Support for Mark Petersen's Family
Donation protected
It is with great sadness to report that on Sunday, Mark passed away. He was able to see and be with his family. Jan and her children are so grateful for the outpouring of love and support. Please continue to keep them in prayers.
Update to below... Before I was able to get this all together and posted, Jan's husband was transferred to Hospice. Please read Jan's story below. Jan and her family would be grateful for any donations or prayers in this difficult time.
Here is our “story”…2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, but while my family has not been personally affected by Covid, our lives have been forever impacted by my husband, Mark, suffering cardiac arrest on June 17, 2020. Mark and I took our dog for a walk and as we got to our next door neighbors, I could see Mark was struggling to walk even with his cane, so I suggested he take his time and go back home whenever he wanted and I’d continue taking the dog around the block. As I was returning home, I saw our 20 year old daughter on her cell phone, standing over Mark who was passed out on the sidewalk turning blue. The police arrived within 5 minutes and resuscitated him on the sidewalk. The ambulance arrived shortly after, but took 10-15 minutes to revive him again, and he was resuscitated a third time in the emergency room. He was hospitalized on a ventilator for 40 days. When they were finally able to take him off the ventilator and put in a tracheostomy and feeding tube, he was discharged to a nursing home on July 27th.
Due to the oxygen deprivation primarily in the ambulance, Mark has suffered permanent brain damage and has difficulty with short term memory – he thinks it’s 2005. It is difficult to say when, or if, he will ever be able to get off the tracheostomy and feeding tube.
I applied for long term Medicaid to help with the cost as it is unlikely Mark will ever return home. Medicaid determined that I must pay $2100 a month going forward for Mark to be at the facility, and that fee started August 1, 2020 so I owe $10,822.
In an effort to find ways to provide the monthly cost for Mark, I will have to sell my home and move to a smaller one. I have had to return to working nights at Stop and Shop to try to make up part of this bill for Mark’s care.
My children and I take everything one day at a time as it is too overwhelming to think much beyond that. We are all so grateful for the love and support of friends and family through these challenging times ahead.
Update to below... Before I was able to get this all together and posted, Jan's husband was transferred to Hospice. Please read Jan's story below. Jan and her family would be grateful for any donations or prayers in this difficult time.
Here is our “story”…2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, but while my family has not been personally affected by Covid, our lives have been forever impacted by my husband, Mark, suffering cardiac arrest on June 17, 2020. Mark and I took our dog for a walk and as we got to our next door neighbors, I could see Mark was struggling to walk even with his cane, so I suggested he take his time and go back home whenever he wanted and I’d continue taking the dog around the block. As I was returning home, I saw our 20 year old daughter on her cell phone, standing over Mark who was passed out on the sidewalk turning blue. The police arrived within 5 minutes and resuscitated him on the sidewalk. The ambulance arrived shortly after, but took 10-15 minutes to revive him again, and he was resuscitated a third time in the emergency room. He was hospitalized on a ventilator for 40 days. When they were finally able to take him off the ventilator and put in a tracheostomy and feeding tube, he was discharged to a nursing home on July 27th.
Due to the oxygen deprivation primarily in the ambulance, Mark has suffered permanent brain damage and has difficulty with short term memory – he thinks it’s 2005. It is difficult to say when, or if, he will ever be able to get off the tracheostomy and feeding tube.
I applied for long term Medicaid to help with the cost as it is unlikely Mark will ever return home. Medicaid determined that I must pay $2100 a month going forward for Mark to be at the facility, and that fee started August 1, 2020 so I owe $10,822.
In an effort to find ways to provide the monthly cost for Mark, I will have to sell my home and move to a smaller one. I have had to return to working nights at Stop and Shop to try to make up part of this bill for Mark’s care.
My children and I take everything one day at a time as it is too overwhelming to think much beyond that. We are all so grateful for the love and support of friends and family through these challenging times ahead.
Organizer and beneficiary
Tara Rabito
Organizer
Hicksville, NY
Jan Petersen
Beneficiary