In Loving Memory & Finding Answers-Tutu Pridanonda

Dearest Friends, Family, and Kind Strangers,

My name is Tiffany Pridanonda and I am reaching out to extend a heartfelt plea to support funeral expenses, arrangements, and seeking answers during my mother, Tutu Pridanonda's unexpected and unimaginable loss. On March 8th, 2024, in less than 24 hours following her double hip surgery, my beloved mother, Tutu Pridanonda unexpectedly passed away at the San Antonio Hospital in Upland, California. She went in for surgery on March 7th 2024 at approximately 3:00 PM, and passed away the next morning on March 8th at 6:30 AM. The last time that I ever got to speak to her was through a video call, with her telling me, "Mommy loves you and I will come back stronger than ever before," ...but she never came home.

It pains me to say that now I have lost both my parents, and I'm the only child-- my dad, and now my mom. Within 10-years of each other. The biggest life events, accomplishments and hurdles are yet to come. I've dreamed of being able to see my parents witness my wedding, having grandkids for them, so on and so forth - but now they'll both be watching over me in spirit.

As we plan her funeral and seek answers, any donation of any amount would be a tremendous help during this difficult time.

Please join us for two special events as we celebrate Tutu's life, Sun March 31st & Mon April 1st:

RSVP: https://everloved.com/life-of/tutu-pridanonda/

1. **Praying Ceremony**

Date: Sunday, March 31st

Time: 6:00PM - 9:00PM

Location: Wat Thai Temple of Los Angeles

8225 Coldwater Canyon Ave

North Hollywood CA 91605

Itinerary: more details to be posted - (prayers with Buddhist monks, eulogy, life tribute, viewing/paying respects/bathing ceremony)

2. **Cremation Service**

Date: Monday, April 1st

Time: 2:00PM

Location: Hollywood Forever Cemetery

6000 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles CA 90038

Itinerary: more details to be posted - (prayers, eulogy, life tribute, viewing/paying respects/bathing ceremony, followed by cremation)

My beloved mother, Tutu Pridanonda, was truly an angel who would light any path she traversed. She was the rock and foundation to our family, as well as the strength and guidance for so many others. She has touched so many lives and was a beacon of light to anyone fortunate to know her during her lifetime. I am the only child to her, and my late father-Varavudh Pridanonda, who also unexpectedly passed in 2013. Although I am her only blood-related child, I know that she was a mother and teacher to so many others. Especially during her time spent as the principal and teacher at Wat Thai Temple of Los Angeles, as well as Wat Padhammachart. She played a huge role in so many places, and especially within the Thai community. Those who were fortunate to know her, work with her, learn from her, be loved by her, know that she appreciated so many people, from so many walks of life. She was always willing to go above and beyond for anyone she met, her generosity and kindness will be sorely missed.

Thank you.

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Finding Answers for Mom - Help Me Bring Her Home:

Throughout the downward spiral of events that occurred, I am left with a series of questions left unanswered by the hospital staff, nurses, and doctors/surgeons. The wildest thing to me, is that she was still so strong--laughing, greeting her neighbors, and being her usual joyous self, hours before her operation. I was told multiple stories and uncertain "reasons" as to what might be her cause of death. When we arrived to visit her on March 7th, she had been intubated/placed on a ventilator after her operation, and her vitals were declining. When we asked the nursing staff why she had an intubator placed, they told us it was because she was experiencing "hypoxia" during her surgery. They quickly shipped her off to run a CT scan to rule out any pulmonary embolisms and told us that we were clear to go home for the night because she was "stabilized."

Throughout the night, we did not receive any calls - not even to inform us about the results for her CT Scan. At approximately 5:50 AM, we received a call from the nursing staff to let us know that my mother had coded again, and that she had went into shock a couple times. By the time we arrived, it was already too late. We walked into the CCU room at 6:36 AM, only for the nurses to tell us that she had passed away at 6:30 AM. We were in complete disbelief and continued to stay beside her for the next 4-5 hours waiting for the coroner. After spending hours grieving beside her lifeless body, we were told that the coroner was finally on their way up and that we could go home. And that the coroner would call us within 1-2 days to confirm that she could be released to our mortuary. We never received that call.

With things not adding up, we decided to also call a nurse supervisor on the day of her passing to confirm the series of events again. She informed us that my mother coded/went into full cardiac arrest during the first half of her surgery -- and then stabilized before they moved on to the second half, doing the second hip. She was administered epinephrine, atropine, and various other medication drips to keep her alive. During the second time she coded, it was apparently at 5:00 AM, at least 50 minutes before they called us, only to arrive too late for her final moments. We wished wholeheartedly that we could have been there with her throughout this entire downward spiral, but sadly it feels as though we were left in the dark, or there is more at hand than the hospital wanted to tell us.

We waited a day before finally contacting the hospital again for any updates on the coroner's report. The hospital's house supervisor informed us that we would need our mortuary to contact the hospital.

We also received no word from the doctors or surgeons either during her post-op and post-death, and have only been able to deal with the hospital staff/nurses.

At this moment, we are also looking into medical malpractice counsel and will potentially be seeking a private autopsy to figure out what her cause of death was. We were told several different things, from her death "possibly" being caused by pulmonary embolisms, to "issues with her kidney that were unbeknownst in pre-op work, " to "perhaps her body couldn't handle the operation." We are being thrown in all sorts of different directions, without any clear answer. And we need answers. She deserved better than this.