Stories of Allbright

Author: Jianping Song
Date: June 30th, 2013

Due to working at Allbright, we are favored with a chance to experience the splendor of love and humanity, and to understand what unlimited love for limited life is. Love, like a star shinning in the dark sky and radiating the splendid light, shines my heart and elevates my spirit.

The helpers busy with everyday care are the basic power of our hospital, and most of the helpers are already beyond middle age. They are not afraid of tiredness and dirt and pass their warm hearts to the patients, who are tortured by illness and eager for attention from others, through their behavior, like treating family members of their own. A helper names Yu is respectable on account of her enthusiasm and understanding as well. We call her elder sister. She is in attendance on Guiqin Guo, an old woman in room A311, 24 hours a day, taking care of her basic requirements. She tells us in time when the old woman is in bad condition, so we can provide medical service for the old woman soon to relieve her pain and bring back her health. She always does her own job wordlessly with patience and a smile on her face. Another helper, I cannot name her at this moment, offered particular care to aunt Gao who was bedridden in room B109. Now aunt Gao walks around with a walking stick under the shadow of trees of the garden or poolside in sunny days. Since Aunt Gao moved in room B109, this helper has been in attendance on her. The recovery of Aunt Gao results mainly from her patience, enthusiasm and love. I also remember that there is a patient names Xueyan Liu, suffering from severe pressure sores, taken care by helper Zheng. Once, I adopted a medical approach for Liu till noon, assisting by Zheng. Rotten skin gave out stench, keeping Zheng from facing it squarely. After finishing medical approach, I washed my hands in lavatory, and at that time I heard a vomiting voice from inside. I found it was Zheng and soon realized that my behavior was not appropriate. Without waiting apologies from me, she greeted me with a sunny smile on her face. A sense of respect suddenly flowed into my heart. The helper in attendance on Yuzhen Guo who is in room A312, is about 60 years old, but she does her work dutifully regardless of age. Aunt Guo had suffered from constant fever for about one month with pressure sore in right arm after Spring Festival. Although the helper argued with me at times for the treatment, it was her careful observation, timely feedback and conscientiousness that guaranteed my medical task finished in time.

Chao Wan is a baby patient of our hospital, just above 1 year old. It is said that he was named for Allbright by president Zheng. He was 8 months old when I met him on the middle of February, and I knew from colleagues that he came here because of cerebral palsy. Every time we look at his tender and fair face, we could not help but hug him and play with him. Administrative assistant Aijuan Xiao bought him clothes and administrative assistant Qiaohui Li bought him snacks. Helpers on duty took good care of him, like they treat their own child, and uncountable unknown volunteers gave him lot of love as well. Now his little face is big and round. He always calls helpers “mom” and is willing to be hug by them. Sometimes he can make a turnover to get up.

Our team members realize the mission of the hospital through their enthusiasm and techniques during their work time. One thing that I was deeply moved by is the performance of head nurse Zhang. A turtle, kept by an old man whose name is Baohua Liu in room A206, was dead, and it made him very sad. Soon this was known by Zhang, and she went out to buy a new one in her spare time and placed it on the old man’s windowsill. This made the old man quite happy and could not help praising her to everyone who came in his room. And since then, he always smiled at medical members he saw. Zhang can be called the very friend of the patients. Whatever difficulties the patients meet, she is always willing to help. Her way of solving problems always satisfied both the patients and their family members. Doctor Dai, a new comer, is young in experience for the job. When she joined the integrated ward management mode that consists of both doctors and nurses, she actively fed several old people who had no appetite. They felt very happy, saying: “Delicious! O delicious!” Needless to say, it was the love of Doctor Dai that improved the appetite of the patients.

I remember a sentence from a song that goes: as long as everybody dedicates a little of love, the whole world will become more beautiful. In Allbright, which is full of humanity, combination of love, passion and duty will be woven into the most beautiful scenery of the world.

Author: Zhouzhou Dai
Date: August 29th, 2013

Love, playing hide-and-seek, is reluctant to show its true face when we try to search and grasp it. It is flickering with no fixed shape. At last, we give up and calm down, yet surprisingly find out that love is by the side of our patients that we serve and always within the environment surrounding us.

In Allbright, we feel that love is voiceless but it never leaves patients. It stays around patients quietly and hugs them warmly, protecting them from any harm. It gives them happiness and makes them laugh, and guides them to live peacefully out the final days of their lives.

We say to the patients: “You are still living in the warmth of the Sun, and you can still smell the fragrance of flowers and hear the wonderful music, how happy you are.” Love is selfless. Allbright team members make patients live in a world of love and let them feel that love exists everywhere.

Sunshine covers the world, caressing patients’ hearts.

There are many disabled old people in our hospital. Our team members tell them how warm the sunshine is, and take them out of the door to smell beautiful flowers, or watch swimming goldfishes, or bask in the warm sunshine, or sometimes listen to operas. We often say to them: “You are still living in the warmth of the sun, and you can still smell the fragrance of flowers and hear the wonderful music, how happy you are.”

