The story behind this touching message from a COVID-19 patient who was recently discharged from an intensive care unit
A man who spent 10 days in the intensive care unit (ICU) after being diagnosed with novel coronavirus left a touching message to health care workers when he was discharged.
The patient, who was not identified, left his goodbye message on a window that his doctors and nurses at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio used to communicate with him while he was in isolation.
"This window has been the most impactful window in my life," the patient wrote. "On days when 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."
"I watched some of you have good nights and some bad nights but what was consistent every night was that you care for people," he went on. "Today I leave this ICU a changed person, hopefully for the better, not only because of your medical healing and God’s direction and guidance, but with the fact of knowing that there are such wonderful people dedicated to the care and concern of others. God bless each of you.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The patient developed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome after being diagnosed with COVID-19, according to Dr. Eduardo Mireles, who treated the patient and is director of Cleveland Clinic's Medical ICU.
As the patient improved and became more alert, the medical team communicated with him through the glass. He asked a nurse to write the message on the window for him before he left the hospital, according to Mireles.
“This gesture from the patient touched our hearts and was another reminder of why we do what we do," Mireles said in a statement to ABC News. "It’s a privilege to treat these patients and it was a joy to see this patient recover."
"Throughout these uncertain times, one thing that has shined through has been the commitment and engagement of our caregivers," he said. "I couldn’t be more proud of our team.”
Morgan Brinkman, the patient’s nurse, described not being able to enter the rooms of patients with COVID-19 as a "challenge to overcome," making the note the patient left for his healthcare workers even more touching.
"The first time I saw his note ... It brought tears to my eyes," she told ABC News. "It just makes it all worth it and we’re going to get through this together."
What to know about coronavirus:
- How it started and how to protect yourself: coronavirus explained
- What to do if you have symptoms: coronavirus symptoms
- Tracking the spread in the US and Worldwide: coronavirus map
