Link to January 2015 video:

Link to September 2016 video: https://vimeo.com/c3media/review/185699250/24bdbf13d2

https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZnJA1kZXQV33e1M0NBbwzaz7Pp4pjuyh0hX

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Below is a link to the video of Sandy's service. You might have to click "download" after clicking the link for it to begin playing.

https://smithlearning.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/bgyt8bs25NJfta5

Or, if you prefer not to download, you can view it on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/SCASvDic16A

Here is the slideshow that was shown at the service:


Sunday, August 4, 2019

Service Information

We are one week away from Sandy's Celebration of Life service. Details can be found on this website: Cozine - Sandy Peer

Sandy's service is likely to be quite different than most, if not all, other services/funerals you have attended. Sandy wrote or at least strongly influenced the vast majority of what will be said; it is her final lesson plan, one she began preparing for each of you not long after her initial diagnosis five years ago.

The emphasis is on JOY, one of Sandy's favorite words. We are to remember God's goodness, celebrate His faithfulness, and leave inspired and encouraged to live life to the fullest, regardless of challenges that cross our paths.

Joy and grief can certainly coexist, as we are experiencing firsthand these days. So many things are different. Different isn't bad! But it can require some time to get used to.

We hope to see many of you next week!

Friday, July 19, 2019

Thank you

Thank you to everyone for praying and supporting our family. It is hard to know what to do at times like this, but you all are doing it!

We are now set for paper goods for quite awhile, which is wonderful! Our dishwashers (and the kids who often moan about being the dishwashers) can take a break! We can feel your love and are very grateful that God used Sandy's life to bless so many.

Many have asked about meals...between Rod's self-admitted "pickiness" with which foods he eats and the dietary restrictions many of the other family members work around, having meals brought in can be tricky. The last thing we want to do is seem ungrateful, so please understand that we absolutely appreciate the willingness to bring meals. Perhaps, instead, you could take a meal to someone who lives alone, or a family in need, and share with them something about Sandy that has been an encouragement to you. In that way, your act of kindness can create a ripple effect through the community.

Service information will be posted soon. It will be in August, so don't worry about finding details for this weekend or anything.

Please pray for safety as Katie and Eric and the kids drive home from Arizona, and especially for the kids as they process this significant loss. Grandma Sandy cannot be replaced. But her love can live on through each of us.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Heavenly home

Sandy entered heaven today around 11:30am.

Details will follow. The service may not be for a few weeks.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Request for pictures and stories

As we have been looking through Sandy's boxes of treasures from the last 30+ years, we have found countless cards, encouraging notes, words of thanks, and lists of people she was lifting up in prayer. Each semester she asked her students to write a math autobiography, detailing their history with math, concerns and hopes, expectations and attitudes. I think she kept every single one. We are not reading them, because they are personal, a trust her students put in her at the start of each class. I imagine each of you have stories and pictures, memories, inside jokes, and ways your life has changed as a result of your relationship with her.

If you would like to share those memories with us, we welcome any and all. There are two easy ways for you to send things our way. You can text (316)247-2139 or email sandy.k.peer@gmail.com - please be sure to include your full name and any contact information you'd like us to have with whatever you send either way.

Sandy continues to be unresponsive but comfortable. Visitors are still welcome to come.

Little change

Sandy continues to rest. She didn't open her eyes today at all, though people continued talking to her as though she can hear - and perhaps she can. She is still having morphine every 4 hours, still snoring from some mild sleep apnea, and still seems comfortable enough.

Visitors are still welcome, though if for any reason seeing her in her present condition is too difficult for you, please don't feel badly about it. There are ways to love and support Sandy besides visiting. Thanks for continued prayers.

Monday, July 15, 2019

"At This Point"

Since the last post, things have declined rather rapidly. The drain exchanges happened on Friday, in addition to the placement of a third drain that takes the place of needing to have a paracentesis every 10 days. Friday evening was rough but not unusual after a procedure. However, things did not improve Saturday or Sunday.  She began struggling to form complete sentences or finish a thought, and the pain was still significant. Both of those are signs of liver failure - the body isn't able to flush out toxins, and a whole host of complications follow. 

Sandy enjoyed having "Second Sunday" lunch at her house, and she surprised us by eating everything on her plate, including ice cream cake for dessert! By the evening, however, she was really struggling. Rod called hospice this morning, and they came out a couple hours later and set everything up. Sandy has a nice hospital-style bed, fresh sheets, and a good dose of morphine helping her remain comfortable.

