A 22 year old pre-med student from China was admitted to Saint Peter's University Hospital with a newly diagnosed terminal illness. This young woman felt lost and lonely as she was here and her family was in China. As she became progressively ill, decisions had to be made, and with the help of care coordination and social work, she appointed the dean of her college as her health proxy. Her mother, who spoke no English, flew in to be with her.
Rebecca, from Care Coordination, checked in daily, trying to ease the emotional burden and stress imposed by illness, health care, the patient's mother's living condition and anything else that could weight on someone in this situation. Her condition quickly deteriorated, and she was transferred to ICU. She made the decision to try chemotherapy, but the treatment had to be discontinued. With her mother at the bedside and the help of two ICU nurses who spoke her native language, this patient was able to communicate her last wishes.
Rebecca continued to follow this patient and coordinate her care even though there is a care coordinator in ICU. She had bonded with this young woman and felt the need to support her during her journey to end of life. As the patient accepted her fate, she spoke of her last wish to die in a traditional red Chinese wedding gown as she realized she would never have her dream wedding.
Rebecca worked with social work to research where such a Chinese wedding gown could be found. She stayed with the patient while the social worker drove to purchase the gown. The patient was dressed in the traditional gown and died peacefully with her mother and her newly acquired Saint Peter's family by her side.