Parents reveal challenges after reaction to the smell of pepper leaves young man with consequences

This Tuesday marked 8 months since the family routine of trancista Thaís Medeiros, 26, changed forever. On the afternoon of February 17th, she, who lives in Goiânia (GO), had traveled about 60 kilometers to the parents’ house of a boy she had been dating for a while, in Anápolis, and everything seemed normal at that lunch. , until the moment when the aroma of a bottle of goat pepper ended up causing an asthmatic reaction that was as serious as it was rare and unexpected. Rushed to the hospital, unable to breathe, she was admitted faint and suffering from cerebral edema. She fought for her life for days and managed to survive, but the brain damage, according to doctors, became irreversible.

In an interview with GLOBO, the parents, Adriana Medeiros and Sérgio Medeiros, talk about the challenges faced today, the family’s difficulty in being able to afford the high costs of treatments at home and, mainly, about the faith that women, little by little , regain consciousness, even against almost all predictions. Their main objective now is to be able to place her under the care of one of the Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals units and have a homecare service (medical supervision at home).

— We are taking care of her at home now and I can say that it was one of the best things, because she has improved a lot. Unfortunately, at the hospital she was no longer responding well. She has been evolving little by little. The expenses are huge, the care is also huge, the tiredness comes, but I remain firm in faith — says the mother. — She is calm in our presence, but we don’t know if she is lucid. She’s in a coma-vigil, but she understands her daughters. She blinks and opens her mouth to her daughters…she’s starting to do that. Before, she wasn’t doing anything, so even a little thing makes me happy. For those who weren’t going to survive, she’s been here with us for 8 months.

Thaís left the ICU of the State Center for Rehabilitation and Readaptation Dr. Henrique Santillo (CRER Goiânia) on the eve of his birthday, on September 6th. Her mother claims that there was a change of management at the unit and this meant that the young woman’s treatment ended up being compromised. Since then, the parents have dedicated themselves exclusively to their daughter and granddaughters and have not been working since everything happened. “Here at home, no one has a signed license”, said the father. Adriana is a hairdresser and served clients at home, together with her daughter, who offered braiding services. This was the family’s main income. Sérgio works in online commerce. (To help with donating any amount towards Thaís’ treatment, simply access this link)

— We had to set up a mini ICU at home, fully equipped. We still have what we managed to collect from the crowdfunding, but there are a lot of expenses with special food expenses, expensive medicines, and we don’t work anymore, today we are completely dependent on her and her little girls, Antonela and Valentina, aged 8 and 7 years old, who live with us and give me all the strength I have. We still haven’t gotten help from the government, because everything has a process, a delay. We still haven’t been able to get homecare assistance from the SUS, which would be very important at least during the day — says Adriana. — But Brazil hugged my girl and continues to do so, and we are here.

Thaís’ care routine is recorded and shared almost daily by Adriana on her social networks and, mainly, on her daughter’s Instagram, which has more than 180 thousand followers. The practice has helped ease the mother’s pain.

According to them, between the adaptation that needed to be made to the family car, assembly of the mini ICU structure in the room, diapers, special food and hired health professionals, expenses of around R$ 70 thousand have already been accounted for — and the amounts did not stop increasing. One new website to collect donations was launched by themthis time without a scheduled closing date, and Sérgio is also preparing to open a new family online storeto sell local products, help with household expenses and not rely solely on donations.

— We are fighting to see if we can achieve the homecare for the SUS, which we don’t know when it will come out, but we can’t wait. Meanwhile, we already have expenses for a physiotherapist, around R$4,000 per month, a speech therapist, around R$3,500, among many others — adds Sérgio. — And it’s with the money from the crowdfunding that we’re keeping everything here at home. Her treatment, special food… in relation to medical supplies, we got some donations from the city hall, but the rest we had to buy. We are there in the fight. This week I must put our little shop online.

Thaís' family set up an online store to raise money that will allow the young woman's treatment to continue — Photo: Reproduction

Moved, the father is grateful for the entire network of solidarity that has helped the family since the case happened and generated commotion throughout the country.

— It’s something that is immeasurable, I can’t express such gratitude… so many people have embraced her cause, been with us… There are people who call and ask us if we are ok and if they need anything. We are very grateful.

‘We won’t give up’: mother remembers the day it all happened

Adriana recalls that Thaís was already having an asthma attack that day, was feeling uncomfortable, but decided to go to the boy’s family home in Anápolis despite his parents’ wishes. She felt well enough to make the trip. No one could imagine, however, what would happen. She was having lunch with the young man and his relatives, when they started talking about the peppers that his mother produced and kept in jars in the kitchen; Everyone smelled the spice to smell the aroma coming from inside the pot, but when it was her turn, she immediately put her hands to her neck and started to feel sick.

— She had an asthma attack, but decided to go to Anápolis anyway. Once there, this incident with the pepper happened. She opened the window, she was already having an asthma attack, and when she smelled it, all that happened… she had a cardiorespiratory arrest. That day, we told her not to go, because if the house was far away and she had a more serious crisis, she wouldn’t be able to get help in time — she laments.

Even with difficulty, Thaís was still conscious when she was rescued by the boy’s family and placed in the car. Images from cameras in the house show that she still managed to sit in the front seat of the car alone and that, desperately, she opened the window of the vehicle, seeking air. On the way to the hospital, on a journey that lasted around 10 minutes, she passed out.

— They were getting to know each other, they weren’t lovers, but it was the third time she went to his house in Anápolis… it was fatal. Life goes on — comments Thaís’ mother.

The hairdresser reinforces that she believes that, with some type of treatment, her daughter can achieve further improvements and regain consciousness.

— I trust doctors, but I believe in God first. If my daughter had been supposed to go, she would have gone on that 17th, but thank God she is here. The battle is not easy, they say it is irreversible, but I recently met with two great neurologists who reinforced to me that my daughter needs rehabilitation, that she could not stay in a hospital bed without moving. I have hope and I have faith. We are taking great care of her, we are not going to give up. I have to try, while there is still some kind of possible treatment. I knew of two cases of young men who managed to rehabilitate themselves. I have faith that our girl, even if she is just a little bit, will get better. I’m putting all my strength into it.

— It hurts, but I’m calm because I have faith. I want God to do the best for her. And I am very grateful to everyone who helps us, everyone who has shown this affection — she concludes.