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My Father-in-Law

 

I would like to start out by saying that I do not know if this is a ghost story, angel account or a hallucination brought on by the grips of the late stages of lung cancer. To me it has been a comfort as well as a confusing instance. To make it even more interesting, this happened on the very first real day in our new home where we now reside.

My father-in-law was taken to the Emergency room here in Elkhart last November with flu like symptoms that would simply not go away. Being in his seventies, we thought he just needed a stronger medication than we were able to get over the counter. He has a strong dislike for doctors. Medical treatment should be given by a Medicine man and he was very angry with us as doctors just want money. They do not care about your health physically or spiritually so we had a time getting him there to begin with.

After a battery of tests it was found that he had an advanced stage of lung cancer and the doctor refused to release him on the grounds that he felt Dad may not make it very much longer. On that vote of confidence, we brought him back home. He had been living with us since our daughter was in kindergarten and this is his home. Wherever that dwelling might be, this is where he belonged.

Dad outlasted all of the doctors estimated time lines. Slowly his health declined and we were able to get his Medicine man to come out to the house to treat him only a couple of times this last year. With the help of hospice, we were able to give him the care that was needed, but he then required twenty-four hour care. The economy being what it is, we could not afford to pay for an in home nurse and a live in facility was out of the question. So I became his primary caregiver.

In essence, he became my child. I changed him, fed him (when we could find something he was able to keep down), encouraged him, complained with him and loved him just as I do my daughter and son. I carried him when he could not walk any longer and told him no one else really mattered when none of his other fifteen children would come out and visit. I never left the house unless someone else was present, which caused strain on my family as there were plays, college entrance seminars etc., that I was unable to attend. But this is where I was meant to be at this point in my life. God kept me here for a reason.

We had one load of belongings to bring over here on the third of this month, so we decided to call it quits for the night and sleep in our new home (we had to move, we were relying on my husband's paycheck and that was just not quite enough). At two thirty in the morning, my four year old came running into my husbands and my room announcing that Papa told him there was someone in the house and he was to come get me or my husband. My son chose me.

Without question I got up and searched our entire home and came up with nothing so I just started opening boxes and unpacking, while watching Dad. He said the "someone" was about six foot tall, walked through here with confidence and said nothing when he walked past Dad. Dad felt comfort, not fear. We left a light on wherever Dad slept as he had developed a fear of the dark, and if I had to quickly get to him there would be no obstacles. It could not be a case of Dad not being seen.

We brought the last load in and said goodbye to the old homestead to begin new life here the morning of the fourth. Dad asked me if I liked my new home and if I felt safe here. I assured him that I did and thought he would also. Dad got worse. By four in the afternoon he was speaking a language I do not know while looking intently into my eyes. He pointed to my son, so I walked out of the room and sent him in.

My four year old and Dad were "conversing" and I had no clue what was going on. We called in the hospice nurse at seven but by seven thirty Dad was gone. I apologize, this is still very fresh, so emotions overcome me as I write this. The nurse has no explanation as to what went on between my son and my father-in-law, she has never seen or heard this before. The Medicine man feels my child was preparing another "child for entry into a new family" and the pastor thinks Dad was speaking in tongues.

What about the being that Dad saw in our home? Did he see my husband walking through earlier and misplace time when telling my son to get us? Surly he would have recognized him. In all the time I knew Dad, he was a firm believer in the spirit going directly to Heaven or purgatory and NOT walking the earth for any stretch of time. What were my son and his Papa discussing? And what were they speaking? My son, bless him, says he will tell me when I'm ready.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, whitebuffalo, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

rhodes68 (14 stories) (1596 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-02-01)
Ospilin sotirion kai paragison terpnon kai fotos aidiou nefelin irarhousan tinagian Parthenon imnisomen apantes legontasto Here Afti.
whitebuffalo (guest)
 
15 years ago (2009-02-01)
In the Name of The Great Spirit,
And by the power of His Blood and His Mercy,
We bind all spirits in the air, and the fire and the water,
In the ground and the underground and the nether world,
And we bind any satanic forces of nature.
We bind all curses, hexes, or spells, or any occult activity previously used.
We bind the interaction and interplay of spirits.
And we claim the protection
Of the Great Spirit
Over this house and grounds, and over every person here.
We call upon the ancestors of the land
And the company of angels to surround this place,
Making it both safe and sacred.
And we call out to you, O Great Spirit.
Come now and fill this place, never to leave!
We pray in the name of the Great Spirit, Amen.
whitebuffalo (guest)
 
