Joan Rivers' daughter, Melissa Rivers, released another statement Sunday afternoon, saying that the family remained hopeful the legendary comedienne's health could improve.
"We are keeping our fingers crossed," Melissa said (via the Associated Press).
On Friday, Melissa described her mother's condition as serious and asked people to continuing praying. Saturday afternoon, TMZ reported that Rivers' condition deteriorated and she was placed on life support. According to the site, she needs the machines to stay alive.
Reportedly no decisions will be made about Rivers' future for the next few days. The 81-year-old cohost of "Fashion Police" was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City after she stopped breathing during a routine throat procedure on Thursday, Aug. 28.
According to TMZ, Rivers was undergoing surgery on her vocal chords at a NYC clinic when she went into cardiac and respiratory arrest. A 911 call was placed from the clinic around 9:40 a.m. Thursday, and the comedienne was taken to the hospital where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma.
Doctors are not sure how long Rivers went without oxygen and are still trying to assess the severity of her condition. Sources told the New York Daily News that Melissa is "in denial" over her mother's condition.
"She still thinks everything is going to be OK. She is refusing to admit that a world might exist without her mother in it," the source told the Daily News. "Others that are close to Joan are starting to realize that the outcome they want is very unlikely."
Sources said Rivers would not want to live unless she could have a "full and active life... [she] would never want to be a burden on anyone."
Jay Redack, a friend and creative collaborator with Rivers, stopped by Mount Sinai hospital to visit the comedienne and told the Daily News that he had dinner with her the night before she was hospitalized.
"Everything was going well for her," Redack said. "Her career was good. She loves 'Fashion Police.'"
Redack said Rivers never mentioned her throat procedure. Instead the two spent the evening talking about "life, Melissa, boyfriends, tennis lessons and about her [comedy] act."
"[Joking] is all we do," he said.
