Our STORY

  Derrick Tanner Sr. was 44 years old when he took his final breath at Ochsner General Hospital of Lafayette to Interstitial lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis).  He was admitted to the hospital on November 14, 2022.  This was the day that we found out how sick he was.  He was admitted on a regular floor and was on 15L of oxygen due to increase SOB.  The shortness of breath is what lead him to going to the hospital.  At first, due to his symptom they though he had a blood clot in his lungs.  After test and labs it was confirmed that he had pulmonary fibrosis on bilateral lungs.  He was making progress, talking, ambulating, and eating well.  He had even got down to 2L of oxygen and was doing with physical therapy/ occupational therapy.  He had a discharge plan to go home and get set up with physical therapy. I was so excited to hear the good news.  I called one of his sisters’ and we called his case manager to begin the process of getting everything he needed situated.  Everything was looking good and headed in the right direction. (So I thought) Doctors were collaborating and consulting other doctors. However, we were all on the one page.  A couple of days later he started requiring more oxygen.  So immediately more test and labs were done and he was transferred to ICU.  They tried every treatment and did every test but his body rejected everything which caused him to have chest tube and intubation.  He later passed away on December 2, 2022.  He leaves behind fiancé Nakayla Freeman, five sisters and 13 kids.  Three of which are grown and the rest raging from ages 3 on up to 16 years of age.  He and I share four kids together.  A three year old little bossy girl, a four year old son, eleven year old daughter and a sixteen year old daughter.  Our lives have never been the same since his departure.

My mission is to help those that are in this situation that Derrick Sr. and myself had to face.  Derrick was loved and he knew he was loved, but some people may not have that bond. I watched the love of my life die slowly every day and it was nothing I could do to save him.  He knew he was dying and still stayed strong and he accepted his condition. He was actually on the list for a lung transplant, but never made it to Texas.  His condition declined too fast.  When it’s two different states, the transplant process is long with a lot of rules and restrictions.  However, I feel as if days and time wasn’t wasted trying to get Derrick transported to the transplant hospital in Texas, he could have survived. 

I also, want to bring to light that Derrick’s symptoms were silent as far as indicating lung issues.  He went to the hospital ER multiple times, but his symptoms were more Lupus like or Rheumatoid.  Pain in the hand, numbness in the hand, swelling, loss of appetite and thinning of the hair.  He was also a diabetic.  Three years ago, which was untreated, could have played a part with the lung disease.  My goal is to bring awareness to this life threatening disease and be of assistance to anyone during their hard time.  I have to keep busy and turn a negative into some sort of positive.  I have to help others in honor of my love Derrick Tanner Sr.