Upload YOUR photos to help us all remember and celebrate the life of Marla Gregg.

Marla Gregg passed away on October 16, 2011. Read more here: Post About Marla’s Passing

Marla in Honolulu sipping a Pina Colada at sunset!

Last visit to Marla, July 2011 Hanging by the pool

The last time the 3 of us were together--celebrating Nicole's birthday at Terrible's Bingo in July, 2011

What can I say about my mom?

Many of you knew my mother very well. As a manager at The Pearl Factory, she worked for the company over 25 years ago, when it was still owned by Crater Enterprises. She was the first manager to open a Pearl Factory on the mainland–at Fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco, CA. She trained dozens and dozens of Pearl Factory sales persons over the years, and pioneered the opening of many new stores for them, including the Block at Orange, and the Texas Sea World store. In her time with the company she worked at Sea Life Park, International Market Place, Sea World San Diego, Sea World Texas, Fisherman’s Wharf, Bally’s Las Vegas, and more.

Those of you who knew my mom, know that she was a talker–she loved telling stories and hearing stories. She would talk your ear off if you let her, and I often heard her friends laughing and saying, “Ohhhh Marla!” after a good one. She loved to have a good time–a party, a lunch with friends, drinking wine at a barbecue. She never shied away from an adventure or a new beginning. She always helped out strangers with formal donations to charity and with a cup of coffee or a meal for a homeless person. In short, my mom was a good and decent person. She was a Christian and tried every day to turn things over to God. When she first had her stroke, I found dozens of Index Cards she used to keep in her uniform pocket at work. On one side of the card was the sales figure she needed for her daily minimum quota to hit 200%. On the other side of the card was a bible verse to encourage her during the day.

To her family, she was an example of survivor with grit and good humor. She was never afraid to reinvent herself when something wasn’t working out–and she never shied away from a challenge. For my mom, it was always, ok–how can I do this? How can I get this done? Sometimes, the rest of that question was “How can I get this done for so and so to help them out? She was a problem-solver by nature, and liked to look at many sides of an issue to come up with a good answer.

She was so very grateful to so many of you who helped her the last three years since her devastating stroke–even if sometimes she had trouble expressing that gratitude in the moment. Over the last 3 years her recovery was slow and painstaking. She tried to keep her good humor throughout it all. So many of you visited her at the hospital, picked her up and drove her places–to church, to the store–anything she needed. You were instrumental in helping her stay focused and working toward a more stable physical presence.

So many of you who DIDN’T know my mom were instrumental in getting her the medical care and attention she needed in the first months of her stroke–because you so generously donated the money she needed to keep paying her medical insurance premiums those first 12 months–and even afterwards, friends and family still sent occasional money and gifts and cards and flowers from time to time, just to let her know she was still on your mind. She appreciated this so so much.

Marla was somebody who did things her own way–she was an exciting and vibrant woman before her stroke, and those personality traits came back even stronger after her stroke. She could laugh at herself, which always put others at ease.

Her death in her sleep, while sudden and unexpected, was a gift. She had such a tough fight the last two years, and had recently fractured her hip at home–still refusing to move into any assisted living facility. She wanted to do it herself–she’d always been that kind of lady, and that’s how it was going to be.

I hope many of you will be able to come to her memorial service. We all knew so many different sides of Marla from so many different parts of her life. Since she chose to be cremated, we’re hoping to hold her memorial service over Veteran’s Day weekend, or the weekend prior, in Las Vegas at her home church. I’ll keep you posted via this blog, or you can email marlagregg@eatthepaper.com and I’ll reply with information as it comes.

Thank you so much. Please pass this information and site on to other Friends of Marla so that we can hear as many stories as possible about her.

Mathew, Marla, and Kirsten in June 2010

Hi Friends!

