Support Michelle Jones Dunham's Healing & Family
Friends, family, and colleagues--
Our dear Michelle is in the fight of her life and, as I type this, is nearing her sixth week of hospitalization. As many of you know, she was in ICU at Spohn Shoreline in Corpus Christi for a couple of weeks leading up to the Easter weekend. Her loving husband remained by her side every single day and was the only visitor allowed due to Covid restrictions. However, the day before Easter, both her daughter and I managed to get in to see her (separately, against hospital policy---and perhaps by pulling a few strings out of desperation and fear that there may not be another opportunity)---and I was with her when she was intubated and placed on the ventilator that evening.
Although I knew she was exhausted in every imaginable way, after I told her how much I love her, instead of giving her permission to rest before I left, I told her it was time to FIGHT (...I may have included some expletives too--otherwise we all know she'd never listen!!!!) AND FIGHT SHE HAS!!! After several more weeks, she has made it off the ventilator and is now breathing comfortably on her own, is out of ICU, and has been recently transferred to a rehabilitation hospital. Michelle has much to live for---and she's not exactly one to throw in the towel!
Those who know her always describe Michelle as vibrant, sassy, full of life---and those same people know that her 18-year-old daughter, Amber, has been the light of her life since the day she came into this world! Amber is in her first year of college at UTSA. She's a fantastic kid and the apple of her mother's eye! Michelle married Marty Dunham, the love of her life, two years ago. The pure love and selfless devotion he has shown her through this entire ordeal is beyond anything I could put into words. Helping lighten the load that the financial stresses have brought upon the people she cares about most would mean a great deal to her.
While many of you know that Michelle is an attorney, not everyone knows that her husband, Marty, is her legal assistant and only employee. This means that while he has been dealing with his wife in critical condition and on a ventilator, he has also been attempting to run a law office with no lawyer. Yes, this is an impossible feat. It also means that neither of them are able to produce an income from her law office--which he has managed to keep open and running for the last six weeks by seeking assistance from her friends and colleagues who have volunteered to cover her cases. There are likely still months of recovery and therapies ahead. She will likely remain unable to work during this time. To my fellow members of the Bar especially, I have learned that if we don't take care of each other when these things happen, there is no one else coming to our aid.
I realize that not everyone who will read this knows Michelle---or perhaps not as intimately as we do---but I am doing for her what I know she would do for me if our roles were reversed. This woman has made a career of fixing other people's problems. This woman loves so big that she has to keep her circle small...but once you're in it, you're the luckiest person on the planet. This woman loved and nurtured a cat to the ripe ole ancient age of 22 and still mourned her like a kitten when she passed. This woman sends my babies videos of herself singing them books and nursery rhymes. She is INCOMPARABLE. She is still in her 40s. A health crisis of this magnitude was certainly never anticipated. She has a very, very long road of recovery and rehabilitation ahead of her---and that is where I must call on all of you fine folks to help me help her. She would do the same for you...whether you realize it or not.
Much love to all of you and we thank you for the continued thoughts, prayers, good vibes, and positive energy you're all sending our girl's way!!! #TeamMichelle #AttorneyAlliance
And, yes, she is going to be VERY mad when she finds out I did this. WHAT AN ABSOLUTE LUXURY!!! I anxiously await the day she is able to pop onto Facebook and read this and call to fuss at me! <3