While we are always hopeful, always looking for the miracle, always keeping eyes open for mighty works of God, we are also looking reality in the face. The hospice nurse who provided great care this morning kept saying "at this point..." - and we didn't like the conclusion each time.

At this point our goal is comfort
At this point move her around as little as possible
At this point it's not necessary to provide those medications anymore
At this point it's good to let friends and family know what's happening
At this point....

So let's change the dialogue a bit.

At this point, we are thankful she is able to rest after months of poor sleep
At this point, we are thankful that she was doing really well on Thursday when Katie and the kids came to visit before leaving for a week-long mission trip.
At this point, we are choosing to remember that good is still all around us
At this point, God is still good, still strong, still in change, still in the business of bringing good out of every situation.

Visitors are welcome at the house. You don't need to call first, though you are welcome to check in if you prefer. In case dad is able to get a good night's sleep, please wait to come until at least 10am each day. We will try to update the blog as there is new information.

Please pray for comfort for mom, family, and friends, for timing to work out with Katie's family coming back to town, for wisdom about medicine types and dosages, and for everyone to strongly feel God's presence. Thank you for continuing to support mom, even at this point.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

New Game Plan

Pain has continued to be high, despite a recent change/upgrade in pain medications. Sandy isn't one to complain, but it is often nearly unbearable. Because of this, her doctors have recommended that Sandy bring hospice onto her team for pain management. There are limits to what doctors can prescribe, but those limits are more flexible with hospice. The biggest challenge with making this decision is the feeling like this is giving up or making a "final" decision. However, a number of people have clarified for Sandy the role of hospice, the fact that they can provide somewhat long-term care, and that she has the option of pausing or discontinuing hospice care at any point. 

Are things dire? In some ways, yes. In other ways, Sandy is still planning a trip to the lake, time with family and friends, church and choir, and miscellaneous outings and errands. Due to weakness and medication side effects, she decided to stop driving. While this can at times be frustrating or inconvenient, she is choosing to see it as an opportunity to have time with people in the car as they drive her from place to place. 

Today Sandy will have both drains exchanged and will have a third, different, kind of drain placed in her abdomen. The third drain will take the place of the paracentesis procedure she has been having every 10-14 days by allowing her to drain, at home, excess fluid as it begins to accumulate, rather than waiting until her abdomen is painfully full with significant fluid pressure.

Please pray for peace as she begins this leg of the journey, significant pain reduction, quality sleep each night, favor with each member of the hospice team who will assist with her case, and comfort - not just physically but emotionally as well. We thank God for the option of hospice care, for the ongoing support she receives from her medical team, for moments of laughter, and for faithful friends. 

God already knows the next steps, and His provision is already there, ready for us. 

Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Friday, May 24, 2019

Home sweet home!

Sandy arrived back home this afternoon! Another remarkable improvement - thanks for continued prayers.  She has a few hours of school work to complete, her office to clear out and items to give away (no immediate deadline for that though!), and then "all" she needs to do is find her new normal without teaching. While she's glad to be able to rest more and is definitely looking forward to more time with friends and family, retirement is also, in some ways, a loss. It is often difficult to let go of an ended season and hold empty hands still while trusting that God will fill the new season with just the right things. Additionally, though having to get up, get ready, and teach was a challenge this semester, it also helped her not dwell on often overwhelming physical difficulties.

Please pray for continued healing, renewed purpose, pain management without side effects, and moments of laughter in each day.

This next week will be full of fun as she reads through the cards she has received and opens gifts received. You all have been tangible expressions of God's love to her, and for that we are all thankful.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Regular Room

Sandy was moved to a regular room at Wesley last night. No details on release, but she's doing better today.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Five Days and Counting!

It's early Wednesday morning, and Sandy is still at Wesley in the ICU. So far she had an EGD, an ultrasound, banding of two varices, and both drains exchanged. Her pain level is still an issue, and one of the medicines makes her pretty foggy. She worked very hard to finish grading finals and post grades by the deadline, but it will all have to wait a few days until she is able to think clearly for more than a few minutes at a time.  Perhaps the hardest part about that is when she knows she isn't thinking clearly but can't do anything about it!

While she is disappointed to still be here, she is glad not to be worrying about missing class. She has had amazing nurses who have become friends. Sandy has a selection of rice bag hand warmers up here, and she has given them to several people who have brought comfort to her during her stay.

