Juliana Rousseau
12/8/21 - 8/16/13
Julie died peacefully in her sleep and we found her the next morning - her last words to us the night before were "I'm comfy". She showed amazing courage in her last days after her decision to stop all food and fluids. Her final day was a wonderful one filled with visitors and phone calls. Her spirit was so ready to soar! Thank you to Sutter Hospice - to our nurses, Erica & Beth, and our amazing aide, Mary - they made Julie's journey a comfortable and even fun one for the past three months.
Dear Julie,
We miss you and know that you are now soaring free. It was an honor to care for you and now it is with heavy hearts that we share a few photos from your past nine months with us. More to come in the days ahead. Thank you for your grace, your wit, your amazing recital of poetry, your examples of bravery and your unexpected gifts...your life will continue to touch ours in the years ahead. And thank you for your message from the stars last night - never to be forgotten. We love you!
Julie's last poem recited in part to several different people in the last week of her life.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.
