Shari Freeman
June 3, 1953 - June 28, 2007
Shari’s StoryAs told by Randy Freeman
Shari's philosophy was "it's only temporary". Regardless of whatever illness she was dealing with, it was always only temporary.
Looking back at the diseases Shari dealt with throughout her lifetime, it's amazing how she kept her spirit up. It was only by God's hand that she was able to do so. In the early years, when I met Shari she was already dealing with Lupus and Crones disease. Both very painful and no known cure.
Shari looked at life a little different from most folks. With each problem that came into our lives, God gave her the ability to see the good that could come out of it, in every situation. She enjoyed life and she enjoyed life as it was dealt to her. She knew that she was right where God wanted her to be. It was all part of his plan. We can only see the present and no guarantee for the future. God has a plan for all the universe. We accept that HE is in all things and HE has a plan for us all.
Shari read and studied the Bible. Her favorite scripture is in Psalms 40:1: "I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard me cry." God always gave her a new song in her heart. That's why she was always looking on the bright side regardless of the adversities. She made a ministry out of it. A way that God would be glorified.
In the early 90's, Shari was diagnosed with breast cancer. We cried, we prayed and asked God to heal her. The next weeks were bad and she made the decision to have her breast removed. It was a hard decision and we talked and prayed about it for several days. For us as a couple, it would be alright. But for her, as a lady, it would be hard. God gave her peace about it and soon the surgery was done. A bi-lateral mastectomy was performed to get rid of all of the cancer. She was cancer free for the 16 years that followed.
After having gone through the surgery and physical and mental healing that had to take place, God put it on her heart to visit others with cancer and especially those that were scheduled for breast surgery. The doctors were amazed at her outlook and were eager for her to talk with the other cancer patients. Several years passed since the surgery and Shari and I moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She was still not driving due to a stroke she had had but wanted to continue with her cancer ministry. After I finished work, I would take her to the hospital or other places to meet with someone about to undergo surgery or recovering from surgery. She visited as many people as her health would allow.
The Lupus and Crones would flare up regularly. We spent many nights on the floor of the bathroom because she was so sick she couldn't make it to the bed. We prayed for healing from these dreaded diseases. For several years she would spend a couple of weeks in the hospital and take steriods to help with the Lupus and Crones. She was in pain most of the time and had gone to pain clinics to learn how to live with the every day pain. When she would feel better, we would be on the road again going to talk with a cancer patients. This ministry continued until one day in November 1998. I came home from work and Shari was crying. I rushed to her to see why and she said she couldn't remember how to sew on a collar on the dress she was making.
Now Shari knew how to sew. She had just finished dresses for a wedding with 8 bridesmaids. She has sewn all her life. I told her that she had been working too hard the past weeks on the wedding dresses and with the Lupus and Crones she may need some rest. We made an appointment anyway to see our family doctor. He ran a couple of tests and sent her over to see a neurologist. They did some x-rays and other tests, then called us at home. He said for us to come by his office, pick up the reports and go to Birmingham, Alabama to see a neurosurgeon. The appointment had already been made. Shari and I were both scared. We prayed all the way to Birmingham. The doctor there ran some tests and talked with us. He said Shari had an aneurysm on the inner carotid artery that supplied blood to the left side of the brain. She had to have surgery immediately. He was preparing the surgical room and team at that time.
More of Shari's story coming soon…
