BROKEN-HEARTED AND BETRAYED BUT GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT

As time got closer, Rick stopped communicating with me or anyone. He was so broken hearted. He wasn’t ready to be done with this lifetime. He was hurt by what transpired with him and his neurologist, who was his friend and with his business partner. I had never seen Rick so hurt. He was a very strong man. He didn’t talk about it before the silence came but I knew what troubled him.

So many of my friends and family had their input or say about these situations that we were dealing with. Everyone gave me advice on how they believed I should handle each conflict. They both could actually be legitimate legal cases.

It was all I could manage to do during those last days to just take care of Rick’s needs and keep the household things going. I did contemplate on each situation at night as I lay in bed and wasn’t able to sleep either for my thoughts or for taking care of Rick’s needs.

Things were tough for us financially. Rick had not drawn much of any pay because he had started a new subdivision and multiple houses with his business partner before his surgery. I had taken a leave of absence to take care of Rick. If it had not been for my former coworkers in the Rome office of BellSouth, I don’t know how we would have made it. They would bring dishes to the office on Friday’s and sell plates. In a three month period they gave us over $5000.00. My heart was so humbled by the out pouring of love shown to us during this time.

All I knew to do was to give each situation to God. The surgeon had not told us about the spot found on Rick’s lung during the pre-op testing. He knew Rick’s family history of cancer and we should have been informed and given options. Then Rick’s business partner never paid us for the 5 houses that Rick assisted on before his illness and death. His partner kept telling me he would get with me and settle up but he never did.

After Rick’s death I finally confronted the business partner one more time and this time he told me he didn’t owe me anything. I knew of their partnership agreement and the percentages but he said I was mistaken. It broke my heart even more. I told him that if he could live with the fact of cheating his business partner and supposed friend then I would manage without it. This was one of the toughest mental battles I have ever had.

Rick had always taken care of certain bills and I had always taken care of certain ones. One of Rick’s was to pay his life insurance premium. He had a $500,000 policy from when he had been in business with other friends. I had no idea the quarterly premium had not been taken care of. By the grace of God I had a $20,000 policy on mother and it covered both mother’s funeral expenses and Rick’s. Rick’s wishes were to be cremated.

Many months after his death I continued to pray for direction. I never got a release from God to file legal suits on the neurosurgeon or his business partner. Every time I prayed I heard I have got you! So that is how I proceeded. My understanding was had I went forward with legal action it would bring me nothing but more grief and I knew no matter what God had never failed me and I trusted the answers I received from Him.