ENCOURAGING NEWS MOMMA ANGEL

I just spoke with Momma Angel's daughter, Rebecca. Paula had some very encouraging signs today. She opened her eyes on command once for the nurse. She coughed on command, too. Her oxygen levels are up. They can tell that she can still hear them because of the way her heart beat and blood pressure react. Paula is still fighting. First of all, Rebecca said that they are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love from everyone. They just had no idea how many lives their mother had touched. I asked what we could do to help out - at first she said just prayers.... In Paula's room she CANNOT have any flowers CANNOT have any fruit I told her that a lot of people have been asking about sending money or something else for them to take care of expenses-at first she said no-then Rebecca finally said that they really could use: **PHONE CARDS** (most of the relatives that they have to call-even Paula's husband is long distance) **MONEY** (to use for lunches and phone calls, etc.) I'm not going to go into any details, but I know that it would really, really help them out. She asked that I direct any gifts to Rebecca's address rather than Paula's. If you'd like to send something, email me, and I will forward Rebecca's address to you. (this is violating the TOS, I know, but no one from OH was on AIM tonight, and so I'm taking it upon myself to make an exception in this case- and sometimes it's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission) Rebecca also said that she prefers that she only gets calls from one person and that I don't give out the hospital name or any phone numbers because Paula can not talk and it would be too much on the family or the nurses. Although, they overwhelmed with everyone's love. ~~She also asked that everyone put their full name and return address on any cards or anything sent - because they want to send everyone a thank you card (Momma Angel insisted on it)~~ A funny story: Before she went into the comma, Paula told Rebecca to go down to the bariatric ward and check on any patients there and to just tell them that it was from "Momma Angel"..... her daughter thought, "yeah, right mom- like EVERYONE knows you.... not"..... Well, after talking to me, she finally believes how many thousands of lives her mother has touched and that someone on the bariatric ward probably does know "Momma Angel" I have over 50 more pages of MB posts to send to her Monday-Rebecca just couldn't believe it. Rebecca wants everyone to know how much this has been a comfort to the entire family and they SO appreciate the prayers. BACKGROUND FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MOMMA ANGEL: Momma Angel got sick about 2 weeks ago. Finally, went to the hospital with pneumonia. She has had lung and heart problems for some time now and was on oxygen at home. They couldn't get her oyxgen levels up and she finally had to go on a ventillator. While they were putting in the ventillator, her heart stopped. She was without oxygen for at least 15 minutes and received some undetermined brain damage. Then last night she went into a comma. This illness has nothing to do with WLS- Paula has not had the surgery. At first is was an issue of money- but, later when they did have the money- she had decided that she didn't want to have the surgery. I hope I covered everything. Sharon