained good friends till the end.  My mom used to work in the "goods receiving"? department of the shopping centre.  My dad was Big Dirk, the huge policeman in O'mund from 1973 to 1986.

I will try to post a picture of her at some later stage.

Thank you again to everyone for the messages  -  I appreciate every single one. 

Hi Dalene.
I'm sure I now your mom. She must have worked with my mom for some time. I used to visit the "girls" behind the "scenes" now and then.
Georg

[Paula Gottsch (Willson)]

Hi Delene

We had the same thing with my mom with her getting confused and saying the funniest thing, we also had to laugh, it was either laughing or having to cry and we stuck with the humour side of thing to help us cope.  When we read what you wrote your mom said it made us laugh because we know what it's like.  My mom forgot what Julie's name was and when she was asked she would think about it for a while then she said "a bladdy idiot" hahaha, shame bless her.
My mom also saw her grand kids as still being little one's, she saw them running past her room and crawling under her bed and would tell us to go check on what they are getting up to.

Jackie and I will be flying back to SA tomorrow afternoon, once I get back to work I will try grab sometime to pop on line and torment Georg and Mike.

You and your family will be in our thoughts and prays next friday when you lay your mom to rest, be strong and remember the happy times.

Lovies
Paula, Jackie and Julie

[georg ruf jr.]

Go ahead Paula. I'm ready and waiting on you. I'm surprised your not around . I suppose your so exhausted from the last battle... hihihi
:emot111:

[SandyB]

Dalene ,  just picked  up   on the  news  today ... my  sympathies ,, and  wishes  for  strength  on  the road  ahead ....   Below a  little  something   that I find  beautiful describing  the  central  role  of  a  mother  in  our lives ...

Your Mother is always with you....
She's the whisper of the leaves as  you walk down the street;
She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
And she's crystallized  in every teardrop.
She's the place you came from, Your first home;
And she's the map you follow with every step you take.
She's your  first love and your first heartbreak,
and nothing on earth can separate you.

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[Paula Gottsch (Willson)]

another time Georg, I'll take a rain check on the battle, got to pack. :)

[georg ruf jr.]

See ya when in the sunny south side of the world...

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Jeez Sandy that was a beautiful verse,got me all tearful and mushy.

[SandyB]

Hi Dianna ...  Mushy  yes  .. truth  yes    .. and  for  Dalene >> To  remember  the  last  line  being
" and nothing  on  earth  can seperate  you "  Our  comfort  is  that  they live on  in  our  hearts  and souls  and  we  in  theirs  .. indelible  ..  been  there  had  tough  time  dealing  with  mothers  loss till   with  time  I  came  to  the realisation  in  that last  line ...

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

 

To all of you.  Thank you for the support.  Sandy, that is so beautifull....  I will keep it for always.

Just to inform you:  My mom's funeral will be on Friday 7 Dec. at 12H00.  All your love and thoughts will be with me then. 

(I have been busy with all the arangements etc.  ----  and will be off line again for a few days, but next week I will plague you with my posts and comments again. )