Jo
My sister Joanne died 21 years ago – she would
have been 52 today.
Life was not easy for Jo; she was born with a
congenital heart condition and was labelled “mentally handicapped”. Eventually
that label was softened and it was deemed that she had “learning disabilities”.
She had amazing abilities actually - they were just different to what the
powers that be decided she should be good at...She had the most incredible memory,
photographic really and could remember every tiny detail from years ago and
when I say every detail, I mean everything...Dates, times, names, what we were
wearing, what we all ate and drank. She was also a living encyclopaedia when it
came to music, TV shows and films – it never ceased to blow our minds and
provided hours of entertainment for my brother and I when we were kids. She was
always right too, which bugged us.
Jo also talked to dead people and had a very sharp sixth
sense, it freaked me out on several occasions when we were sharing a bedroom to
wake in the night and find her in conversations with dead relatives – I
couldn’t see them, but she would describe everything about them and I never doubted her for one moment.
Unfortunately, Jo spent the majority of her life being
used by the NHS as a drug tester (this is or at least was probably a common
thing for children and adults with learning disabilities to be used in drug
trials). I pleaded with my mum a few times to put a stop to it, but it
continued and she died in 2000. At the time of her death she was on a cocktail of
drugs including a new epilepsy drug, a contraceptive pill and all sorts of
heart medication. She wasn’t in a relationship and didn’t have epilepsy, but
after collapsing and being rushed into hospital, we were told that she’d had a
seizure. The medical staff didn’t do anything, no examination, nothing and for
several days Jo lay unconscious while I argued that she didn’t have epilepsy
and tried to convince them that they need to do something, because it seemed as
far as they were concerned - she wasn’t worth saving. It took me a week of
making a nuisance of myself before they agreed to scan her. Low and behold, she
had had a brain haemorrhage and because she had been left so long – the damage
was irreversible. It is with no doubt in my mind that Jo died from the constant
cocktail of drugs pumped into her. She had 2 years free from the drug
merry-go-round when she went off to residential college and she was so well,
happy and learning to live independently - her biggest mistake was to return
home. Living with my mum was not a healthy environment for her to be in and the
drug experiments soon kicked in again. For many years I beat myself up for not
intervening more, but I had my own family to think about too. Jo adored Sime
and although she also loved being “Aunty Jo-Jo” to the kidlets - in her eyes
they were in direct competition for our grandparents’ affection and of course,
I was just the bossy big sis!
In later life Jo joined an advocacy group, giving
talks about life with learning disabilities. We didn’t know anything
about this until Sime and I went along to a training event put on by the family
respite team and there was Jo standing in front of us all confidently talking
about what it was like to live with disabilities. She was truly amazing!
Shortly after her death, we met a woman out of the
blue who told us that she worked with dead people. I introduced her to my mum
so they could talk about and to Jo, which they did. Needless to say, it turned
out that Jo was busy in the afterlife helping people with their transition and
she said that she would be coming to visit me when I’m ready...I’ve never seen
her, but I have felt her presence, I see the white feathers I was told about; fall
from nowhere in front of me (even indoors) and she has appeared in my dreams
now and again - always at the right time.
This morning, I felt a strong urge to ask her what to
write and here it is...
During this last year
many people have been able to sit back and take stock, to re-imagine their
lives and begin to make changes. It has been a huge learning curve for many who
are not used to adapting, but for those who have managed to embrace it and turn
their lives around – it probably has been a good year for personnel growth. These
people have discovered how capable they are and that outside influences don’t
really have any impact.
We are indeed thought-evolved
beings and everything going on around us is just an illusion...created by our
collective minds. There are many of us who operate in a different vibration; we
have elevated ourselves through meditation and intentionally working on
ourselves to bring about inner peace. We deeply care that others are suffering,
but realise that everyone is on their own journey and all we can do is be here
for those struggling and shine a light to the path which will lead them to
their own transformation.
Did this come from Jo or my higher self? I don’t
really know...perhaps I’m ready for her to visit.
Anyway, this is one of Jo’s favourite songs from when
we were young – we often sang this together, even though she was only around 6
years old she would get quite emotional singing it. She was definitely an wise old soul.
Enjoy!
