Sherry in WV

[AlaskaAngel]

We all have to find ways to deal with the possibility of death in our own way, and keeping this thread current is one way. I too wish deeply that Sherry will respond.

I recognize that the moderators of this board do want to maintain a positive focus and feel there is a lot of truth in that effort. Yet I also know that some will not survive, and in my opinion they need our help as they progress and face all of the unknowns in dealing with their situation.

It is obvious that Sherry spoke to us about wanting to survive, and there were many suggestions made to help her try to find a way to do that. Given the time lapse without further response from Sherry, I want to offer those who may find themselves in her situation the respectful alternative and acceptance by peers for dealing with preparing for death as well. Therefore I recommend that anyone take a look at the website bcmets.org as a place where such issues are openly dealt with and there is no focus of pretense or denial.

Respectfully,

AlaskaAngel

[CPA]

All,

I had followed some of Sherry's last posts and had been keeping an eye out for this thread. This a.m. I searched for any info. I regret to inform the group that Sherry passed away last week. Her obituary is below:

POARCH, Sherry Lynn Stevenson, 53, of Genteel Ridge, Wellsburg, W.Va., died September 20, 2006 at home, after a battle with breast cancer.

She was born November 21, 1952 in Steubenville, Ohio, the daughter of the late Alexander Stevenson, who passed away in 2003 and the late Margaret Dawson Stevenson, who passed away in 1980.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Wellsburg. She was a Registered Nurse and worked many specialty Units including the ER, recovery, ICU, CCU, Trauma ICU and Liver Transplant ICU. She was on medical leave from Intracorp, where she was a transplant Case Manager for Cigna. She was also a member of Wellsburg Women of Moose; and Wellsburg Eastern Star No. 23.

She is survived by her husband and best friend, Alfred “Don” Poarch; one son, Alexander D. Poarch and his wife, Lori, of Brentwood, Pa.; one daughter, Misty D. Naples and her husband, Robert, of Normal, Ill.; one sweet and wonderful granddaughter, Ashley Lynn Poarch, who resides in Wellsburg; one grandson, Alexander Stevenson Poarch; three brothers, William “Sonny” Dawson of Follansbee, W.Va., Thomas A Gaudio of Wellsburg and Charles “Chuck” Dawson of Wellsburg; three sisters, Margie Polling Emmanuel of Ft Wayne, Ind., Alice Dawson of Follansbee and Alexis Jabloncki of Wellsburg. She also leaves behind a very special friend, Alan Klein and his wife, Beth, of McAdoo Ridge; and her two best friends her Yorkies, Chewi and Pipen.

Visitation Friday, September 22, 2006 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Reasner Funeral Home, 1515 Charles Street, Wellsburg, where Eastern Star service will be held on Friday 7 p.m. and funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Steve Seng, First Presbyterian Church, Wellsburg, officiating.

Sherry will he cremated and her ashes will be sent to Georgia to be mixed to form a geometric dome that will be placed in the ocean to help form an artificial reef.

Sherry and her family requested that in lieu of flowers, that Donations be made to the Brooke County Animal Welfare League, P.O. Box 537, Wellsburg, WV 26070 or the Brooke County Library, 945 Main Street, Wellsburg, WV 26070.

[pattyz]

Thank you for this.

pattyz

[StephN]

So many of us have been looking for a post from Sherry or her family. CPA - You went a bit further.
We know she was not wanting to give up, but it seems she had no choice. Being a nurse (and in a transplant unit!), she knew well what she needed to do and how to do it.
With so many family members near by, I feel she had a good last few weeks.
Shall miss you angel.

[3sweeties]

Thank you for the updated information. May God lift her soul up in his arms. My prayers are with her family.


A.

CPA thank you for the posting about Sherry...

[Joy]

Now we know and now we can grieve. And may we be even more motivated to treat this disease in better and faster ways.

[tousled1]

CPA,

Thank you so much for going the extra yard. I've been worried about Sherri since her last post. I'm so sorry to hear that she died but hopefully she's in a better place now.

[Sherryg683]

Crap, sorry that's about all I can say..I hate this disease..sherryg683

[Sheila]

My sympathy to Sherry's family.she will be missed by all....we can find comfort that she is in a better place and at peace with no more suffering.

[karenann]

My thoughts and prayers are with Sherry's family.

Karen

[Tom]

I am in a somewhat different position than most of you, but I will throw out this idea just the same. Perhaps we should all see to it that family members or friends have instructions in place to contact this site in the event the member is hospitalized or otherwise unable to post and let us all know what's going on. I know that I was personally affected by the lack of contact with Sherry after she e-mailed me privately some time ago. It was very painful wondering what was going on with her, and not being able to offer any support in what I feared were her most desperate days.

This is just a thought, and I don't want anyone to feel pressured to do so on my account. I simply feel that we might better be able to offer comfort to the member or her family if we have some way of getting in touch.

Tom

[Bev]

In the same vein, can we do a group condolence? I'm sorry that things did not work out for Sherry. I guess we don't even know what they treated her with. Angry and sad, but not surprised as we haven't heard from her. Thanks CPA for your time. BB

[AlaskaAngel]

On other websites suggestions similar to Tom's have been made, and do help to provide a continuing link with anyone who becomes unable to come to the website on their own.

A really important aspect about his suggestion is that it carefully and thoughtfully allows each of us to be the one to make the choice about whether or not further contact is clearly wanted and invited. If no arrangements for contact are provided in advance, I think we should honor that choice as well.

Respectfully,

AlaskaAngel

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Tom I agree with you about notifying the board in the event something happens.
I have already given those instructions to my family since the board has been my "second family" for so long. We all worry about each other and it is comforting to know we all have so many friendships all over the world because of this board. Thank you Joe and Christine.

I am so sorry to hear about Sherry. My prayers to her family.

[Lolly]

My husband has agreed to keep the group posted if I'm ever unable to do so myself; he knows how important the group has been to my survival.

I send prayers to Sherry's family and friends during this difficult time.

[Vanessa]

I did not join the board until Sept., so I did not know Sherry, but I am still sad about her untimely death and my condolences and prayers go out to her family.

[Sandy H]

I am saddened to hear of her death. We e-mailed each other off the board. She e-mailed me in June regarding the Tykerb and whether she should fight for it. I told her it was her choice but if she felt she should then go for it. She had mentioned it to her doctor but said, he had told her she only had 3 months left, and she felt he didn't think she would live long enough to get it!! I think she wanted to try it but didn't have the energy to wait for the paperwork to be done. So sad it caused me some anger while I was waiting the 10 weeks to get it thinking that could have been me! I even told the nurse how I felt about this waiting and people are dying because they don't have time to get this drug. She said, "well, maybe that is true" I told her I knew it was and mentioned Sherry. God rest her soul. hugs Sandy

[anne]

She was all on our minds. I too am sad to see that she couldn't continue fighting as she expressed the will to do so. Thoughts and prayers to her loved ones.

Anne

[Rendi69CA]

Thank you, CPA. My heart goes out to her family.