EMPTY STOCKING FUND; CRASH AND BEATING LEAVE WOMAN WITH MEDICAL BILLS.Byline: THE NEW MEXICAN New Mexico Abbr. NM or N.M. or N.Mex. A state of the southwest United States on the Mexican border. It was admitted as the 47th state in 1912. The New Mexican Nine years ago, Melissa was in a car crash that left her seriously injured and unable to work. She underwent 12 surgical procedures Surgical procedures have long and possibly daunting names. The meaning of many surgical procedure names can often be understood if the name is broken into parts. For example in splenectomy, "ectomy" is a suffix meaning the removal of a part of the body. "Splene-" means spleen. over the next few years. Eventually, she recovered well enough to return to work, and she started a new job in October 2007. But less than a week into her new job, Melissa's place of work was robbed at gunpoint, and she was beaten up, suffering a brain injury, torn tendons in her arm and a broken rotator cuff rotator cuff n. A set of muscles and tendons that secures the arm to the shoulder joint and permits rotation of the arm. Also called musculotendinous cuff. . Again she found herself unable to work. Now 49, Melissa lives on a fixed monthly income of $785 in disability payments from the state and $80 in food stamps. A caregiver helps her with daily tasks five hours a day, paid for by the federal Traumatic Brain Injury Traumatic brain injury (TBI), traumatic injuries to the brain, also called intracranial injury, or simply head injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury and is one of two subsets of acquired brain Program. Melissa's income barely covers her basic expenses, and she still owes more than $3,000 in medical bills, for which she receives calls from collection companies. She has applied for assistance from every agency she can think of but has not yet received help with her bills. With a depressed immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. , she often falls ill and has been sick in recent weeks. She is asking for any help she can get in paying off her overdue bills. Case no. PMS-08-0024. u u u To donate to the Empty Stocking Fund, checks for any amount should be made out to The New Mexican's Empty Stocking Fund and mailed to the Santa Fe Santa Fe, city, Argentina Santa Fe, city (1991 pop. 341,000), capital of Santa Fe prov., NE Argentina, a river port near the Paraná, with which it is connected by canal. Community Foundation at P.O. Box 1827, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1827. Donors can request anonymity or ask that the amount of their donation not be published. These requests should be included with the check. Otherwise, donors' names and gifts will be published in The New Mexican. All donations are tax deductible. For gifts to be deductible for this year's taxes, your envelope must be postmarked by Dec. 31. Donations of firewood, furniture, appliances or other items should be dropped off at the Salvation Army. For large items, the Salvation Army can send a truck to pick up donations. Empty Stocking applications are available weekdays, except Dec. 24 and 25, at the Santa Fe Salvation Army offices, 525 West Alameda St., and at the PMS (Pantone Matching System) A color matching system that has a unique number assigned to more than 500 different colors and shades. This standard for the printing industry has been built into many graphics and desktop publishing programs to ensure color accuracy. Head Start office, 1409 Second St., near the intersection of Cerrillos Road. Applications will be available until noon on Dec. 31. For more information, call the Salvation Army at 988-8054 or PMS at 983-8968. DONATIONS Anonymous (2 donors), $3,000 Administrative Team at Santa Fe Preparatory School Santa Fe Preparatory School (Santa Fe Prep) is a fully accredited, coeducational day school serving approximately 340 students in grades seven through twelve. Located in the historical capital city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, SF Prep provides a college preparatory curriculum -- , $70 Richard Boyce, $100 Sheila Brown, in memory of Craig Othmer, $300 Mary Lou Cook, in memory of Maggy Ryan, $100 Davis Selected Advisers, $200 Prudential Foundation Matching Gifts, $100 Rotary Club of Santa Fe Foundation, $200 Rotary Club of Santa Fe Foundation, $4,000 Santa Fe Unit 383 ACBL ACBL American Contract Bridge League ACBL American Commercial Barge Line LLC , $74 Beth Schaefer, $200 Linda Teutsch, $150 Nancy Waight, $50 Bill Zwick, $100 |
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