Thursday Larry and I traveled to Castle Rock, along with many others from the Fowler area, to mourn a tragic loss and celebrate a beautiful life. Shelley (Watson) Brauer's funeral service was an elegant reminder to live life with grace, compassion, love and commitment. Throughout the day, story after story illustrated Shelley's love and devotion to her family, her kindness toward friends as well as acquaintances, and her general commitment to live life fully, faithfully following God.
Losing Shelley has been a stark reminder of how quickly and unpredictably life changes. It's always difficult to lose a loved one but when that loss is sudden and unexplainable, it leaves us reeling. Everyday now I find myself thinking, "I can not believe she is gone." It's impossible to wrap my mind around what has happened. Shelley was only 40, she was healthy, she took care of herself and practiced a healthy lifestyle, and there were no underlying medical conditions. She was simply struck down by a combination of bacterial and/or walking pneumonia and a strain of Influenza A. It leaves us asking "Why? What could have saved her?"
While nothing can change this tragic outcome, Shelley's family would like to pass along a few things they've found out, things they wish they had known sooner.
• A cough lasting more than two weeks needs to be checked out and could indicate pneumonia.
• A fever over 101 degrees in an adult is cause for alarm. (Shelley's had been as high as 104 + degrees.)
• Listen to your body, if you feel like something is wrong don't be afraid to push for x-rays and tests. Shelley had gone to an emergency medical clinic two days before her death and was sent home "with the flu." Unfortunately, by the time she was admitted to the emergency room 24 hours later it was too late.
Shelley's sister, Kim, sang her a song while she was in the hospital, and again at the funeral, called Beauty from Ashes. It seems appropriate to think of it as we remember Shelley and consider the lessons her death has taught us. Most importantly though is the following advice her family continues to share. As we left after lunch on Thursday, Shelley's dad, my Uncle Dwight, hugged us both and reminded us, "Never miss an opportunity to tell your loved ones you love them. You really never know when it could be the last time."
(Shelley leaves behind numerous friends and family including her husband, Scott and four young children. The family can be assisted financially by contributing to the Shelley Brauer Memorial Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank. Messages, which will be kept and passed on to her children, may be left by signing the guestbook at www.mem.com and typing in Brauer and then Shelley. Also on the website is a movie link with a photo slideshow and audio messages from her family, played at the funeral.)
