There was a patient in the Critical Care Unit who had been diagnosed with lung cancer and fighting off a new case of pneumonia, needing advanced respiratory support and treatment. The patient and her family often shared stories with staff and invited the staff into their conversations. One Wednesday afternoon, several of the family members were talking about the upcoming wedding of the patient's granddaughter. Throughout the patient's stay in CCU, she frequently talked about this wedding and how she needed to get well enough to be there and share that special day. She even had her "Save The Date" card hanging in her room. Sadly, the patient, her family, and our staff knew that she was too ill and decompensating too quickly and that she would likely not be making it to that wedding day.
That afternoon, the patient's granddaughter approached the nurse and asked if it would be okay for her family to have a small gathering in the unit for a wedding rehearsal. Without hesitation, the nurse said "of course," and arranged for the family to come to the unit the next afternoon for the rehearsal. The charge nurse, Jenni Krause, and PCT, Jenn Carrillo, heard about the plan and immediately started making phone calls to create a very special "wedding day". Jenni and Jenn contacted the dietary department and requested any help in providing refreshments and cake. Kathleen O'Connell, Dietary Service Director, and her staff went above and beyond in delivering fruit, sandwiches, refreshments, and a beautiful cake from a local bakery. Jenni and Jen also called the Chaplain, Norm Shirk, who graciously agreed to lead the rehearsal for the family. They reached out to the Environmental Services team who set up extra chairs and a table in the unit. They called a local florist who donated a corsage for the patient to wear. They even called another staff nurse who came in from home to take photos for the family. Sheets and a banner were hung in the atrium to create a wedding atmosphere. Finally, Jenni and Jen communicated with the Respiratory Therapist, Stephanie Roser, to be sure she could help accommodate the patient as she was dependent upon bipap therapy. Stephanie and the entire Critical Care Unit, especially the B Pod nurses Lisa Hodson, Suzi Hamblock and Hannah Sendele, pulled together the next day to plan and prepare for the afternoon rehearsal. All the while, the patient had no idea any of this was being planned.
At 3pm, the patient's family gathered in the CCU atrium. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The patient was safely escorted to the atrium where she was able to watch her granddaughter's wedding rehearsal. The family enjoyed the refreshments and cake, and the patient even danced a bit in her chair. The patient was amazed by the gesture and the thoughtfulness of her family and SwedishAmerican staff. She was able to enjoy that special time and celebrate with her family one last time. The patient passed away the next morning, surrounded by her loving and supportive family. I am confident that this special celebration planned by the CCU family gave her some comfort and peace.