Tuesday, April 25, 2006

ANOTHER ANDREA CLARK UPDATE

Ok,

I spoke to Melanie as well as Ms Muse - the public affairs
person for the hospital. Ms. Muse told me that the family
hasn't granted permission for her to speak. I told her that
I planned to call Melanie and even was planning to come to
Houston.

Life support is to be removed on April 30, without some
major shift in things.

I suggested they search for another hospital - seems as tho
all Houston hospitals are going to deny her care but I think
some outlying might grant it.

Andrea is on dialysis every few days as well as a respirator, so they
can't take her home.

Social worker, Pat Bissonnett told the family that Andrea told her
she wanted to die. Even the docs in the room looked at their
shoes, since everyone knew she was lying. Andrea pushes the social
worker away whenever she approaches.

An Episcopal priest Father Fronig has told the family that Andrea wants
to die. They reject the social worker and the priest's assessment.

Geri Ward, their attorney, is advocating strongly for Andrea.

At last weekend's protest, they had around 12-15. Most had lost family
members at Houston's St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital due to similar circumstances, having been told
that their loved one wanted to die.

We really need to step it up several notches.

Andrea has a heart ailment from birth, but now has enocarditis.
Melanie believes if they can cure that with antibiotics, she
will be able to get off the respirator.

Please pass along any ideas you have on how else we might
lend our talents to this woman's plight and keep praying.

She is very communicative when they don't over medicate her!!
Melanie said she was asking for a Whataburger. Then when word
about something like that gets out, they turn up the meds to
make her uncommunicative.

For life,

Leslie Hanks