Joan Rivers is still on life support five days after she suffered a respiratory and cardiac arrest during a throat surgery at a private Manhattan medical clinic, her daughter Melissa Rivers said Tuesday, Sept. 2.
"On behalf of my mother and our family, we are extremely grateful for all the love and support we've received," the comedienne's daughter said in statement posted on joanrivers.com. "At this time she does remain on life support. I know my mother would be overwhelmed by the continued outpouring of kindness and I want to thank everyone for keeping us in their prayers."
Doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital were expected to assess the extent of damage to Rivers' brain Tuesday after bringing her out of a medically induced coma, New York Daily News reported.
"The waking-up process has begun and will take until Tuesday," a source close to the family previously told New York Daily News. "There is real concern that the part of the brain that controls motor skills may have been compromised, leaving her as either a vegetable or in a wheelchair."
Meanwhile, another source told the newspaper that a taping for "Fashion Police," a talk show co-hosted by Rivers, has been canceled. The E! program was supposed to shoot in New York this week in conjunction with Fashion Week, but due to Rivers' condition the taping has reportedly been halted.
While undergoing the throat surgery on Aug. 28, Rivers stopped breathing, and someone at the clinic called 911, TMZ reported.
She was then rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital in "critical condition," a police who responded to the 911 call previously told People.
To stabilize her vital signs, doctors decided to put Rivers in a coma.
"Everyone is shocked that this happened," a source told Us Weekly, noting the Rivers was in great condition Wednesday night, Aug. 30. "She's a strong woman, people aren't giving up hope," the insider added.