> I spoke with Laurie today, and she asked me to share a few things with
> you.  Some things I am sharing on my own, because we did find some
> humor during the conversation…and she told me to just go for it.  She
> did want to report that some kind of higher power took over, and
> that's why she is here today.  She asks that people take time out for
> a moment today…and show love to someone, or just do something nice.
> She should be home from the hospital on Monday, at which time she will
> be in some extensive therapy for the alcoholism and the emotional
> problems that got her to where she ended up 30 days ago.  She reports
> that when you are in a coma, you cannot smoke…so she figures she has
> not smoked somewhere around 900 cigarettes!  :

> As the story goes…(while at the lake home and after partying) Joe
> found her passed out IN the bathtub (when she was supposed to be going
> to the bathroom, and never came out).  Had this happened during the
> night, he would have slept through it, and she wouldn't be here today.
> On vacation, Laurie had stopped taking her Xanax ER so that she could
> drink while at the lake.  That medication must be weaned off of, which
> caused part of the problem.  When the ambulance came, the ambulance
> driver broke off her long fingernail putting on the oximeter…and she
> remembers fumbling for her fingernail so she could glue it back on
> later (oh so Laurie)!!  When she got to the hospital, they shot her up
> with Ativan…which had the opposite effect.  It made her freak out.
> That combined with other heavy meds, and no luck in settling her down,
> made them choose to intubate her and keep her in a state of coma for
> several weeks.  At one point, they tried to take her off the life
> support, and her breathing was too shallow, so they put her back
> under.  Also during that time, she TORE her feeding tube out and
> pulled out her entire right nasal cavity…which will never be normal
> again.  The nurse at one point (after the fact) told her that she must
> have had ballet lessons, because she came in her room only to find her
> with her toenail stuck in the ceiling with her restraints wrapped
> around her neck and no underwear on!  Not a pretty picture, but she
> had a laugh over it.  Which brings me to her concern over her hair,
> and lack of hairspray, because it contains alcohol (oh so Laurie
> again).  She said if she had a bottle of Paul Mitchell hairspray, she
> sure as hell would have it ON HER HEAD…not drink it!  LOL!  From what
> I understand, her first request when she woke up was for her lipstick
> and makeup (are you seeing a pattern here?  LOL).  Yesterday, she was
> using a wheelchair and walker because she couldn't walk.  Today she
> retired both of those, and is on her own.  She is quite emotional over
> the fact she is alive…and is taking this as a major opportunity to
> change her life.

> Laurie and her family thank each and every one of you for your
> thoughts and prayers…and wants you to know that she is a peanut butter
> sandwich again…but is just missing the jelly!