Patient Writes Inspiring Message on Glass to Caregivers
Written by G Njuguna on March 28, 2020
Nic Brown sat in isolation, struggling to survive on a ventilator, after being diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19). The one window he had to life outside his hospital room, became the most impactful window of his life.
His caregivers in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at Cleveland Clinic – where a dedicated team, including doctors and nurses, treat the sickest of the sick – used that pane as a channel for uplifting messages.
“Every day I was there, especially when I was on a ventilator and full life support, the staff would write on the window the goals for me to try and reach each day,” says Nic, who is no longer in intensive care. “They would encourage me. One day someone wrote, ‘We will get you home.’”
To return the favor, Nic penned a letter to his care team as he was being moved from the MICU to a step-down unit at the hospital. An excerpt from the message reads:
“I watched you work hard to keep me and others alive, unable to thank you for the time that you poured into me — and although I will probably never get the chance to pour that same love and support into you, I want you to know that I think you all are rockstars.”
“Part of why I left the note on the window is because I don’t know that I’ve ever seen such selfless people in my life. I really saw the love of God through them. They don’t know me, but they cared for me like I was a member of their family. It’s been life-altering,” says Nic.
