Chelsea was an advocate for a patient who did not have a voice. This was a patient who lived at South Mountain with an intellectual disability. He did speak occasionally, but once he was placed on Bipap with continued decline due to Covid-19, he was nonverbal. This patient was being kept alive by a Bipap for several days, hardly sustaining oxygen saturations in the mid to high 80's maxed out on said Bipap. His brother and sister lived out of state and hadn't seen the patient in over 10 years but were his next of kin, so they were decision-makers for his care while he was at the hospital.

Over this week of the patient needing to be on comfort care per physician and palliative recommendations, the family was unable to let go as they wanted to see if he would get better. Physicians, as well as Chelsea, explained to the family multiple times that the patient was suffering and it was not until we had a family meeting with the brother, clinical manager, palliative, and the hospitalist that the brother finally understood and allowed us to make the patient comfortable and help him pass with dignity. I could see the toll this was taking on Chelsea having to watch her patient suffer for so many days.

We went into the room together as it was time to take the patient off the Bipap with the assist of some sedative medications so that he would no longer be suffering. Chelsea held the patient's hand and said a prayer telling him that he soon would be at peace. This patient loved music, so Chelsea also played music and sang to him as she pushed the sedative medications to keep him calm as I took the Bipap mask off the patient's face. The look of relief on this man's face as we took off the mask was breathtaking, and something neither of us will ever forget. She held his hand, tears streaming down both of our faces as she softly sang in his ear with prayers in between songs until he took his last breath. Chelsea's compassion and advocacy for this patient were incredible and will forever be engraved in my mind.