Martha Peralta’s Funeral
Donation protected
Martha Peralta, mother of 8 and grandmother to 55. That’s right!! That number is not a mistake. She has 25 grandchildren and 30 great Grandchildren and the family keeps growing. Although she has a large family, she showed and expressed her love to everyone equally. Although being petite, she was a brave and strong woman. A fighter. Recently, Martha was hospitalized just short of a month fighting for her life. March 10, 2019, god decided it was time for her suffering to come to an end as he gave her her wings to join him In heaven. We, as her children are always asked, “What happened?” Well... let me share with you the month long battle with her illness.
It’s all began Monday, February 11th. Martha was scheduled for right hip surgery. Of course she had her pre-op appt with the surgeon and we were told everything was clear and good for surgery. Surgery went well, mom goes home that same day.... already walking, with a walker of course. She had physical therapy come to the house and we as a family saw my mom happy and walking better than before. One week later on Monday, February 18th, we get the first scare. I, Maritza, get a call from my sister telling me my mom was “looking different.” As my sister gives me more information I immediately tell her to take our mom to the Emergency Room. After getting blood work, X-rays, and CT scans, the doctor comes in and tells me my mom has a perforated organ. That moment I felt this heaviness on my chest and was nauseous and immediately was thinking.... Sepsis, emergency surgery, peritonitis and is my moms mentation going to be the same as before? Into surgery she goes and once done she goes into ICU. She had a perforated sigmoid colon which now has a colostomy and a wound Vac. Post op everything goes well few days later she is downgraded to Telemetry.
One week later, Monday, Feb 25th, the surgeon takes my mom back into surgery to remove the wound vac and close her surgical site as he says everything is healing well. No drainage noted from the wound vac or the JP drain. She comes out of surgery, but while in recovery she vomits A LOT of green bile. Bile noted in the ostomy bag and in the JP drain while at the same time her blood pressure drops very low. Not what anyone was expecting and the doctors couldn’t give an explanation but suspect she MAY HAVE PERFORATED once again. Once stabilized, she gets a CT scan just to find out that doctors suspicions were correct. 12 Hours after the last surgery, we as a family are put in a difficult situation in deciding whether our mom goes in for another surgery or we play the waiting game and see how she does on her own. Well aware of the risks, it was decided that surgery will be performed. We as a family knew our mom is strong and a fighter and she will get through this. With everyone’s prayers, surgery went well, and back to ICU she goes. This time my mom perforated part of her small intestine. Now, not only does she have a colostomy, but an ileostomy too.
Days go by and she is healing well. Gets downgraded to Tele again. Mom is talking, smiling, and being her sarcastic self. All great signs that bring joy to our lives. The doctor even talked about possibly discharging her soon. We as a family couldn’t be any more happy. On Friday Morning, March 8th, things change. My mom becomes difficult to arouse. We notice a different odor coming from her ostomy sites as well as increase leaking, which has not happened before. She starts breathing faster, which leads to her being put on Bipap. Once again she returns to ICU. Another CT scan was done and we get the worst news ever. Our mom has perforated for the 3rd time. Our hearts drop. The following day we have a meeting with the doctors and this is where they tell us that there is no hope for our mother and that she will soon be leaving us. Something NO ONE is ever prepared to hear. As a family, we had a difficult time agreeing whether to keep our mom as full code or be a DNR. If we as children are heartbroken and torn on what to do, you can only imagine how our father, her husband of 50 years, feels. It’s was not an easy decision to make.
On The evening of March 9th, our mother is now a DNR. She was put on a morphine drip and taken off bipap at 1:35am. As a family we sat at her beside until she took her last breathe and had her last heart beat. Our mother passed away on March 10th at 1037am. Her room filled with family who love her and will forever remember her as the loving and beautiful person she is.
This is the journey that the Peralta family had to overcome and now are mourning the loss of their mother/wife. We ask for your help with donations for Martha’s funeral costs. There is no small amount. Anything you can give is greatly appreciate and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your help and support. May she Rest In Peace.
It’s all began Monday, February 11th. Martha was scheduled for right hip surgery. Of course she had her pre-op appt with the surgeon and we were told everything was clear and good for surgery. Surgery went well, mom goes home that same day.... already walking, with a walker of course. She had physical therapy come to the house and we as a family saw my mom happy and walking better than before. One week later on Monday, February 18th, we get the first scare. I, Maritza, get a call from my sister telling me my mom was “looking different.” As my sister gives me more information I immediately tell her to take our mom to the Emergency Room. After getting blood work, X-rays, and CT scans, the doctor comes in and tells me my mom has a perforated organ. That moment I felt this heaviness on my chest and was nauseous and immediately was thinking.... Sepsis, emergency surgery, peritonitis and is my moms mentation going to be the same as before? Into surgery she goes and once done she goes into ICU. She had a perforated sigmoid colon which now has a colostomy and a wound Vac. Post op everything goes well few days later she is downgraded to Telemetry.
One week later, Monday, Feb 25th, the surgeon takes my mom back into surgery to remove the wound vac and close her surgical site as he says everything is healing well. No drainage noted from the wound vac or the JP drain. She comes out of surgery, but while in recovery she vomits A LOT of green bile. Bile noted in the ostomy bag and in the JP drain while at the same time her blood pressure drops very low. Not what anyone was expecting and the doctors couldn’t give an explanation but suspect she MAY HAVE PERFORATED once again. Once stabilized, she gets a CT scan just to find out that doctors suspicions were correct. 12 Hours after the last surgery, we as a family are put in a difficult situation in deciding whether our mom goes in for another surgery or we play the waiting game and see how she does on her own. Well aware of the risks, it was decided that surgery will be performed. We as a family knew our mom is strong and a fighter and she will get through this. With everyone’s prayers, surgery went well, and back to ICU she goes. This time my mom perforated part of her small intestine. Now, not only does she have a colostomy, but an ileostomy too.
Days go by and she is healing well. Gets downgraded to Tele again. Mom is talking, smiling, and being her sarcastic self. All great signs that bring joy to our lives. The doctor even talked about possibly discharging her soon. We as a family couldn’t be any more happy. On Friday Morning, March 8th, things change. My mom becomes difficult to arouse. We notice a different odor coming from her ostomy sites as well as increase leaking, which has not happened before. She starts breathing faster, which leads to her being put on Bipap. Once again she returns to ICU. Another CT scan was done and we get the worst news ever. Our mom has perforated for the 3rd time. Our hearts drop. The following day we have a meeting with the doctors and this is where they tell us that there is no hope for our mother and that she will soon be leaving us. Something NO ONE is ever prepared to hear. As a family, we had a difficult time agreeing whether to keep our mom as full code or be a DNR. If we as children are heartbroken and torn on what to do, you can only imagine how our father, her husband of 50 years, feels. It’s was not an easy decision to make.
On The evening of March 9th, our mother is now a DNR. She was put on a morphine drip and taken off bipap at 1:35am. As a family we sat at her beside until she took her last breathe and had her last heart beat. Our mother passed away on March 10th at 1037am. Her room filled with family who love her and will forever remember her as the loving and beautiful person she is.
This is the journey that the Peralta family had to overcome and now are mourning the loss of their mother/wife. We ask for your help with donations for Martha’s funeral costs. There is no small amount. Anything you can give is greatly appreciate and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your help and support. May she Rest In Peace.
Organizer
Maritza Peralta
Organizer
Arcadia, CA