Sharon Mason Taylor Sharon's Village Updates

We have created this Caring Bridge site to keep the family and friends (The “Village”) of Sharon Taylor update as to HOW she is doing, WHERE she is, WHAT she (or her caretakers!) need and to share the most urgent needs for prayers at any given time!

But, let’s start from the beginning to catch you up on the background as to what led us to this point…

As you know, Sharon LOVES to travel and never passes up an opportunity for a fun trip!  Her sister, Sheila, invited Sharon to join her along with some close friends on a snow / ski trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado from Feb 20 thru 25th.  Sharon was thoroughly enjoying herself and sending beautiful pictures back to envious family and friends, but she started feeling bad by the end of the trip. So, upon returning from the trip on Saturday, February 25th, Sharon immediately went to a local urgent care facility where they diagnosed her with the flu and double-pneumonia. They transported her via ambulance to Baylor Scott and White Grapevine for treatment and care. 

Sharon had a rough couple of days, but felt as though she had turned the corner toward recovery around Wednesday night or Thursday morning with hopes of leaving the hospital on Saturday. However, on Friday, she had a downward spiral requiring that she be transferred back to the ICU. The doctors explained that Sharon had Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)… basically, her lungs were not able to provide her blood with the oxygen needed to support her body’s organs! They had to put Sharon into an induced coma and put her on a ventilator to try to bring her oxygen levels up. However, after attempting a number of different things in which Sharon’s body did not respond to, the doctors put Sharon in a Roto-Bed for 16 hours (in a prone position) in an attempt to increase the oxygenation of her blood. We were encouraged when her vitals were somewhat improved Sunday morning. However, when the doctors rolled Sharon over to her back, her oxygen levels immediately began dropping, so they had to roll her back on her stomach and start her back on the Roto-Bed treatment. 

At that point, additional tests were conducted that confirmed Sharon’s kidney and liver functions were still good, but they also determined they needed to conduct an ECMO procedure -- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. This is a very complicated treatment that takes blood outside of the body and pumps it through a membrane that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide and then returns the blood to the body.  The procedure to transfer her onto ECMO was a success (Praises!) and then she was transported to Baylor Scott and White downtown Dallas  where they are equipped to provide the more aggressive and longer-term treatment that she is going to need. 

The next few days are critical. Please PRAY for her doctors and nurses as they provide her with the best care possible.  Please PRAY for Sharon  that she may feel peace knowing that all her family and friends are praying for her full and complete recovery!

At this time, Sharon is not in a position to accept visitors.  Sharon will be kept heavily sedated to give her lungs time to heal.  Once she is strong enough, she will transfer to a rehabilitation facility….. her road to recovery is going to take months and she will need all the love and support possible.

Right now Sharon needs your prayers! Sheila, Sharon's sister, is staying with her at the hospital so she has the best advocate on the job! Shirley, Sharon's mother, will have transportation needs downtown to the hospital from her home in South Irving.  Sheila will let us know what else we can do for Sharon and the family. And hopefully very soon  we will post needs for meals for caretakers and Sharon, people to sit with Sharon as she recuperates in rehab, and much more...thank you for all your support!

This week is a testimony as to how fragile life is… how important it is to let those who are important to you how much you love them… and how precious every moment is that you spend with our family and friends.  Please feel free to leave a message or prayer for Sharon! 

Sharon's family is full of gratitude and love for everything that The Village has done so far and every prayer that has been spoken on their behalf.  Please share this site with all who know and love Sharon!