It’s been many months since we’ve posted here. Marla is happily moved in to her own apartment, back in Las Vegas and just a few blocks away from her beloved Terrible’s Casino, where she enjoys the occasional BINGO game. She’s been attending church, evening classes, and has generally been keeping herself busy. Right now she’s fighting the insurance companies regarding her billing; it’s been a long struggle to clear up the bills, the errors, the many facilities and doctors, and so on. However, Marla’s health is good. She has FINALLY quit smoking (week 8!), and they’re completing surgery on her eye in about a week. She still has not had her swallow back, and so she must stay on the feeding tube; however, she is adept at hooking it up in the evenings for herself. She does have a nursing aide come in to assist her, but the scheduling has been poor, and the aide sometimes doesn’t even show up, or shows up several hours late! It’s incredible.

Anyway, thank you for your prayers, love, and ongoing support. If you live in Vegas and are willing to pop in and visit my mom, I’m sure she’d appreciate the company.

Be blessed, friends, and thank you for your ongoing interest, love, and support.

I continue to marvel at the generosity and support shown to my mother during her treatement, rehabilitation, and transition. We’ve recently found out that, thanks to the OBAMA Administration, the COBRA payments have been reduced for the last 6 months of my mother’s allowable, covered health insurance. Thus, your donations HAVE PAID FOR ALL OF MY MOM’S COBRA MEDICAL PAYMENTS.

THANK YOU!!!!

Mom has found out some bad news recently, however. She has 100% blockage in her right artery, which cannot be fixed. Because of this, the operation to replace her cornea in her “good” eye cannot be done, so she will most likely go blind in that eye. Her other eye on the “stroke” side has had poor vision since the stroke; they’ll still do reconstruction on it, but it looks like her vision will be permanently impaired.

She’s also having trouble with shaking and with balance, and these seem to be worsening.

Despite this, mom is determined to live alone. Most recently, she’s been wanting to move back to Las Vegas and live by herself. We’ll keep you posted.

If you’d like to contact Marla, you can still reach her via email at Marlagregg(at)eatthepaper(dot)com. I will forward messages to her, and can also email you back with her mail and telephone, if you wish.

In the spirit of givine (and in the spirit of what a difference you all have made in one person’s life) I offer this recent news about teacher Jaime Escalante. One of mom’s favorite films is Stand&Deliver, and Escalante was instrumental in my decision to join Teach for America and become a teacher.

Anyone who has seen “Stand and Deliver” knows how much Jaime Escalante (Kimo) has done for this country. The love and dedication he gave to his inner city students, and his unfailing conviction that every one of them was “gifted,” brought out talent that had been untapped – and unseen – by other teachers.

The genius that he awakened in the “unteachable” commanded the attention of the entire world. It caused countless educators to reconsider what their students might really be capable of if, like Kimo, they could awaken the “ganas” (desire) in them. Jaime didn’t just teach math. Like all great teachers, he changed lives. Gang members became aerospace engineers. Kids who had spent their youth convinced their lives didn’t matter discovered they were leaders.

Now, Kimo needs our help. He is seriously ill, and the treatment he needs has depleted all the funds his family can raise. They did not want to ask for help, but we took it upon ourselves to get the word out to all the country and around the world, to make his final days as comfortable as possible – and maybe even give him a chance to beat the cancer that has afflicted him. I have been moved to tears to hear of the circumstances of this great man and am calling for a last National Understanding of his selfless contributions to “making a difference in this world.”

Together, we have a chance to make a real difference in his life. I could not bear to think that we would do any less for one who has given so much for so long.

You have my deepest appreciation for any and all prayers and help that you can give.

Edward James Olmos

Donation info:

“Friends of Jaime”
c/o FASE (Foundation for Advancements in Science & Education)
236 West Mountain Street, Suite 105
Pasadena, CA 91103
626-793-5300
Credit card contribution form here.

Marla is now in Texas living with her brother; however, she is in desperate need of some kind volunteers to help her. First, those in Texas, second, help from those anywhere

We need your help if you live near Ana, Texas:

1. She would like to go to church on Sundays, and needs to find a local church and someone there willing to pick her up and take her home. She can walk with her walker, but would need mild assistance getting into and out of a vehicle. If you take her wheelchair, she can get around great.

2. Marla is not having luck getting to the store on a regular basis. Is there anyone willing to pick her up once per month and take her to Walmart or Target for personal care items?

