Joan Rivers is in a medically induced coma, Melissa Rivers issues statement

After suffering cardiac arrest during an outpatient throat procedure on Thursday, Joan Rivers is listed in stable condition. However, the 81-year-old is definitely not out of the woods: Multiple sources say doctors plan to keep Joan in a medically induced coma until the weekend to give her brain its best chance to recover from oxygen deprivation.

Daughter Melissa Rivers, who flew in from California to be by her mother’s side, thanked fans for their “overwhelming love and support” in a statement on Thursday night.

“She is resting comfortably and is with our family,” she added. “We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.”

Another family source told The New York Daily News the situation seems to be dire and they are bracing for the worst.

“We are scared,” said the family source. “This is not looking good.”

Outwardly, there were no signs leading up to Joan’s procedure that things would go so wrong — even though she joked during a Wednesday stand-up routine that she was aware of her mortality.

“I’m 81. I could go at any moment,” a viewer recounted to The NYDN. “I could fall over right here and you all could say, ‘I was there!’”