Thank you for visiting my Personal Fundraising Page.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts.

Amy Parrish (also known as "Lucy Ricardo" (!!!) is a wonderful friend, whose daughter Frances is 16 years old, just like my Sharon.    Amy has suffered from Scleroderma for about 20 years now.   She is an amazing woman and she is brave beyond belief.     Any contributions that  you can make, in any amount at all, will be very much appreciated!

***An Update about "Lucy" .... Amy was admitted to the hospital on May 11th and was diagnosed with Pneumonia.   This was a terrible diagnosis for someone with Systemic Scleroderma  who has been on oxygen 24/7 for almost 4 years.  Within a few days, Amy was transferred to ICU and she was on a ventilator.  For 9 days she struggled, even while under sedation, to come back to us.   On the 9th day, the doctors told her husband that she was no longer tolerating or absorbing the nutrition from her feeding tube and it appeared that the battle was lost.  On the 10th day, May 25th, her husband directed the doctors to pull the ventilator tube, and to turn everything off.  He was fulfilling her wishes that she has stated to all of us regarding the end of her life.   We all prepared for the news that our beloved Amy was gone.

WELL.  Apparently Lucy was not finished with all of us yet (or with her husband or  her daughter).   After about five minutes of visible discomfort and agitation, Amy's vital signs all became normal on the monitors.   She opened her eyes and asked her husband where she was and why was she there.   And then she just began to talk. She was very cognizant and lucid.  She spent over an hour visiting with her daughter and her husband.  We were all allowed to see her yesterday and she was very much herself .... along with her wicked sense of humor!   She griped to her doctor that she was starving, would he go get her a margarita?  No?  Well maybe a latte then?   Still no?  Well what about at least a cup of coffee!!!!    Today, Tuesday May 26th, she is back in a regular room and she is starting physical therapy to rebuild her strength so that she can get the heck out of the hospital.  She and her husband had a nice breakfast together and life goes on ....

A MIRACLE.   As my son says, there is something about Amy that no one else has .... she seems to be immortal!   (And we are all very glad about that!!!). 

I have now exceeded my fundraising goal, but hope to double it in honor of the amazing gift of more time with Lucy!    Ethel was wondering what she would do all alone ....

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!

Sincerely,

Susan Melvin (yes, also known as "Ethel Mertz" ... forever getting into trouble with Lucy!!!  ... .and now looking forward to MORE "FUN")