The drains are currently hooked up to external bags that the nurses empty periodically. The bags are kind of a pain, but so far her drain sites have been doing better than they did the past several weeks. Several medical staff and doctors have come up to see how she's doing, whether or not they have direct input on her current care. Everyone wants to know how she's getting along!

We're not sure what needs to happen in order to be released, though for sure she needs to be ok, pain-wise, with only oral medications instead of a combo of IV pain meds and oral meds. She needs her labwork to remain normal, and she needs to gain strength.

Please pray for those things, as well as for a good night's sleep, clear thinking, and patience.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Retirement Celebration...Sandy Style!

The past few weeks have been extra full with end of semester activities, finals, and grading. The departments she works for at WSU each hosted a retirement reception; both were carefully planned out and very thoughtful. The support she continues to be shown speaks to the character of her colleagues, and she will definitely miss seeing them several times each week.

In addition to all of that, Sandy was working on the plans for her retirement reception scheduled for this morning at church. Her plans included baking dozens of cookies, something she enjoys doing. However, her body was rather uncooperative. Evenings were filled with significant pain that was not alleviated easily or quickly. Sleep was spotty. Drains were oozing. Discouragement threatened to overshadow the joy she has so fiercely protected.

Everything came to a head Friday (yesterday) morning, and Rod drove her to Wesley. She was admitted to ICU, given three units of blood and additional medications, and monitored with labwork. One question in everyone's mind was whether or not she would be able to attend the retirement celebration. After talking with the medical team and brainstorming options, it was decided that Sandy could be temporarily discharged, attend her celebration at church, eat lunch with family, and return to the hospital. People shook their heads with a mixture of disbelief and amusement that she, once again, was following an unorthodox path of hospital dismissal.

The retirement celebration was wonderful! Seeing so many friends, past and present colleagues and students, and family from both far and near was quite a treat, and Sandy cherished each moment. She had rice bag hand warmers for each person, with Psalm 86:17b tied to each one: "For you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me."  Next to the pile of rice bags was the following note:


I am often cold these days, especially my hands. Warming a rice bag (or two or three!) in the microwave for 30 seconds has brought comfort on many occasions. When I think about comfort, I also think of each of you. 

You have brought comfort to me through calls, texts, emails, hugs, prayers, and acts of kindness and service.  In moments of weakness and doubt, I am encouraged by the love you show me.  

Please accept this gift of a rice bag hand warmer as a reminder of the blessings we receive both when we comfort others and when we allow ourselves to be comforted by others – and ultimately by God! 

At this moment, Sandy is back in her cozy ICU room, sipping chicken broth, joking with her fun evening nurse, taking a break from grading Trig finals, and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow afternoon she has an EGD scheduled, which will help doctors figure out the source of and solution for the pain. She is hoping for a dismissal, without strings, tomorrow late afternoon or evening.

Please join us in thanking God for answering our prayers about today's festivities with a "yes" and please continue praying for resolution of the current medical issues.

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Career highlights

Peter Abood, the Worship Arts Pastor at church, wrote the following piece to highlight some of Sandy's professional accomplishments. While Sandy is always quick to point to the team effort that goes into receiving awards, and while she prefers to focus on humbly and passionately teaching instead of receiving accolades, Peter was right when he said that it is appropriate for people to realize a bit of the magnitude of Sandy's influence on countless students over the years. Thanks, Peter, for putting this together!

-----------------------

You are invited to celebrate Sandy Peer’s retirement after an illustrious 44-year teaching career.

Since 1975, Sandy has been used by God to influence and guide hundreds of students of all ages.  She is grateful to all of the cheerleaders and encouragers that have helped her along the way.

Her professional journey includes Topeka High School, Highland Park, Curtis Junior High School, and Northwest High.  She is retiring from the Mathematics Teaching staff after 12 years at WSU.

Among her many other awards and achievements Sandy has received: 
1985—The Golden Apple Award

1986—The Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching.  As a result, she was given many opportunities for speaking engagements in cities which included Boston, New Orleans, and Montreal.  Her main topic was Music and Math.

1988 She received National Board Certification

2007—State Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year
Sandy made each student feel special by always asking them this first question: “Tell me your story.”  She appreciates all of the hundreds of student relationships brought on by simply offering a caring attitude.

As a faithful Worship Arts Choir member for many years, we all marvel at Sandy’s courage, stamina, and trust in the Lord as she gives Him all of the glory.

Congratulations, Sandy!

_____________________


Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Retirement is just around the corner!

