In Memory of Sandra (Sandi) Blazi Peterson
Donation protected
As many of you know Mom hasn’t felt 100% since Christmas. Started with Flu B, then turned into a horrible nagging cough.
Numerous and regular visits to the Dr. Scans and all that jazz… lungs are clear, stop smoking!! Ok, DONE! And that was about 3-3.5 months ago.
Next came the diagnosis, which mind you; the cough is worsening, breathing is labored, losing ability to laugh loudly (as we do) and talk loudly.
First it was COPD
Then nodules on both lungs
Finally a soft tumor.. we were scheduled to have her seen by a Pulmonologist TODAY! 4.14.24 at 2:00 pm….
On May 30th around 11-11:30 pm, she had a horrible coughing fit and couldn’t breathe. She went to Fort Payne ER. One night there and she is transferred to Gadsden Regional. We sat in a private room with her all day long. Around 3-4 pm the surgeon comes in. He asks if she had scans or X-rays from FP. She says yes and he goes to view them. He comes back and says I can’t do anything to help you, you have a very large mass in an inoperable area.
No specifics except it is a large mass on the outside of her right lung applying pressure to her trachea and esophagus. We cried, we were stunned, we all looked at each other and then said what? Fast forward to 7:40 that night and they wheeled her into ICU so they could keep a closer eye on her as she seems to also have pneumonia.Until she could get to Birmingham.
7 days later- she’s off oxygen, day 8 no oxygen at night, day 9 she’s still in ICU, everything is good - still just waiting on a bed. Day 10 — we move to Birmingham!! UAB - step down ICU room.
Plans are made, some days are better than others, and Wednesday, (day 13) June 12th, 2024, at 5 pm, surgery is scheduled. No cutting, going in through a scope to get a biopsy and put a stent in her airway. I was on the phone with her at 2 pm, Daddy and Nepo were on their way to be there during surgery and see her before. 30 minutes later she said I’m going back- love yall—
I guess it was about 7 pm when Nepo called and said ok, we know something, I’m gonna cry, but ok… the danger of this surgery was very extensive. So the side of her airway was caved in so they did a stent to open that up. This resulted in Mom going into cardiac arrest for 4 minutes. They were able to get her back, but warned us that it was taking longer than it should to wake her up, she has some broken ribs from compressions and the Mom we came in so may not be the Mom we leave with….. devastation, sadness and DEJA VU!!
There was nothing anyone could do or say— we all took time to process. Yesterday, Thursday, June 13th — so many things happened — She had to stay intubated forever because she was still asleep- then she woke up— then she couldn’t feel her left side—All of this unknown and scare and the phone rings and says she’s good!!
she was somewhat awake, still EXTREMELY drugged, but got taken off the ventilator and was breathing on her own. Completely able to move her body and remembered all of us!! She was ornery and a little spit fire, but good gracious I could breathe!!
BUT she couldn’t form words, at all, oh she tried and couldn’t. Her stats started going a little crazy which made her oxygen go crazy which caused panic and irritation and we began the slope of stats. Too much relaxation, stats dangerously low, too much excitement and stress, stats dangerously high!! So Daddy and Nepo left part 3/day 2 at the hospital.
And then we showed up today!! She was speaking so much better!! She was alert and had no memory after our phone call!! Praise the Lord!! Stats are still struggling, but she has stayed on the smaller nose thing for oxygen and a feeding tube to start giving her nutrition she so desperately leave.
We have confirmed 99.9% by the surgeon it is cancer, type is currently unknown. A step in Oncologist has her case and is building her a treatment plan. The type of mass is known as a mediastinal mass. It’s a little larger than 7 cm. It’s flat and solid and causing issues with her stats. Her brain scans are clear, but there is notice of some heart damage.
If you know our family, you know we are a very close group with strong faith. Momma and Daddy are responsible for that in all of us. We have each done everything we could to be where we needed to be for each of our circumstances. As well as for our Momma/Gma!! My sister has taken several days, unpaid, off work to be there. Gas back and forth to all of the hospitals, as well as to Fort Payne, to do whatever to take care of our parents as they have always taken care of us.
Momma and Daddy are very humbled people who don’t ask for much, but it would be such a help knowing they didn’t have to worry or feel like they weren’t paying their own way. That is why I am asking for anything you can spare. To help with the necessities and whatever is to come. And if you can’t, as often happens in this world, please just keep everyone in your prayers!! This is just the beginning of this journey.
