Donalea Free Memorial Fund

I am Donaleas brother Shawn (in the picture with my kids and Donna) and I want to give all of you friends and family of hers that don't know exactly is and has been happening to her. At work on the 16th She had a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Her blood pressure was over 300. She had a long history of high blood pressure that had gone untreated, which also led to an enlarged heart. The rupture was on the left side of her brain, since she is right handed, this blew out her motor control and most other systems (left brain controls right side).

The doctors have a measurement of how much blood can be in the skull like that and what kind of damage it will do. Loose blood is toxic to the brain. Donnas situation only has an 8% chance of surviving, but if you do it is with a breathing tube, a feeding tube, 24 hour care, brain damage, infections, bed sores and a short miserable life till you die from complications.

My 3 other sisters and her 3 sons were all at the hospital and met with the doctors and decided that Donna would not want to go through that, even if it was possible, she was a very free spirit. We gave as many people as possible a chance to say their goodbyes, but we didn't want to chain her to this world longer than we had to, so yesterday they started what they call 'comfort measures', which is a morphine drip and removing the machines, at about 11am. I thought she would pass quickly, but it was another 16 hours at 3am that she passed.

I know you all loved her and she loved you. We aren't sure yet what the schedule or form of her memorial service will be, but if you want to help fund the service, any left over will go to her kids to help them out.