Sandy Lemons Raffle

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0418dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="040c3c50.gif" border=0 width="195" height="197" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In Memory of</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sandy Lemons Obituary"><U><B><IMG SRC="05764a00.gif" border=0 width="100" height="160" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Sandy Lemons</B></div> <div> <B>1950-2006</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0428dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> Sandy Lemons Raffle</div> <div> <I><B>Raffle Update: Winner's List Now Posted! </B></I></div> <div> <B>The raffle has ended and the list of prizes is now finalized. The names of the winners are posted on the "Raffle Prizes" page. <hr color="purple" size="2">  </B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0428dfc3.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Powdered Pearls Update!"><U>Powdered Pearls Update!</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Raffle Prizes"><U>Raffle Prizes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Info"><U>Contact Info</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sandy Lemons Obituary"><U>Sandy Lemons Obituary</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>About Sandy Lemons   </B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>July 2nd - Sad Update on Sandy:</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Sandy suffered cardiac arrhythmia last night and passed away.  While it is indeed sad news for all of us who cared for her and about her — and most especially for her daughter, Raina, who has now lost both her parents in the space of several weeks — it is a glorious day for Sandy, who is now in Heaven with her beloved husband and her Lord.</div> <div> As far as the raffle, it will continue as planned, but now the proceeds will be to help Raina with all the expenses of the funeral and to settle Sandy's affairs.  It is what Sandy would have wanted, a way to honor her memory, and the right thing to do. </div> <bR> <div> For those of you who don't know Sandy Lemons, she is a beloved member of the online stamping community and owner of Powdered Pearls.  When the members of the Rubberstampers list - where Sandy is a long-term member - heard of all that Sandy is going through, they rallied together to try and help her in any way they could.  In addition to a card ministry set up by list member Bev Marubbio, Jamie Dinnsen, also a long-term member of the Rubberstampers list, offered to organize a raffle for Sandy's benefit. The response to the request for donations, as you will see on the Prize List page, proved to be an outpouring of love and generosity from not only other vendors, but many individuals as well.  It truly seems like Sandy is reaping the love and generosity she has sown in the lives of so many others.</div> <bR> <div> According to Sandy's daughter, Raina, this is what happened.....</div> <bR> <div> Sandy was having pain in her neck and went to the doctor. She was diagnosed with arthritis in the neck and sent home.  The pain continued to get worse and repeated calls to the doctor yielded no results in convincing him there was something else going on - but finally her husband insisted she be admitted, and at that point a neurologist was brought in and come to find out it was not arthritis - she had a staph infection!  However, at this point her vertebrae, where the infection had settled, had seriously weakened.  It was at some point after that when the C1 and C2 vertebrae collapsed that she became paralyzed.</div> <bR> <div> There is some potential she COULD come back, but unfortunately her insurance won't pay for what she really needs - intensive rehabilitation.  Raina said she has recovered some gross motor skills - like she can move her arm and shoulder, but fine motor skills, like using her hands has not come back. She is still on a ventilator and has a trach - so IV feeding and no ability to talk at this point.  She is very aware of all that is going on around her, and is able to mouth words, but Raina said unless you are accomplished in reading lips, it is very hard to understand what she is trying to say.</div> <bR> <div> Her insurance company wants her moved to a long-term care facility, but because she has a fever and infection right now, they have no choice but to let her stay in the hospital until that is resolved. When she eventually gets moved, her insurance will no longer cover her and Medicare will kick in at that point - and they will only pay for rehabilitation one day a week - which is DESPICABLE!  Worst of all, her husband, Don, is not by her side to be her advocate when she needs him the most.  While on his way home from visiting Sandy in the hospital, he was hit by an uninsured driver.  While initially it was thought he would recover from his injuries, a few days later he died unexpectedly from a blood clot.  Can you even imagine how devastated Sandy must be?</div> <bR> <div> Sandy's business, Powdered Pearls, has been suspended indefinitely and the only other source of income she and Don had was his retirement pay.  She will continue to receive that, but since his death, it will now be a reduced amount - and since they were just getting by, you can imagine how difficult things are now.  All money raised will be given to Raina to use for Sandy's benefit in anyway she sees fit.</div> <bR> <div>  <hr color="purple">  </div> <bR> <div> Raina now needs our support and encouragement - if you would like to send her a card, here's the address.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>To Send Raina A Card:</B></I></div> <div> Raina Leckie</div> <div> c/o Janna Baber</div> <div> 510 Foster Place</div> <div> Midwest City, OK 73110-2712</div> </td> </tr></table></body>