Diane Bykowski, Reflection on an Angel in the Night

Our Hospice Spotlight Volunteer’s Reflections are shared monthly. Reflections are stories of connection and meaning, presented in the volunteer’s own words. Here is Diane Bykowski’s Reflection. This experience reinforced Diane’s belief in angels and the messages she feels they send to us. May they also send blessings to you this holiday season.

The Angel Messenger

An Angel Messenger

Zoe and I were once visiting with a gentleman who entered hospice. He had a trach tube (to breath as well as speak through), and she was kind of frightened of that. So, he would disconnect the tube and not use the speaking mechanism. Instead, he would whisper to her and she would just cuddle up next to him. We visited him for the last 3 weeks of his life, twice a week.

The last week we went, his daughter met us at the door and said,

“Why don’t you just continue visiting other people, I don’t think dad will even notice Zoe’s there today?”

I agreed and Zoe and I walked down the hall. But, the daughter came and got me down the hall. She told me that her dad seems to know that we were there, so we went back.  We just stood by his bed and I put his hand on Zoe’s head, and although there was no movement or visible recognition by me, Zoe seemed to know she was with her friend and his breathing was less labored.

That happened on a Tuesday. We went back on Thursday and Zoe wanted to go into his room, but it was empty, so I knew he had probably passed between Tuesday and Thursday.   I guessed that his passing was Thursday, 2:00 am or thereabout, and the staff confirmed my observation.

Playing in the Moonlight

I told them I sensed this because Zoe, who usually sleeps soundly in bed through the night, got up, got her squeaky toy, went outside through her doggy door, and was playing and running in the yard. She eventually came back in though the doggy door, dropped her toy and looked at me as if to say, “Well, didn’t you see him?”  

I had no idea what she was doing until I realized later that was the time period in which he passed.

Read Diane Bykowski’s Spotlight I, Spotlight II