01/10/2022
Wait 10 seconds to see a nice effect in sand. Or watch the candles for the full version. A miscommunication with one of the presenters caused it to be left out of the original memorial. The lesson: always double check.
The sand painting is from Lorenzo Hammer's website dedicated to COVID victims. While she didn't have it herself, it did play a role in the timing of her passing.
Because she was hospitalized for a bowel obstruction during the pandemic that began in 2020, it was customary for family to be prevented from visiting. While waiting for the obstruction to clear, she took in nothing by mouth and was being fed and hydrated intravenously. The exception was a barium solution she was given for a small bowel xray. After the procedure, Leola was supposed to stay upright. Given Leola's Alzheimers, along with a previous stroke in the area of her brain that decodes speech, it will never be known how clearly this instruction was understood. With the staff very busy keeping COVID patients alive and family barred from their usual post, there was no one at Leola's bedside to remind her not to lay down flat."
She aspirated and died. A nurse who had just come on duty called with the news, but could answer no questions. Her doctor, who'd previously said they were just waiting for her to have a bowel movement, would not return any calls. There were many phone calls placed for some clarification. A rare contact with one LA County coroner revealed that aspiration is not uncommon with Alzheimers; at some point they cannot protect their airways. It was the advice of Gilbert Wright, a family friend, that led us to the Quality & Risk Management Department for Cedars Marina del Rey. After called them, Dr Kim Truong finally returned family's calls.
