Community Rallies to Support Central School Teacher

It's been a tough week for so many in the East Texas area.  Someone who is loved dearly by a multitude of people became extremely ill last week.  

According to the Pray for Denise Clifton Facebook Page, she was taken to Nacogdoches Medical Center on Tuesday, January 14th. The doctors found a blood clot on the right side of her brain, which caused a stroke.  Immediately, they started medicine to dissolve the clot. She also received results from a previous culture of the lungs that revealed she has a rare form of lung cancer. She was moved to Memorial Hermann Medical Hospital in Houston early Wednesday morning. She had a procedure performed to relieve the swelling on her brain, which went well. She has paralysis on her left side with limited movement of her arm and hand but a little more movement in her leg and foot.

That's a lot of bad news in a very short period of time, so how about some good news.  Denise also had a procedure performed to check her heart to find out where the blood clot formed, this test came back good with no issues found. She is becoming more alert with each passing day and has started communicating with family members and close friends.  In fact, her quick-witted sense of humor is returning more and more. She begins physical therapy this week to the tune 3 hours at a time. Until she is further along in her recovery from the stroke they will not address the lung cancer issue.

To say that Denise is loved by many would be the understatement of the year.  Long time rivals Central and Hudson gathered at center court recently at a basketball game in Hudson to show support and pray for her.  And many students from Central made special cards for Mrs. Clifton which now adorn her hospital room.

Denise's husband, her 3 sons, and her extended friends and family thank everyone for their prayers and ask that you continue to pray for her!