At Highland Hospital, we often hear about a caregiver or staff member going the extra mile to make a patient’s visit more positive. Here is one of those stories.
Christine was nearing the end of her battle with cervical cancer when she was transferred to our Hospice unit at Highland. Dr. Fred McCrumb visited Christine regularly to help relieve her pain and make her as comfortable as possible. The two quickly connected, not just as doctor and patient, but as friends with common interests. They discovered a mutual love of astronomy, and Christine mentioned she had always wanted to see the rings of Saturn.
What happened next was truly extraordinary.
Dr. McCrumb assembled a small army of Highland staff—including himself, nurses, security officers, and facilities staff—to bring Christine to the rooftop of the hospital so she could view the rings of Saturn through a telescope on one of her final days.
With a very fragile patient in a wheelchair and no elevator to the roof, this was no easy task. The team carried Christine very carefully, in her wheelchair, up to the roof. Security guarded the perimeter of the roof to ensure everyone’s safety, and the facilities team ran a cable up to the roof to provide power for Dr. McCrumb’s computerized telescope. Quite a few people had gathered at this point to be part of the experience.
All of the preparation was worth it to see the look on Christine’s face when she peered through the telescope and fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams. It was a very touching moment for all.
Shortly after the rooftop visit, Christine passed away peacefully. Her family was comforted knowing how much our staff cared for her—and about her.