Hospice allows life to bloom with dignity at the last moment

Tagore once said: life is beautiful like summer flowers and death is beautiful like autumn leaves. Life is a wonderful journey. At every point of life, there is the beauty of that season. How to let end-stage patients go through the last journey of life painlessly, calmly and warmly is the service tenet of the medical care ward of Zhejiang hospital.

In early August 2017, the people's Government of Xihu District signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Zhejiang hospital. Xihu integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine hospital became a "cooperative Hospital of Zhejiang hospital", introduced the latest management model in Taiwan and established the medical care ward of Zhejiang hospital. At present, a professional hospice care team composed of doctors, nurses, rehabilitators, psychotherapists and traditional Chinese medicine doctors has been established in the ward

Grandpa Cui, 88, and grandma Dong, 83, are veterans of the war to resist US aggression and aid Korea. Three months ago, grandma Dong accompanied grandpa Cui with advanced colon cancer into the medical care ward of Zhejiang hospital. When they were young, the two old men wanted to finish their last journey with dignity in order to protect the country. Grandma Dong said: we have experienced war. In the face of death, we will also choose reconciliation.

October 25, 2020 is the 70th anniversary of the anniversary of the war to resist US aggression and aid Korea. It is also a festival that Grandpa Wu and grandma Dong are looking forward to. Unfortunately, Grandpa Wu's condition gradually deteriorated and his spirit was depressed. He had a sleepy state. He was awake only for a few hours every day. "Dear, wait a minute. Your Commemorative Medallion for resisting US aggression and aiding Korea will be delivered soon," grandma Dong said softly in Grandpa's ear. Grandpa Wu opened his eyes and nodded lightly, as if he had a powerful force in his heart.

The morning sun poured into the ward, and grandpa Wu lay quietly on the hospital bed. Grandma Dong held grandpa's hand and her eyes were warm and peaceful. The nurses in the morning greeted grandpa Cui with "good morning, grandpa!" and arranged the hospital bed for Grandpa Wu, gently tucking in the quilt corner for him. On the morning of the 26th, the leaders of Xihu District came to the ward to visit the two old people and handed the precious medal to Grandpa Wu. On this day, Grandpa Wu's spirit was particularly good. He also spoke a few words and couldn't hide his happy smile. At noon the next day, Grandpa Wu seemed to have fulfilled his last wish and slowly stopped his heartbeat. He passed away completely, painlessly and peacefully, but he was not alone. His wife, the hospice care team in the medical care ward of Zhejiang hospital and hospice nurses from hospitals all over the country accompanied him. We bowed goodbye to Grandpa Wu and accompanied him through the last moment of his life with respect.

Living together for 70 years, Grandpa Cui and grandma Dong have deep feelings. In 2020, the hospice nursing team of the Chinese Nursing Society specially made a life memoir for grandparents, which recorded the extraordinary years of grandparents in the past. Xiang Qiaozhen, head nurse of the medical care ward, and Li Yanfang, a specialist nurse of hospice care, personally sent the memoirs to grandma Dong's home. With tears in her eyes and a choking voice, grandma Dong read every word and paragraph, recalled every bit of her past with Grandpa Wu, and said, "thank you! You are closer than our relatives."

A few days later, a special banner appeared in the ward, "comfort the soul with true feelings and let life show dignity", which was presented by grandma Dong and her family to express their gratitude to the medical staff. A golden flag conveys not only the gratitude of patients and their families, but also the recognition of the quality of nursing service of our medical staff. Simple words and bright banners show the sincerity and harmony between our doctors and patients, and are also the best return to our medical staff.

Medical care ward of Zhejiang hospital