3. Marla’s brother’s washer and dryer do not work. Marla has not had any luck getting to the laundry facilities on a regular basis. Is there anyone who would take her to the laundry once per week, or once every other week, and drop her off there to do her laundry, and then pick her up and take her back home?

For all of these kindnesses, Marla could reimburse gasoline and/or pay a small fee. Please email marlagregg(at)eatthepaper(dot)com and her daughter, Kirsten, will call you back and help facilitate the connection.

People with good research or phone call skills:

1. Marla is looking for a church near her address in Ana, Texas to go to. Could you find a church or two and provide the address and telephone number, and either put it here as a comment or email it to marlagregg(at)eatthepaper(dot)com

2. Marla is looking for “Adult Day Care” or “Stroke Survivor Support” or any sort of activity-oriented thing that would get her out of the house. If you could search around support areas or facilities near where she lives, and then put the information here as a comment or email it to marlagregg(at)eatthepaper(dot) com

3. Marla needs transportation services in Ana, Texas. She is able to call a van to take her to and from her medical appointments, but do you know of any services that Marla could call for disabled or elderly persons that takes them shopping or to church?

WE ARE SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR ANY HELP OR ASSISTANCE YOU CAN OFFER.

Marla’s website: http://marlasfriends.wordpress.com

Marla’s email: marlagregg(at)eatthepaper(dot)com

Marla’s address: 9450 East Fork Circle; Ana, TX 75409

Mathew and I were just taking stock of all of the wonderful cards, letters, flowers, words of encouragement, donations, and acts of selflessness contributed by all of YOU this past year. What a year of gratitude for us! It has been a difficult time for our family, but the end of the year brings a bit of a relief, but also the next set of challenges.

We wanted to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your generosity, prayers, love, and support of my mom, Marla Gregg, as she moved through her recovery.

In April 2009 she had a series of small strokes and a larger, massive stroke. These strokes put her on and off of a breathing machine for several months, took the eyesight in her left eye, and disabled her speech centers and ability to swallow. Over the course of 7 months, Marla was moved from hospital to hospital, and rehab center to rehab center. In the meantime, she has been learning how to speak, has been permanently placed onto a feeding tube in her stomach, and has had to learn how to redo normal, everyday tasks like walking, sitting up and sitting down, using a walker, using a wheelchair, and improving her hand-eye coordination and her balance.

She still has a long way to go. Just two days before Thanksgiving we had to move her out of her last rehabilitation center because her insurance company would no longer authorize rehabilitation for her in the facility. Luckily, her older brother, Mac, who lives in Texas, generously agreed to allow my mom to move in with him at his property in Ana, Texas, because mom doesn’t yet have enough income to cover her insurance co-pay as well as basic living expenses like rent. Before she left for Texas, we drove her to San Diego to visit with her mother, Mrs. Wood, and her other brother, as well as a visit from my sister, Nicole, also a stroke survivor. It was a Thanksgiving of mixed blessings–seeing my mom, my sister, and my grandmother together was  wonderful, but it may have been the last time we all see one another for some time.

A Clothes Shopping Trip At Target

As we move into the New Year, YOUR donations helped pre-pay mom’s medical payments and dental payments through half of her 18 months of COBRA; we still need to brace ourselves for her second half of Cobra Copays. (Lets hope that President Obama extends the lowered COBRA payments even longer!) Mom turns 62 in September 2010, and we’re looking forward to her ability to move into Medicare insurance so that she’ll be able to afford her medicines, food supplements for the feeding tube, and co-pays for medical visits. Our goal for raising donations for the next set of Co-pays is 400 dollars a month.

Thank you for continuing to support Marla. Thank you for any small donations you continue to make. And thank you for your prayers, love, and support! Please circulate our cause!

Send Marla a card at: 9450 East Fork Circle; Anna, TX 75409

You can continue to send monetary donations made out to Marla Gregg to 4100 Arch Drive #10; Studio City, CA, 91604.

Much love, peace, and health in your New Year!

