Missing her

It's still so hard to believe she's gone. I found this picture as Allie and I were cleaning up her room. It's Aunt Sharon holding Allie. I remember the night when she offered to "babysit" HA!
As many of you know, Sharon never had children and it WAS by choice. She was so full of energy and such a freebird she never wanted them but loved us and mine. Well Mama and I were going to the Christmas parade with Carlee, she was 2. So Auntie said" I'll babysit!" After we warned her that Allie was the worst baby in the world, she said, "I can handle it". Fifteen minutes after we left, she was at my Grandmothers with Allie. LOL

I finally made EXPLORE on Flickr!!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!

I know you're like What the heck is she talking about? Well it's a pretty cool honor among photographers on the www.flickr.com where the best of the best go to post photos. This may better explain it. (Yes, I copied and pasted from another website this brief article):

"For many photographers, a place on Flickr’s Explore page is the ultimate prize. It’s an acknowledgment that their work can stand among the best on the site, that it is indeed “interesting,” and that they are an important part of the community.

And of course, it can bring a massive surge of views to their image and their photostream.

So what does it take to improve the chances that a photo will be highlighted as one of the most interesting uploaded in the last seven days?

To Be “Interesting,” a Photo Must Generate Interest
The simple answer is that other people have to like it. Flickr itself has no way of assessing a photo; it can only react to the interest the Flickr community has already shown in it. As Serguei Mourachov, a Flickr staff member and part of the team responsible for creating the Explore page algorithm, told us:

“We are looking for what’s attracting [the] attention of our community and not just for nicely arranged pixels.”

That means that to reach the Explore page, a photo has to have gathered views, comments and been faved. Each of these actions has a different weight in the algorithm and the weighting is adjusted regularly."

The picture that made it was one I did at Cheryl Cook's home when I was doing some Christmas pictures of her children. It was funny, they wouldn't sit still in the rocking chairs and I didn't get but one or two good ones of them in those things but I happen to look back, the sun hit just right, and my "eye" saw the picture. I snapped it and WOO HOO! I finally made explore. And a special thanks to Kim Patrick, my co-worker and friend, and her mother, Sharon, for loaning me the chairs! OK, I'm done being over excited. Thanks now!

Allie's first Cheerleading Competition

Allie had her first cheerleading competition today. Pretty much the whole squad's first competition. They did really good.

Final Update

Aunt Sharon went to be with the Lord on Oct 4th at 10:50pm Pacific Time.

10/3/09 3:00pm

I just got a phone call from mama. She said that they're pretty sure it's happening. They've started the Morphine pump to help with her breathing and many other things. Mama thought they lost her once today so I don't know if she'll be with us this time tomorrow. God is a loving God and he gives us nothing we can't bear. My mother seemed ok when she called and I had to go over and tell my poor Grandmother. She is at peace too. She has been praying all day today that Sharon will go on in peace and not suffer. So Grandaddy, get ready cause she's coming! If you've ever read "90 Minutes in Heaven" it says that your loved ones that you know are waiting for you.............I pray that's true because when I die, I'd like nothing more than for my Granddaddy Jack to be there waiting so I can go jump in his arms. As the country song written so brilliantly by Brad Paisley says, "When I get where I'm going, there will be only happy tears, don't cry for me down here." I'm gonna walk with my grandaddy, and he'll match me step for step, and I'll tell him how I missed him every minute since he left, then I'll hug his neck." It's hard not to cry "down here" but knowing that my sweet, loving, smart and beautiful Aunt Sharon will get walk with her Heavenly Father and earthly Father gives me peace.

Aunt Sharon update 10/2/09

First is from my mother:

Yesterday, of course, was Sharon's birthday. I read her cards from mama and me. I did not get much of a response. John got her up and put her in the lounge chair that she likes so much (you know the one, Michelle) and played a concert on TV that she enjoys. I also sang her some hymns, which I think she enjoyed. I asked her if she wanted me to continue singing, and she nodded her head. I'm not sure if she will know me today. She responded to us very little yesterday, although we did a couple of times get a big smile from her. Her friend Kelly had called and asked if she would like to see her pastor (a very nice Presbyterian lady) and I did ask her and she said yes. When I told her they were coming, she looked extremely happy, but when they got here, she kind of withdrew into herself. We had a scripture reading from Psalms and Pastor Barbara prayed a very lovely prayer. We then sat around and told about all our wonderful and cherished memories of Sharon and what our favorite thing about Sharon was. I said that I have always admired her tender and compassionate heart. I also told them about when we were little and Sharon threw mudpies in my face and Sharon giggled.

Last night, for the first time, she did not get a good night's sleep. She jerked and flailed around a lot, which is part of this process. The disease speeds up as it goes along. John has asked my opinion every step of the way about her care, and we both agree that within a couple of days, we may have the need to put her on some type of an IV pump.

As for me, I have an inner peace and strength right now which comes from above. I can feel everyone's prayers. Of course, there are tears, but I am so very glad that I have come to be with her during her last days.

UNCLE BUDDY...

I did go out and get some roses made into a lovely fall arrangement, and they are very cheerful in her room. Thanks again.

Marilyn




From Uncle John:

Sharon has dropped dramatically. This disease is exponential. Sharon is refusing food and water a good bit, and we expect she will refuse it all in a day or 2. Her neurologist made a house call because he has only seen this disease once, and he said she is in the final stages and estimated 4 weeks.

Me and Sharon's sister, Kelly and Kelly's pastor and one of our neighbors were with Sharon today for her birthday. I asked Sharon, "Sharon, do you love me, and she forced out a "yes", and I said thank you". That may have been the last time I will get a response.

The amount of degradation every day is astounding. The dr said the disease is completely in her central nervous system as well as her brain, so there are many striking events that we see from startle fear to spasticity. I saw a big drop from this morning to tonight, and this morning was a huge drop from the night before.

I know this "is not about me", but she has finally gotten to the point where I feel I am at the point to start thinking about the scars this will leave me. Perhaps this possibly explains why so many of my close friends and aquaintences have died over the last few years...to prepare me for this ultimate death. i have to warn everyone when you start to see a lot of death around you, start thinking about something worse hapenning.

The neighbor I mentioned previously: I told him about this yesterday. He then told me that his ex-wife has been in the hospital for 12 years with Huntingtons disease, and his smart beautiful 31 year old daughter just started having symptoms, and his grand-daughter has a 50% chance of getting the disease. I hardly know him, but he sat and rubbed Sharon's feet the whole time he was here, and said that we all must have as much contact with Sharon as possible, since he has had so many years to learn about the realities of neurodegenerative diseases.

So I can say that I would rather see Sharon endure this for a few months than over a decade. So I guess there are bright sides to every cloud.

I now have to wonder where my life will go from here. All of my friends say I have been the most awesome caregiver they could ever imagine, and that they hold me in the highest regard for all of the extrordinary measures I have taken with Sharon. All I know is that I could not imagine anyone would NOT do this for their soul mate and the love of their life.

jf

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Auntie Sharon Yearbook Memories

This is Andy Hardin with Sharon as Who's Who Most Ambitious. And the class voted correctly on this one! (per Benita Hughes Cahalane)
Sharon is the top right. Her caption says, " I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Sharon has a very deep faith. (Benita Hughes Cahalane)
Thank you Benita for providing these for me to post........