Humankindness: A Life Saved, A Family Touched
Imagine being far from home, your loved one seriously ill in an unfamiliar hospital, and you haven't slept in days. Then, imagine finding all the hotel rooms booked. That was the reality for the VanAernam family when Colleen, 77, suffered a ruptured heart valve.
After being life-flighted to CHI Health Immanuel, Colleen's critical condition led the team to consult with Dr. Ali Khiabani at CUMC-Bergan Mercy. Dr. Khiabani and his team successfully performed a mitral valve replacement, giving Colleen a fighting chance.
Exhausted and overwhelmed, Colleen's husband, Gale, and son, Andy, struggled to find a hotel room. That's when Julia Mena Vasquez, a traveling RN, stepped in. Moved by their plight, Julia used her husband's loyalty points to book them a room at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel, even ensuring they had a late checkout and breakfast.
"That was a turning point for Dad to know that Mom was in the right place," Andy shared.
Dr. Khiabani noted that Julia's kindness helped build trust between the family and the medical team. The VanAernams were deeply grateful for the exceptional care they received.
"Dr. Khiabani is one of the most incredible humans I have ever met," Andy said, also praising the entire cardiac ICU team.
Before Colleen left CUMC-Bergan for a skilled nursing facility, Dr. Khiabani ensured that Gale placed her wedding rings back on her finger, even recreating a proposal.
Colleen was able to return home on June 3.
This story not only highlights the power of humankindness, but also the strength of a highly skilled, dedicated medical team.
“In anybody’s hands, this was a very high-risk operation,” Dr. Khiabani said. “It highlights another success of a multidisciplinary approach to a very sick patient, mobilizing different parts of the hospital, including my team, cardiology, interventional cardiologists, critical care, nurses, PT/OT and dieticians. Colleen was a higher acuity patient than we normally see at Bergan. It took a team effort to get her through.”