16 years ago (2007-12-08)
Just an update for anyone who has been checking out this story and the comments with suggestions to what they may have been speaking and saying:
First off, I have not asked my son about the day. He said that he would tell me when I am ready, and I just must not be ready yet. He is very perceptive, so I believe he will know when the time is right. I can hear the heads wagging and almost see the frowns on peoples faces as they are reading this. How can a four year old determine the best time to tell someone anything, and how can he remember the incident well enough to tell me what it is, right? He has done this before with remarkable accuracy in the timing of explanations. I just trust him.
Secondly, I have become, as of December 3rd a Grandmother for the first time. My eldest step daughter and her husband (whom we hardly ever see or hear from) came to the house with this glorious bundle of angelic perfection just last evening.
If you have been following the dates in this story, you may be interested in this: On November third, the Mama went to the emergency room stressed out. Too many bills, they are too young (They are 18 and 19), that kind of normal stress. They lost the baby's heartbeat at approximately two o'clock in the morning, and his heart was miraculously stabilized thanks to the efforts of the hospital staff by two forty-five.
The Mama had to stay over in the hospital for observation of the baby until November fourth. Her insurance would not accept the pleas of the doctors for her stay to be longer, and she was released at seven thirty-five with strict instructions for returning if there was even the tiniest bit of discomfort.
Coincidence? I do not think so. Minus my input, the same blood that runs through my step daughters veins also runs through my birth children.
Thirdly, We hope to soon have an investigation in our home, or about our family, or both. I have been in contact with someone who appears to be interested in what goes on around here (Thanks Athena, for supplying me with some ideas of where to start this search for a reputable investigator who does not seem to have a heavy workload at this time.). Hopefully I can supply you all with an update on that soon, but you know how these things can take time.
Thank you all for this opportunity to keep you all informed.
whitebuffalo (guest)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-21)
Awesome idea Athena. It would be nice to see if I am seeing what it is I think I'm seeing. Either way that it goes, at least I would KNOW. Thanks yet again! 😊
Athena (9 stories) (222 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-20)
You know just tell them to visit your stories here and then bring them the evidence in person.
Athena (9 stories) (222 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-20)
I just thought you could contact one that is close by and ask them to review your pictures.?
whitebuffalo (guest)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-20)
Thanks Athena! What a wealth of learning is at the fingertips in this day and age! N.I.G.H.T. Is now called Indiana Ghost Trackers Inc. I've got to check into how to find them a little easier than e-mail as I have no scanner! Thanks again.
Athena (9 stories) (222 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-20)
Athena (9 stories) (222 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-20)
http://southbend.com/HobbiesPets.shtml
Hi Whitebuffalo! It looks like Indiana has a thriving ghost/paranormal culture. If you cut and paste the above address and look under ghost hunters and paranormal you will find clubs. Also is N.I.G.H.T. Still up and running there? I can't wait to hear more.
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-14)
I would like to echo my sympathy and sentiments of the other posters.

I to believe your Dad may have seen his guide come to take him, as far as the conversation with your four year old, I would not worry. Children often understand what adults can not. I think it such a comfort that your four year old was able to spend time with him, providing comfort to both Grand Father and Grand Son.

