I'll See You Later

I had a dream last night about a sister I visit teach. I've been her visiting teacher/friend for around 2 and a half years now.

This has been a particularly hard year for her. A little over a year ago, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and started chemotherapy. Then in April, her husband died suddenly. Around two months ago, she blacked out and hit a tree with her car. While being checked out at the hospital, the doctors discovered that the blackout was caused by a tumor in her brain - the cancer had spread from torso to head undetected. She started radiation almost immediately to combat this. Just before Thanksgiving, the tumors around her spine grew too large and she lost the ability to walk.

There have been plenty of good things as well. Her son came back from a mission to Africa and got married. Her oldest daughter had a sweet baby boy after many years of trying. Another daughter-in-law is expecting their third child. She started paying tithing and dealt with some other issues and just this month was able to attend the temple for the first time in 12 years.

My visiting teaching companion and I saw her last the Sunday before Christmas. We only stayed for a few minutes - she was exhausted and didn't have the energy to talk for long. She looked tired and ill - almost no hair left (a year ago she had thick, curly red hair down to her waist), black circles under her eyes, a very soft voice.

I dreamed about her last night. In my dream, I was at the hospital for some reason - I didn't really know why. I walked into a waiting room and it was filled with this sister's family. My friend came in. She didn't look well, not like before the cancer, but she looked better than she had in months - like she did before the radiation. She had beautiful shoulder-length red hair and she was walking! I was so excited for both these things but I didn't want to draw attention to them. So I just told her that she looked great and I was so happy to see her.

A nurse on the next room called her name and she went to that room. I followed her carrying a chair in case she needed to sit down. She stood at the counter signing some paperwork and I just stood there, unsure of what to do. One of the nurses (who looked exactly like one of the counselors in our Stake Presidency) said to me, "Carolyn, these are some private contracts so we'll need you to...." and motioned back to the other room.

I patted my friend on the shoulder, she smiled at me and I said, "I'll see you later" and I walked back to the other room. That's when I woke up.

I got a call from the Relief Society president this morning to let me know Loralei passed away last night around midnight. I don't know if the dream means anything in particular but the timing felt more than a coincidence to me.

So, I'll see you later, Loralei. I'm so glad you're free from your pain and sickness now and are reunited with your husband. Godspeed and God bless.