Love Kay xx
Hi Kay, your souls were touching which has given your mind space for her words to come through resulting in a cross between automatic writing and a message from your much loved sis. All of us have special gifts some of us are yet to discover ours and I suspect you are one of them. The gift runs in both sides of our family. My great gramdmother, my grandmother, my mum and myself and my cousin are this way inclined all of us slightly differently. We tend to view it as an early warning system for problems in the family. We receive information we cannot logically possibly know - I have done this since I was a nipper and the information is never wrong. People with disabilities have much to bring to the table and they teach us. I have had epilepsy (petit mal) since I was 7. When I was 15 they gave me medication which did not agree with me and which triggered a grand mal attack. They treat us all the same but often we have intolerances to certain medication. I have about 6 that I cannot have. I am sorry that your sister was used as a guinea pig that was not necessary. Kay - anything that comes to you in love will not harm you - listen to your own sixth sense, you are more gifted and accomplished than you realise. If things come to you in dream form keep a dream diary by your bed to write your dreams down if you remember them. You will not remember all but you may start to see a pattern forming. Meditation is good for clearing the whole vessel and allowing space for messages from your higher self. Those messages and your sixth sense instinct feelings and messages will never be wrong. The most difficult thing to learn is to listen to them. Hugs and thank you for sharing. Pattypan x
ReplyDeletewhat lovely memories of your sweet sister, thankyou for sharing your story, I'm sure Jo is always nearby. I loved that song too and my brother and I would sing it together.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your messages Kath and Pattypan!
ReplyDeleteLove that you also sang the song Kath! Jo was also very close to Bebe and they often sang and danced together...as you can imagine! :D xx
Pattypan - wow! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I absolutely love the idea that Jo is around and guiding me/us. As well as the white feathers, there are often little signs that she is getting in contact. Like a friend (who didn't know my sister's name) sending me a video out of the blue with a message from Jo's namesake...Joanne Griffiths! Earlier in the day I saw a white feather fall in front of me. The video was an interview with Dr Christiane Northrup and we have found her to be very interesting and if Jo led me there - I can see why! So thank you again for your encouragement! Have you tried CBD Oil for your epilepsy? I've heard good things about it, but it has to be the pure oil apparently. Sime and I both worked in a residential unit supporting several people with epilepsy - they all had regular grand mals and that was with the maximum doses of medication...which is how we knew that Jo didn't have epilepsy or had a seizure, but she desperately missed our grandad - who died during a knee operation a few years before and the message we got through the medium is that she was ready to go because she had work to do on the other side!:-) xx
Kay I havent tried the CBD oil as I have lots of other issues mostly nasty auto immune conditions but thats another story. I was off medication for over 10 years but then with the onset of the other issues it put my system under stress which retriggered the grand mal attacks. I am terribly lucky in that I only have the fits every couple of years or so, but when I have them I am usually incapacitated for about a week. They dont know why I have it maybe it is due to the fact that mum was six months pregnant with me when her appendix burst. She was warned that she could lose me but the Surgeon who treated her managed to save both of us. Maybe it was the virus pneumonia I had wgen I was 2 1/2 years old temperature of 106. No one knows for sure but I started off with rhe absences when I was 7. We had just had mumps whooping cough and polio jabs and within a few days I started having the absences. I treat the epilepsy as being a release for my system a bit drastic but it seems to be part of my makeup. Feathers are an Angels calling card, sometimes it can be items being moved. Quieten your mind and work out what you are not seeing or listening too. I suspect you are a natural empath who really gets what is going on with other people and are able to help ib a very hands on and natural way. You just get information about people and just know. Sometimes it gets too much information overload and that is when you go quiet. A way of calming things down and regaining your own peace. Jo is working with the new arrivees I believe she is encouraging you to work with those still here. This has to be on your own terms abd has to suit you for it to work. I am getting the words little and often. I know we have never met but I am feeling this quite strongly. Remember logic does not always apply and things can appear solid but need not necessarily be so. If you can feel Jo near you, you are more aware than you believe. Takw care and if you have any questions pm me Tricia x
ReplyDeleteThank you again Tricia! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing - you obviously have much strength and determination!
Interestingly, I had my tonsils removed and went on to get mumps as a child. The homoeopath I visited for my overactive thyroid/Graves Disease said she felt these were instrumental in causing the autoimmune disorder...along with holding on to Jo's death!
Moving to Cornwall really kickstarted our path to spirituality and over the years here we have connected with many people who have pointed us in the right direction...Sime and I both know we see the world differently to most people and learning some years ago that we are both empaths has made so much sense. We seem to have attracted a few narcissists into our lives in the past, but fortunately we have got better at recognising them and put our virtual barriers up!
Helping others comes naturally to us and we are now working with 5 elderly people, who are all in need of support...it feels so good to be doing what we do and I love how these people come into our lives!
I will definitely be in touch...thank you!
Love Kay xx