The patient, a terminally ill 22-year-old girl, was here from China as an international college student nearing graduation. She was admitted to the ICU with advanced cancer and her mother had come from China to be with her. They were making end of life decisions, something no mother and daughter should ever have to make. Eventually, the choice to place her on a ventilator was made because her status had deteriorated. Fortunately, Frances was working that night in the ICU. She began assisting with translation since she spoke the same language as the mother. She was able to share in a conversation prior to the young girl being intubated that involved the daughter apologizing to her mother because she would never see her in a wedding dress. Although Frances had her own patients, she assumed the responsibility of assisting this family. After the conclusion of the 7 am report, she returned to the young girl's bedside as care coordination, social worker, and hospice began to discuss the plan of care. She stayed with her mother translating, holding her hand and consoling her through the unimaginable discussions that followed.
She translated to the team about the conversation involving the wedding dress, which led to an amazing collaborative effort involving our St. Peter's team. The team went out and purchased the wardrobe of a traditional Chinese wedding: a red wedding dress, red pillow and red shoes to wear, all while discussions took place involving the possibility of starting comfort care/hospice. Frances stayed until noon that day and became a companion to two women who were a thousand miles from home, in a strange country. She supported a devasted mother who would be letting her only child go.
Frances reached out to me that afternoon, very emotional, to check in on this mother. I informed her that we were moving to comfort care and had just dressed her in the beautiful red gown and shoes and laid her on the red pillow. A few hours later I reached out to tell her that the girl had passed. Frances was so concerned for the mother that on minimal sleep, she came back to the hospital. She brought the mother a change of clothes and toiletries, even offering her own home for a shower or sleep. She sat with the mother for hours offering comfort, companionship, an ear, and a shoulder to cry upon. She was her friend.
I did not only witness the compassion of a great nurse, but I also witnessed God doing his greatest work. In this woman's darkest hour, God sent her an angel in the body of this nurse.