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Mostly Cloudy Samantha Eisenberg ‘emerging’ from coma
East Meadow resident transferred to NYC hospital for physical therapy
It was like a “rebirth” for Samantha Eisenberg.
At least that’s how her mother, Robin Boyajian, felt when Samantha was transported on March 11 by plane from a Rochester hospital to her place of birth: Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan.
“She’s going back,” Boyajian said.
More than 20 years after she was born there, Eisenberg is back at Mount Sinai for a much different reason. That is to recover from the serious injuries – mostly to her brain – she sustained in an auto accident near Buffalo on Feb. 12.
Though Eisenberg has remained in a coma since the accident, according to family, doctors said she is “emerging” from it. The patient has even started to communicate with her family, mouthing and softly muttering words and responding to commands.
“She basically said to me, ‘Mom, I’m frustrated,’” Boyajian said last week. “She has no idea what happened to her. That was just the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”
At Mount Sinai, Eisenberg is undergoing an intense program of physical and occupational therapy, and according to daily online journal entries, appears to be progressing by the day.
“It’s not like [on television],” Boyajian said. “You don’t just wake up. It’s a slow process. She is coming out of the coma in stages, little by little.”
In East Meadow and even upstate, where Eisenberg was a junior at Buffalo State, there are many fundraising efforts to help the family as they encounter many expenses throughout her recovery.
Friends continue to sell bracelets for $5, and now have begun to sell pins with the saying “Believe in Miracles,” for $3. Contact Kayla Neill, a close friend of Samantha’s who spearheaded fundraising efforts with others, at kaylajneill@gmail.com for more information on how to purchase or contribute. There are also several other fundraising efforts.
More Samantha Eisenberg-related fundraisers
(contact Mike at emeadoweditor@liherald.com to get yours added to this list)
Bracelets for Sam and "Believe in Miracles" pins: e-mail Kayla at kaylajneill@gmail.com or message her by joining the Bracelets for Sam Facebook page
"Sambam" apparel: sambam.spreadshirt.com
Donate to the effort directly: http://samanthaeisenbergdonation.blogspot.com/
Pampered Chef Samantha fundraiser: e-mail Michelevpc@gmail.com for more information.
Avon Samantha fundraisers: visit www.youravon.com/sweiss (Susan Weiss) or www.youravon.com/aluberto (Annette Luberto) for more information on these separate efforts.