Sandy Peer’s
Retirement Celebration

You are invited to join Sandy as she celebrates
the privilege of teaching at Wichita State University
for the past 12 years.

Saturday May 18
10:00am – noon

Central Christian Church
Hospitality Room (south entrance)
2900 N Rock Rd
Wichita, KS 67226

Sandy has requested that the only gift
be that of your presence.

Please pass on this information to others who might want
to come celebrate the goodness of the Lord as He
has sustained her during this final semester.

Saturday, March 16, 2019

March update

Last week on Friday, Sandy went to Wesley ER due to symptoms that indicated some internal bleeding.  We suspected more ruptured varices as in the recent past, but this time the bleeding was from some ulcers. She was in the hospital, in ICU, until Monday around noon. Doctors gave her a medicine for the ulcers, drained 6.3 liters from her abdominal area, gave her three units of blood, and monitored her blood pressure, which had been too low. This past Wednesday she had another paracentesis, this time draining 6.5 liters. We are guessing that the fluids she received during her hospital stay caused the faster buildup of fluid, since the two procedures were only five days apart.

Prayer requests:
No more internal bleeding
Increase in strength
Relief from intense hand, leg, and feet cramping
Good, sustained rest each night
High enough hemoglobin and blood pressure

Praises:
Medical team, especially a nurse this past weekend who showered her with wonderful, thoughtful gifts.
Many ever-present reminders of God's sustaining faithfulness
For the Holy Spirit and all those who pray for her
Celebrating another birthday - 66 years old as of March 5!

Sandy has eight weeks of school remaining until she retires! She is thoroughly enjoying each and every class, teaching each topic one last time.

It has been a very rough few weeks, both physically and emotionally. Thank you for continuing to pray. God keeps giving Sandy small glimpses of some of the good He is bringing through these challenges. What a gift.

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Back home again

Sandy was dismissed from Wesley Sunday evening and is ready to teach Monday morning. Thank you for your prayers.

Friday, January 25, 2019

Oh Wesley, how we've (not) missed you....

About a week ago Sandy had very low hemoglobin caused by varices, which are enlarged blood vessels. They are not uncommon when the blood flow to the liver is restricted, as has been the case for quite some time due to the tumor(s). Several of the varices were banded (procedure to stop and/or prevent rupture), and we thought/hoped we were done with that. However, yesterday morning Sandy's levels were very low again, there was evidence of some internal bleeding, and she was admitted to Wesley. Several of the new varices were banded, stopping the bleeding, and she is being monitored for a few days to make sure everything is ok.

While she is glad she was able to teach on the first day of classes, which was Wednesday, she is very disappointed to not be in the classroom today. Everything feels like a last - it's the last time she'll teach this particular lesson, and she isn't able to be there. In addition to that disappointment, she is very tired. Her doctor has changed the medicine to help her quality of sleep, and it's taking awhile to get it all straightened out.

Please pray for healing, encouragement, proper blood pressure and flow in her blood vessels, and for wisdom for the doctors.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Happy New Year!

Sandy wanted to write a Christmas letter or a New Year letter, but it just hasn't happened yet. So I'm posting a quick update until she has time to formulate her message. Maybe a Valentine's Day message? Easter message? :)

Christmas went well. The kids enjoyed our family traditions, including soups for dinner, the left-right game, acting out the Christmas story, and singing carols as Grandma Sandy played the piano. Papa Rod received a brick for one of his presents...poor guy.

Sandy continues to have fluid drained from her abdomen every few weeks, the most recent time being last Friday, when they removed 1.8 gallons (about 15 pounds). When that was finished, she went to the infusion center and received a blood transfusion because her lab results from earlier in the week indicated very low hemoglobin. She felt much better by Saturday. Tomorrow (Tuesday) she has an EGD (upper GI endoscopy) to see how things are doing.

Her final semester of teaching is about to begin! It is bittersweet for sure. She has started the process of sorting and organizing in her office...you can pray that it goes much better than she is anticipating! It is very hard to throw away materials, lesson plans, and notes that have been so important for all these years; even though those items have served their purpose, it can feel wasteful. She will enjoy continuing to bless other teachers with whatever they can use.

One prayer request is that her hands will stop being plagued by cramping. It's possibly caused by electrolyte imbalances, which makes sense considering the fluid that builds up and then is removed time and time again.

While many people are making New Year's resolutions, let's remember that God promises that His mercies are new every morning. Not just once a year or even quarterly, but every single morning we are given new mercies.  What a gift!