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THE STORY OF SARAH....

The most wonderful phone call I have ever recieved was the day my only sister, Patty, called to tell me she had Sarah; my only niece. The worst phone call I ever recieved came from Pattty almost three years later; when she called to tell me Sarah had died.

I had waited for over five years for the news that my sister and her husband, Mike, were expecting a baby! They had waited so long to be blessed and Sarah was thier first.  My sister had female problems and didn't even know she was pregnant! I remember she called me, I lived in Arizona and she in California, and told me some of her symptoms after her home pregnacy test showed positive.  I told her it sounds like she could be 7 months along already!  Well we were all so suprised when she went to the doctor and the sonogram showed she was FULL TERM! The induced labor about nine days later. Sarah was in the hospital for almost a week with a respitory problem, but she came home and was a healthy little girl.  I  went to California and was there for a few days; holding my niece was such a joy. Seeing Mike & Patty with her was even better! They were so happy!  My only sister is also my best friend so her happiness was mine too.  Before she was born the sonogram showed that Patty was having a girl!  We talked of how in the bible Sarah laughed at the thought of having a baby; our Sarah is named from that bible story.

I was only able to see Sarah in person three times in her life; when she was born, when she was almost one and the last time she was almost two. Each visit is a memory I will cherish always.  Even tho we lived far apart that didn't matter to me; I loved Sarah so much. As she got older I would talk with her on the phone, at first she was so young she could only call me 'D', then before she died she was able to say 'Auntie D'. She has another aunt Diane; so Patty & I gave me the special name of Auntie D. 

Sarah has a special place in my heart for many reasons. She is my only sisters only girl, I have five wonderful nephews but did long for a girl in the family as I have three boys and my one daughter was the only girl in the family. Sarah was our miracle...we had given up hope that Patty would ever have a baby.  I wrote peoms for her and loved her long distance. My happiness for Pattty was a true joy  in my life.

I remember the day Patty called around six in the eve; she told me of Sarah's Dr. appointment that day, that it seemed Sarah had the flu. Pattty had to go as I could hear Sarah crying for juice. It was the last time I heard her voice  in the background while Patty and I talked on the phone; we talked on the phone alot!  The next day around 11:30 Patty called as I was on my way out the door to take my son to kindergarden; she just told me to call her when I got home.
When I called I started to joke with her like we always did; and she said 'Diane this is serious'. She then explained that there was no easy way to tell me,I still remember the total shcok I felt when she said "Sarah died last night". Of course all I could to was try not to cry uncontrolably as my sister needed me to be stong in the worst moment of her life.  She then told me how Sarah kept gettting sicker and then red blotces began to appear all over her body. I think they were at the ER by 10:30 that night and Sarah died around 12:3am.
She had gone blind the last hour as  the rare form of meningitus was spreading so fast. The doctors tried cpr on her for 30min. You can read exacty what happened at my sisters web site on Sarah, it will be added to my links page sooon.
Just hearing about that night broke my heart for my sister and her husband.  They stayed therer till 8a.m. waiting for the corners  to come.  My sister did not want to see the horror of her little gir in a body bag, it was a blessing that  the corner wrapped Sarah in a sheet and carried her to the corners van. My sister needed to be spared that one memory.  My heart breaks to this day at the thought of alll my beloved sister went through...as a mommy my self  I can not imagine  the sorrow.  

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Sarah's Story Coninued