For three months Anissa has continued to defy the odds with her awe-inspiring strength and will. This is especially meaningful when you consider that the doctors weren’t sure Anissa would even survive in those first few critical days.

As I knew she would, Anissa is making amazing progress that I was lucky enough to witness with my own eyes a couple weeks ago—there is so much she can do now—but the road ahead of her is still a long and bumpy one that will require continued outpatient therapy that is only partially covered by insurance.

When Anissa first had her stroke, we asked for your help and you answered the call in droves. Your generosity and compassion were staggering and helped her family in ways too numerous to count.

Well, we’re asking again because Anissa means the world to us and we want her well again. She went home yesterday for good (YAY!!) but she NEEDS to have outpatient therapy so she can begin to rebuild her life. And it’s expensive—like $100 PER DAY expensive—that’s the part that isn’t covered by her insurance.

If every person who reads this would donate just $5 or $10, you would be doing so much to help someone who has done so much for so many.

The button below takes you to the Paypal donation page we set up for Anissa three months ago.  Please help if you can. To those who have already donated, thank you :)

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As you may have heard, Anissa, our beloved friend and leader here at Aiming Low, suffered a massive stroke on Tuesday afternoon. She is in the hospital right now, in the ICU.

More than anything, Anissa needs your prayers and positive thoughts but to the many people who have offered help to the Mayhew family, here is some info on what you can do:

Things that would be helpful right now are gift cards (AMEX and Visa are most flexible) or gift cards to restaurants and gift cards to the movies or to Blockbuster (to help keep the kids’ occupied).  If you would like to give a restaurant gift card, the following restaurants are local to them: Chick Fil A, Beef O’Brady’s, Hooter’s, Applebee’s, Moe’s, Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, Cracker Barrel, Panera Bread, Sonny’s, Burger King, Zaxby’s, McDonald’s, Subway.

A P.O. Box has been set up to receive any items you wish to send, the address can be found below. Please don’t send anything to the hospital or the Mayhew home. If you have questions, please email helpforanissa@gmail.com

We ask that you please respect the Mayhew family’s privacy by NOT calling the hospital and we thank you all SO MUCH for your outpouring of love and support for Anissa and her family. With thanks and love, The Aiming Low Team

If you would like to send something to Anissa and her family, we have set up a P.O. Box:

The Mayhew Family
860 Johnson Ferry Road 140-184
Atlanta, GA 30342

Please consider making a donation to the Mayhew Family to help with costs.

(Copy the code below, if you’d like to post this button on your own site)

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Have you written a post about Anissa? Please use Mr. Linky to link your post below! Please leave your messages and comments on the Caring Bridge site. Thank you!

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11/19/09 10:00 am UPDATE FROM ANISSA’S HUSBAND:

Well. I went home and stayed with the kids. Her sister and friend stayed with her. Apparently she had lots of eye movement this am. Encouraging. More scans this am.

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11/18/09 5:32 pm UPDATE FROM ANISSA’S HUSBAND:

Neurosurgeon just stopped in. We talked about the second bleed. I mentioned in the past 30 minutes her movement had picked up: – she was searching natalie’s hand for a ring we think – she was moving her left leg and arm more deliberately – she was having some facial expressions So, the doctor rubbed her sternum and said her name loud. She tried to open her eyes! Did it again, and the eyes opened wider. She keeps trying to reach the tubes and such. Very encouraging! KEEP PRAYING PLEASE!

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11/18/09 UPDATE 4:37 PM FROM ANISSA’S HUSBAND:

Not much change. Second bleed was not good. I brought the kids up. She responded slightly, then a lot of movement 20 minutes after they left. She’s fighting and has reached for me. Hard to say the reason, but she stops when contact is made. Feeding tube is in.

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11/18/09 1:37 pm Eastern UPDATE FROM ANISSA’S HUSBAND:

She’s had more bleeding in the left thalamus. She has bled into the spinal fluid. Also has more swelling and has become less responsive.

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11/18/09 12 pm Eastern UPDATE FROM ANISSA’S HUSBAND:

What we know is she had a massive stroke. She bled into the brainstem and pons areas of the brain. She is no longer sedated but still unconcious and unresponsive. Vitals are mostly stable except for a lowgrade fever most likely due to the damage to the pons. The pons control the bodies ability to regulate temperature. She is still on a vent and it is unclear if she is capable of breathing on her own. She has had an mri/mra/ct today. An eeg is pending. We’re in a waiting game now for survival first, and ultimately for her to wake up.