Kirsten and Mathew

Mom’s next few months will be about taking care of her eye, and also figuring out her financial situation. We filled her prescription for a month for about 90 dollars, but once her insurance runs out, we’re not sure how that cost will change. Mom’s COBRA will continue for another 11 months, but there will be some lag time between insurance ending and medicaid/medicare taking over some of her costs. Mathew and I are hoping to refocus on our own lives soon, once much of mom’s details are ironed out. It’s been a full 6 months of mom in a facility, and now the bills are rolling in. It will take some time to sort through them all and to figure out the what’s and how’s of everything.

Mom could definitely use some mail at the new place, so I am putting a call out to anyone who might be able to send her a postcard to cheer her up and to get her spirits going. Her address is:

9450 East Fork Circle

Ana, TX 75409

We are so THANKFUL to YOU for your ongoing support of my mom.

Marla is doing well. She’s mostly wheelchair-bound and is practicing with her walker every day. She is able to use the feeding tube on her own. Her vision is poor, but she’s strong-willed and independent, so that will take her far. (She DOES need a bit more patience with certain tasks, but . . .)

Today we’re taking her to see her mom again for the day while Mathew and I pack up her things and get her set up for her flight to Texas tomorrow. My cousin will pick her up at the airport and make sure everything is set up for her, and she’ll most likely spend about 6 months or longer in Texas as she gets everything situated for her future.

As soon as we know more, we’ll post it, but she’d love cards and letters at her new address. Please email marlagregg (at) eatthepaper (dot) com if you’d like it.

As always, thanks so much for your support and prayers!

We’ve spoken with family and are very grateful that my Uncle Mac wants my mom to move to Texas and live with him. He lives alone, and they both have similar health issues and could assist and take care of one another. Now it’s just all about the logistics of getting her out there.

If you’re in Vegas, please go visit mom this week or this weekend. She may not be there much longer. We may try to take her to San Diego to see her mother first before she heads off to Texas.

Thank you for all of your support and continued prayers, and for your donations toward her Cobra Co-pay. We’re still waiting on the decision for her Disability–and need to keep her insurance going as long as possible.

Mathew and I have been a bit overwhelmed. Now that summer is over, my free time away from classes to complete administrative tasks for mom has evaporated. It’s been difficult to coordinate, file, and adjust. We’ve been receiving numerous bills in the mail from all of the individual specialists and medical consultants. (PLEASE, OBAMA, SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM!) It takes about 20-40 minutes per phone call per billing department. Mom’s seen about 100 different people. It’s a bit stressful.

She’s been moved to another rehabilatation facility back in the Vegas area. Her insurance will only cover so many weeks of this “assisted” facility. She’s been working hard, but is still having a great deal of trouble with balance while standing, which makes it near to impossible for her to utilize the walker by herself. She’s getting better on her wheel chair, however. Her vision in her right eye is pretty much gone–mostly blurry shapes, although they’re going to perform another surgery to try and help it. She’s still on the feeding tube; while she is able to kind of swallow, the valve doesn’t close all the way, so they’re not sure she’ll be able to get back on regular food. She may, sadly, be stuck with the PICU food forever.

A note to many of her friends and coworkers–Please DO NOT TEXT MESSAGE MARLA. She can’t read these messages, and it’s very difficult for her to check them; they’re also quite expensive. Please call her instead. She doesn’t pick up regularly, but she can see that a number has called and will call you back. She is a bit lonely. Mathew and I have not been able to get up there to visit for almost 2 months; car troubles and my work schedule have made it impossible. We are eternally grateful to everyone who calls, visits, sends her cards, and sends her flowers. These things mean so much to her.

We’ve gotten all of the entries for the poetry contest and are in the process of going through these. Thanks to everyone who donated and entered the contest!

We’ll keep you posted on Marla’s progress.

Don’t forget, she’s on Facebook, Twitter, and this website. If you’d like to get in touch with her personally, you can email marlagregg (at) eatthepaper (dot) com and I’ll pass on your information.

Much love to you all for your good thoughts, prayers, and continued donations toward her cobra payments and other incidental costs.