Countless staff had taken care of our K at UPMC Presbyterian throughout Christina year. K, our young vibrant "free spirit" was admitted during an accelerated complex scleroderma case that created negative consequential multisystem organ failures. Our K had no end in sight for his fight for life, but we as his family literally knew that his end could be any day. We as K's family were very overwhelmed with the enormity that his medical problems had emotionally, mentally, and physically taken on all of us.
When Christina first began getting assigned to "our K", we as well as K had no idea what an impact she'd make on our lives. Christina was our pillar of support and sanity throughout K's hospital stay. We as a family would like the UPMC organization to know that Christina has made a tragic situation bearable and possible. She is an exemplary nurse and an extraordinary person.
Yes, she provided medical care in a caring, compassionate, and safe manner. But, is that not supposed to be the "standard" of care? Christina took the standards to a whole new level; She embodied the standards with ease. Christina was able to walk into "our K's" room without pity and seen nothing but the person he was before falling ill. She did not judge K, nor our family despite us all being in a vulnerable state, which most often portrayed us in a less than optimal light.
Christina was able to help us all be mindful of the here and now through helping us all set short- and long-term goals of care. As simple as they could be, they meant the world to us. Everything was individualized to take "our K's" and family's best interest into account. For example, eating, getting out of bed, watching television, etc. were all designed and structured in a collaborative manner. We don't mean with the team of providers, we mean with K and us. Truly "patient-centered". For example, Christina worked with physical therapy and others to devise a way that K could get out of bed and it be bearable. It was also very difficult for K to eat, and Christina was able to help us as a family, devise creative ways to get K nutrition he so desperately needed. She was a cheerleader, telling us all "we can do", rather than "we don't do that here".
K could not leave his room on 7G due to illness and fear of being seen so ill. On the few times, he was able to leave for testing or dialysis, Christina and the team came and decorated his room so that he would be surprised upon his return. She was intuitive to his love for family, nature, movies, and animals. Therefore, everything that was done focused on his interests. Christina and the care team involved us in every step of the way; taking mental note of methods to bring nothing more than a smile out of K when he was too weak to provide anything more. There was excitement throughout Christina's whole process, which radiated to our family.
K was a man of few words and very intuitive in his last days. Christina was able to draw unspoken words from K and our family in his final days with her mere presence, her touch, and smile. She was able to come on to another nursing unit and provide presence, which helped give us the strength to enjoy the "time" that K was so gracious to give us before finally surrendering.
We don't know what the future holds for other patients, especially those who are diagnosed with scleroderma; but we want everyone to know that K's fight is not over-his work has just begun, and it is thanks to Christina that we can keep his journey going.