Another update on Sharon

Below is an e-mail message I received from the couple that has been taking care of Sharon...

Dear Friends, Please forgive me for not sending an update recently. Our plates have been quite full. Before giving an update on Sharon, I wanted to make sure you are aware of the account that we have opened up for Sharon. Anyone wishing to donate simply can go to any ORNL Federal Credit Union Branch and ask to donate money to the "Sharon Harrell Fund". An inner office memorandum has been sent to all employees, so everyone should be aware. IF anyone has any problems withthis, please call me personally and let me know. Any money collected will be used to pay for Sharon's funeral services. Should there be money left over, it will go towards her hospice care.

We have managed to keep Sharon at Park West for now. There was some talk of sending her to a nursing home this week to continue radiation treatments. This terrified her. The doctor has used the pulmonary embolisms in her lungs as medical necessity to keep her there through theend of next week. At this point, it is a power struggle between the doctors and insurance (as anyone ever having dealt with long term medical issues would understand), and we would not be surprised if we have to re-evaluate the situation sometime during the week due to insurance issues. However, we are staying in close contact with the hospice unit in Halls and hope to be able to move her straight to that facility whenever the move is deemed necessary

Her pain is being managed much better now and the anxiety attacks she was having have diminished. Occasionally, she continues to have trouble breathing and we would ask for prayer with this issue. We certainly appreciate all the support and prayers from everyone. Specific needs at this time would be continual prayer for Sharon and also for her son. I have spoken with Shane several times. In my history of Emergency Service work, I've had the burden of telling family members unpleasant news on numerous occasions. Never has it been so difficult as it has been with Shane. I think the difference is the human compassion of knowing that he is in a jail cell with nothing but time to think and to dwell on his upcoming loss, and the fact that he is in a place where he is helpless and cannot get to his mom to spend time with her. Of course, no one can give a time and date as to when to expect Sharon's journey home to be with the Lord. However, after being in much contact with all her doctors, the best guesstimation that I can give anyone at this point in her journey is 5 to 8 weeks. This is based off of conversations with all doctors involved and asking them to be realistic with me as her care giver.

I would ask that you use this information only for prayer purposes and not to discuss this with Sharon. Her time is limited and she knows this, but the medications do tend to make her more emotional and it is our hope that she will not use her days to dwell on the time, but more so in the love that surrounds her. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. I do continue to periodically check Sharon's email, but do request that future correspondence be directed to my email address below. We regret to say that it doesn't appear that Sharon will be coming back to our home, and this will make it easier for us to forward your emails to her at the hospital. Thank you greatly for all your help, prayers and support.

*If anyone wishes to contact Sharon via e-mail or by letter, please let me know and I will e-mail her contact info to you. Please keep praying!