God Bless!
whitebuffalo (guest)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-14)
Thank you all for your sympathy. It has been a long, tough road where my reward was to be holding Dads hand when he passed over. It encourages me that the hearing goes last, as I spoke to him even to the last breath, once my son and he shared their last smile.
The things that I didn't say in the story itself are simple and I did not know how relevant to the whole thing they were. Dad and my son were singing. Dad was in a very weakened state, so all he could do was have his hands on his knees, palms up while saying these sing song phrases. My son was full out singing the SAME humming, clicking sounds with him at the same time, but his arms were outstretched, palms up, over his head. As far as I know, he has had no "formal training" with the Medicine man, but in hindsight, it sure looked like a ceremony. I was too torn up at the time to register what I was seeing.
The other thing, my son was given the same name as his grandfather and father when he was born, (just added a number to it) but my son and father-in-law share the same totem. Not exactly, but the same family.
As far as my son telling me what was going on when I'm ready... He tells us when things are going to happen. That Saturday morning I do not recall his exact words, but he said we were all going to be happy in this new house, even though it would start out sad, and that Papa would make the best move of us all.
That was an entire day before Papa passed. I believe my son has a secret that he knows I can not right now handle. He knows I'm still emotional and need time to sort through different feelings than the rest of the family as Papa and I had a different kind of closeness.
Bellissima (12 stories) (792 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-13)
whitebuffalo, that was such a touching story. I think your Dad and your son were having a conversation, making a plan, so to speak. What would really get me curious, is your son telling you he'd tell you about it when you're ready! I'd go insane to know what was told to him! Maybe Dad told your son a secret, like when you might give your son a baby bro or sis? Hmmm... That's something to think about! Anyway, I think the conversation was very important to your Dad, and he loved your son so well, that he was the one he chose to speak with. 😊
Athena (9 stories) (222 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-13)
Right on Mustang, thanks for writing, White Buffalo! A really interesting and touching account.
mustang (5 stories) (749 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-13)
First, I'd like to express how sorry I am for your loss and your family's loss. I too lost my Dad to lung, liver and bone cancer on January 22nd this year. He also lived past the timeline the doctors had given him. He lived 14 months after being diagnosed. My Dad was going through treatments although there really was no hope. They pretty much were just making him as comfortable as possible. He lost so much weight. My Mom was leaving to go to her doctor and as she was getting in the car my Dad was walking into the house up the steps, lost his balance and fell. He broke his hip. He had the surgery he needed and came out of the surgery fine. My Mom, sister and me were waiting for him in the waiting room and were so worried that he wouldn't make it through because he was so week from the cancer. So after he was released from the hospital he pretty much had to stay in the bed, a hospital bed was put in the bedroom. His health declined very quickly. Eventually his brain shut down in order for the more important functions on the other organs to keep him alive. So his eyes were open but he was unresponsive. He was struggling for air so they put him on a respirator. They say the hearing is the last to go so we talked to him. The nurses would say he can hear you even though he can't respond. Hospice was involved after he left the hospital from his hip surgery. I must say Hospice is wonderful. We have gotten phone calls from them every so often to see how we are doing. I was one of the ones that was with him when he died. He took his last breath at the exact time the clock in the living room chimed 12:00pm. I was so glad that I was able to be there with him when he passed. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I was glad that he wasn't suffering any more. My daughter has seen him quite a few times. She says he looks like he did before he got sick. He even visits her in her dreams and talks to her. They say that when the dead come to you in your dreams, what they have to say or do is just as important as if they were to appear to you while awake. My son also said he saw him a couple of times in his bedroom at night and it scared him so he will not sleep in there anymore. My Dad has not come to me but I think since I was with him through the night and when he passed, we had left things as it should be and said our good-byes. He never got to say good-bye to my kids. I know this is your story but I thought that I would share that with you. I know somewhat of what you went through and are going through.
In regards to your Father-In-Law, I do think that he possibly saw his guide, guardian angel or the one that was watching over him, waiting to take him to the other side.
As for your son and Father-In-Law, I wonder if they were preparing your Dad's soul for a baby that were to be born at the exact same time of your Dad's passing. That is if you believe in reincarnation. Does it seem far-fetched? I don't know. Were they talking in tongues or chanting like how the Indians chant to the Gods? I wonder about that. Again, I'm very sorry for you and your family's loss. Thank you for sharing your story. Sorry this was so lengthy but it's funny how two of my kids are the same age as yours. My oldest girl will be "15" in February and my only son is "4", he'll be "5" in March. Also, about your son having an old soul and when my oldest girl was little she was a bit the same way. Then the Blackfoot Indian, Cherokee Indian(I think you had said Cherokee Indian also in another story) and then the Italian. It is the same as in my family. 😊 Talk to you soon! ❤~Shelby
Shane (13 stories) (1258 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-13)
Sounds like the creator sent someone to help your father cross over and to comfort you in your time of need. Thanks for sharing your story.

Peace, Love, and Luck be with you.

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