WAVES who attended the Chicago WAVES Gathering may remember meeting Linda Andrews. Linda resides in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. It was over 10 years ago when Linda read Embraced by the Light for the first time.

Prior to reading the book, Linda was in the midst of a very real nightmare. She endured four pregnancies. The first was an eight-week miscarriage. The second ended at 30 weeks; she delivered a stillborn daughter because of complications from pre-eclampsia. In 1982 Linda suffered from gallbladder disease during her third pregnancy, and the baby was growth retarded. Two weeks following the pregnancy she nearly lost her life, as she had a blood clot in the leg, an embolism in the right lung, gallbladder disease and a possible sepsis infection. This is where Linda’s fear of death developed and intensified.

In 1983, Linda’s son Scott was born at 30 weeks and weighing 2.5 pounds. She had the same problem with pre-eclampsia as during the second pregnancy. Before the fourth pregnancy in 1986 she was diagnosed with what they then called Cardiolipen Disease (now the medical name is Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome). Linda’s doctors put her on a regimen of steroids and aspirin, and thus she was able to carry Heather until the 34th week in the pregnancy. Again she suffered from pre-eclampsia.

Recently Linda experienced another blood clot in the leg. In addition to the Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, Linda tested positive for Factor 5 Leiden, which is another blood clotting disease. The blood clotting problems caused the complications she experienced in her pregnancies. Fortunately she had a good doctor who was able to uncover the source of her difficulty.

After reading Embraced by the Light by Betty J. Eadie, Linda shares that the book made so much sense to her personally and promoted growth and positive changes in her life. For example, Linda is no longer afraid of death, and she has found a way to share what she learned from reading Embraced by the Light.

Over the years Linda has become more involved as a volunteer in a hospice ministry. She is currently working on a Master’s degree in Social Work that she plans on using to further her work with hospice. Linda also works at a community hospital as a secretary and has been involved in many church ministries, which includes teaching 5th grade religious education, social concerns ministry, and bereavement ministry.

Additionally, Linda spends a lot of time working at a local nursing home. She has shared what she learned from Embraced by the Light with many of her senior friends. Now many of the seniors in the nursing home where she volunteers will request her presence as they die, and as they undergo their transition they share with Linda what they experience. Linda helps them to not be afraid of death. She encourages an environment where people can talk openly about their fears and their hopes for life in heaven.

As those of you know who have read Embraced by the Light, life on the other side is very beautiful and desirable. Linda finds that she reads Embraced by the Light over and over again. Each time she reads the book, a new idea catches her attention and makes an impression. One of the most memorable lessons she has learned she sums up in this Erma Bombeck expression, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Being true to her higher self, Linda turned the fear of death into the gift of sharing love and joy with those around her.

Both Linda’s children Scott, age 21 years old, and Heather, 18 years old, are quite active and attending college now.