In the midst of this crazy COVID-19 mayhem, I thought I would brighten up the MICU team's day by sharing a story of Shunseen and patient S. The night before S was to go to inpatient hospice, Shunseen was his nurse. I happened to walk past the room and saw S and Shunseen both smiling and dancing to music. Shunseen put a smile so wide on S's face that it made me burst with happiness. We gathered more nurses to come in the room and there they both were, Shunseen with her Chaka Khan t-shirt and S blasting Chaka Khan on his phone, happier than ever. I have never seen a patient intubated, smiling and dancing, ET tube and all, until that day.
A few days later, I attended S's wake and one of the only things S's wife requested from us was that we thank Shunseen for blessing them with her love and excellent care. When we think of S we cannot help but think of that brief moment, when S forgot about his terminal cancer, that tomorrow might be the last time he ever sees his family again, and all was right in the world, dancing and singing with his new friend.