Thread by @WesElyMD

1/🧵 Imagine 2 people, madly in love & married 28 years, in an impossible situation, both lives on the line & separated by different hospitals. Then imagine 2 sets of #nurses & #doctors separately determined to overcome ⛰ of obstacles…
(shared w perm)

#MedTwitter #NurseTwitter

2/ Last night this is what happened…

NOTE: the family wants to share their story to offer a glimpse of love ❤️ on all levels

For 3 years, Mark took care of Sharon, his #bride, as she battled breast #cancer. It relentlessly spread to her bones. He never stopped giving.

3/ She could tell he was spent and getting sick himself. “Mark, let’s get you to the doctor!” “Not until you are well, Sharon.” He remained laser focused on her every need. As she became weaker, he took her to get admitted yesterday.

#marriage #life #caregivers

4/ Once Sharon was safely under our @VUMChealth team’s care, he gave out. Being a #Veteran, his weakness and shock brought him to our @DeptVetAffairs Nashville VA next door, where he was admitted to our ICU service apparently dying.

#medstudenttwitter #TipsForNewDocs

5/ Mark’s abdomen was rapidly enlarging, and astute nurses & docs in the night diagnosed him with hemorrhagic shock. This is a dual story of the family’s love plus that of my colleagues, #frontlineheroes in both medical centers. It’s happening in your town, too. We know that!

6/ Both teams called each other and said, “He’s got to see her as he dies.” And “She’s begging to be with him.” Urgently, they hatched the plan. “Let’s put her in a wheelchair and take Sharon to Mark.” But her #pain was too great. She couldn’t tolerate it.

#PalliativeCare

7/ Because of #COVID19, tunnels allowing bed access between the 2 hospitals have been on total #LockDown over a year. No one has passed. Policemen at both centers were contacted. Thank you ❤️ VA nurse Becky Sneed & Dr. @RobertoTombazzi, VUMC nurse @LauriannaB & Dr. Laura Price!

8/ Despite strict orders never to unlock those doors and hundreds of previous requests denied, uniformed officers👮‍♀️at both centers grabbed special keys 🔑 and opened those doors. Sharon & her team of #caregivers became the first people allowed to pass since #COVID #LongCovid.

9/ Back to the unimaginably breathtaking image above…taken from a monitor outside the room with permission granted today by Sharon and her daughter @AngelaRange1 as I sat with the family.

No words 😔

10/ Imagine decades of shared experiences, loving embraces, ups and downs, raising a family...all culminating in dual impending deaths separated by medical centers worlds apart & seemingly insurmountable odds…racing against time.

Can it be done?

11/ Love overpowers all. It really does. Beds juxtaposed, lying again side by side. She reaching out to hold him. “You are the love of my life, Mark.” He musters, “I’ll love you forever.” And her, “Don’t party till I get there.” And sang their song “Right Here, Right Now!”

12/fin
Today I walked from the VA where Mark died to Vanderbilt where Sharon was lying. I stopped by a #COVID pts room & borrowed @charliemackesy’s book I’d given her. The boy, mole, fox & horse had more work to do! Sharon was gracious as I read. Tears were shed. #Healing...

👏 All credit goes to the residents & nurses who pulled off this beautiful act of loving kindness. ❤️They simply wouldn’t take no for an answer & saw to it that the right thing was done for these spouses & their family. I bow down to them and learn!
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