Sharon's Mighty Journey

On October 4, 2018 Sharon went into Bedford Memorial with abdomen pain. She was emergency transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center with pneumonia in both lungs.  The next day she was intubated and sedated.  The days ahead were a blur with different scans and test to find out that she had a bacterial infection in her blood and was in septic shock, ARDS, multiple organ failure, and 14 liters positive of fluid. On Friday October 12, 2018 the doctor had a meeting with the family to decide what to do next.  They took her off sedation two days prior and she hadn't woken up.  When they got there for the meeting she had woke up and acknowledged different family members but could not move any part of her body except her mouth and eyes.  On Monday October 15 they did a tracheotomy and a PEG tube to help her get nutrition through her abdomen.  On Wednesday October 17 the doctors did a EMG and she was diagnosed with a form of Guillain Barre Syndrome called Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMAN).  It will be 6 months to a year + recovery.  On Tuesday October 23 the surgeons had to go in and remove most of her large intestine because of parts that had perforated.  The next day they went in again and washed her abdomen out and she received an ileostomy.  She has been the strongest willed and courageous woman with a positive attitude. She has a long road ahead with recovery and the family could use support for medical costs, travel costs, home improvements for making their home more accessible with her disabilities as well as supplemental help because of her not working.