It was one of the most amazing visits I have ever experienced. A patient on Tower 6 had decided to stop everything. He had given up on life because his next rehabilitative event would be a major back surgery and around 3-4 months of recovery. The patient reminded everyone who would listen that he was already 77 and had lived a good life. Instead of surgery, the patient wanted to start hospice. One more thing: The patient was deaf. "He is a very good lip reader and he speaks very well," said his nurse. However, the patient did not want to read lips, he wanted to communicate using American Sign Language.
When I arrived to see him for a second visit, he was frustrated to see me because he knew I did not know how to sign. He informed me right away that he wanted to communicate with someone who knew sign. Immediately, I knew who could help. Michelle Richards, ICU RN, was working and her patient at that time was relatively stable. I asked the charge nurse if I could borrow Michelle for a few minutes. Michelle knew nothing of this patient, and I did not tell her anything about his condition until we got into his room.
When Michelle arrived to see the patient, he asked who she was. I told Michelle that he wanted to sign with someone, and she started to sign with him. At first, she was a little intimidated to be signing with someone who communicated with sign because it had been years since her class. Soon, however, she was communicating with him almost effortlessly.