Next came the diagnosis, which mind you; the cough is worsening, breathing is labored, losing ability to laugh loudly (as we do) and talk loudly.
First it was COPD
Then nodules on both lungs
Finally a soft tumor.. we were scheduled to have her seen by a Pulmonologist TODAY! 4.14.24 at 2:00 pm….
On May 30th around 11-11:30 pm, she had a horrible coughing fit and couldn’t breathe. She went to Fort Payne ER. One night there and she is transferred to Gadsden Regional. We sat in a private room with her all day long. Around 3-4 pm the surgeon comes in. He asks if she had scans or X-rays from FP. She says yes and he goes to view them. He comes back and says I can’t do anything to help you, you have a very large mass in an inoperable area.
No specifics except it is a large mass on the outside of her right lung applying pressure to her trachea and esophagus. We cried, we were stunned, we all looked at each other and then said what? Fast forward to 7:40 that night and they wheeled her into ICU so they could keep a closer eye on her as she seems to also have pneumonia.Until she could get to Birmingham.
7 days later- she’s off oxygen, day 8 no oxygen at night, day 9 she’s still in ICU, everything is good - still just waiting on a bed. Day 10 — we move to Birmingham!! UAB - step down ICU room.
Plans are made, some days are better than others, and Wednesday, (day 13) June 12th, 2024, at 5 pm, surgery is scheduled. No cutting, going in through a scope to get a biopsy and put a stent in her airway. I was on the phone with her at 2 pm, Daddy and Nepo were on their way to be there during surgery and see her before. 30 minutes later she said I’m going back- love yall—
I guess it was about 7 pm when Nepo called and said ok, we know something, I’m gonna cry, but ok… the danger of this surgery was very extensive. So the side of her airway was caved in so they did a stent to open that up. This resulted in Mom going into cardiac arrest for 4 minutes. They were able to get her back, but warned us that it was taking longer than it should to wake her up, she has some broken ribs from compressions and the Mom we came in so may not be the Mom we leave with….. devastation, sadness and DEJA VU!!
There was nothing anyone could do or say— we all took time to process. Yesterday, Thursday, June 13th — so many things happened — She had to stay intubated forever because she was still asleep- then she woke up— then she couldn’t feel her left side—All of this unknown and scare and the phone rings and says she’s good!!
she was somewhat awake, still EXTREMELY drugged, but got taken off the ventilator and was breathing on her own. Completely able to move her body and remembered all of us!! She was ornery and a little spit fire, but good gracious I could breathe!!
BUT she couldn’t form words, at all, oh she tried and couldn’t. Her stats started going a little crazy which made her oxygen go crazy which caused panic and irritation and we began the slope of stats. Too much relaxation, stats dangerously low, too much excitement and stress, stats dangerously high!! So Daddy and Nepo left part 3/day 2 at the hospital.
And then we showed up today!! She was speaking so much better!! She was alert and had no memory after our phone call!! Praise the Lord!! Stats are still struggling, but she has stayed on the smaller nose thing for oxygen and a feeding tube to start giving her nutrition she so desperately leave.
We have confirmed 99.9% by the surgeon it is cancer, type is currently unknown. A step in Oncologist has her case and is building her a treatment plan. The type of mass is known as a mediastinal mass. It’s a little larger than 7 cm. It’s flat and solid and causing issues with her stats. Her brain scans are clear, but there is notice of some heart damage.
If you know our family, you know we are a very close group with strong faith. Momma and Daddy are responsible for that in all of us. We have each done everything we could to be where we needed to be for each of our circumstances. As well as for our Momma/Gma!! My sister has taken several days, unpaid, off work to be there. Gas back and forth to all of the hospitals, as well as to Fort Payne, to do whatever to take care of our parents as they have always taken care of us.
Momma and Daddy are very humbled people who don’t ask for much, but it would be such a help knowing they didn’t have to worry or feel like they weren’t paying their own way. That is why I am asking for anything you can spare. To help with the necessities and whatever is to come. And if you can’t, as often happens in this world, please just keep everyone in your prayers!! This is just the beginning of this journey.
Fundraising team: Team fundraiser (3)
Corey Brooks
Organizer
Fort Payne, AL
Kristin Sanders
Team member
Nepo Sims
Team member