There is a disabled man who has done amputation due to diabetes. He only lies on his bed painfully if no help from others. We did not ignore his existence, and often take him to the poolside or the Love Square with his wheelchair. When he feels lonely, there will be someone who talks to him, who comforts him and say: “You are always the best”.

Love is selfless. We are doing our best to make our patients live in a world of love, and let them feel that love really exists everywhere.

Author: Jianli Liu
Date: August 29th, 2013

Smile is the physical therapy of trauma; smile is the identification of self-love; smile is the recognition of the strong. Smile is a recipe for conquering hopeless disease; smile is a spring breeze which blow away your mind haze; smile is a beam of sunshine which delivers positive energy.

Uncle Liu who was a drama teacher before frequently says: “Doctor, please give me some medicines”. He, such an artist, suffers hypertension grade 3 and diabetes grade 2. He was in hospital a decade ago due to angina. After treatment in hospital, symptoms were relieved, so he went back home. Two years after that, he felt pain in front heart area and shortness of breath, which wasn’t eased by taking medicines. He was hospitalized again and was diagnosed as coronary heart disease. After treatment, the symptoms were reduced, so he went back home and took plenty of medicines. During the time at home, he suffered memory loss and became forgetful. As a result, he came to Allbright for receiving life care on February this year.

Every time I went to his room, uncle Liu told me he felt sad. I never saw him smiling. So I asked him what happened and weather he felt uncomfortable. He always replied that no one of his family members took care of him and he felt of fear. His son is in remote place and could not come back, so I repeatedly told him: “You have a good nephew who comes to see you almost every day. He makes your life rich and colorful. He almost brings you everything delicious. He makes the microelements of your body balanced, so as to make you healthy and prolong your life. You are the most fortunate man. You should become optimistic and smile every day. Be happy.” I smiled to uncle Liu and said that he could tell me whenever he has problems and I am glad to help him. He expressed his thanks to me.

Later on, I smiled and talked to uncle Liu every time I made the rounds of the wards. He always said he felt uncomfortable somewhere. Then I gave him some health care medicines and told him they were imported ones and very effective. He said they really worked. As time goes by, he is getting relied on me and I request him smile at me every day. From then on, he kept waiting for me to come in his room with a smiling face.

Smile warms both our wards and our patients. When our smile and patients` smile become integrated into one picture, its effect will surpass any medicine of the world.

Author: Zhouzhou Dai
Date: Jul 1st, 2013

Every old people are going to face a realistic problem, that is, how to spend the rest of life happily, and how to reach the ending line of life happily. In terms of this problem, the mindset of the old people matters, because happiness is people’s feeling resulted from mental activities.

In real life situation, some old people feel so unhappy, living in envy, grievance and moaning every day though they have high social status as well as economic conditions. On the contrary, some ordinary old people who don’t have so good economic conditions can hold an optimistic state of mind. Happiness has very close relation with the inside feeling of people, and the core of it is to treat oneself as well as others and the society at large correctly. Happiness keeps the old people in mental excitement and confidence about the future, thus is good for their health and longevity. A university teacher of medical psychology said in his class, “Mental pleasure is the secret of health and longevity.” When your mind is happy, human body can be kept in good condition through a series of biochemical reaction that will stimulate neurons. On the other hand, sorrow and frustration will irritate human brain, causing many kinds of diseases by bringing about decline in the immune function. Unfortunately, many old people confront unpleasantness more often and cannot work them out and let them go.

Take uncle Liu, who is in Building A, Second Floor, as an example. He worried about everything of him, and it resulted in very strong psychological problem, which brings him frustration or malaise almost every day. Based on this situation, we gave him psychological counseling and some health care medicines to relieve his bad mood and bring comfort to his body. Considering this situation, I chat with uncle Liu every time I go the rounds of the wards or encounter him in the corridor, reminding him of relaxation and smile. Watching the kind facial expression of uncle Liu bring warmth to my inner heart. Uncle Liu also is a teacher of Peking Opera, singing of it brings much fun to him. The happiness of the old people is related to their feeling and mentality. Life with fun and mental support will help the old people taste the happiness of their own.

Aunt Liu, who is in Building A, second floor, never smiled. During the rounds, I picked up the glass to help her drink some water when she asked for water, and then touched her face and held her hand. A smile returned on her face. Thereafter, every day I try to communicate with her, and not to leave her until the smile is appeared on her face, persuading her to think about the happiness more often. I still remember aunt Liu loves noodles. When head nurse go the rounds of the wards every week, she tells aunt Liu to eat more noodles. And then we can find out the real joy aunt Liu feels. I always believe that the most beautiful and happiest moment is the moment we are alive and we should make every day of us meaningful.

We are born with sense of happiness, which also come from being satisfied or being partially satisfied. The happiness of the old people cared by our hospital is our main concern. To make a perfect full stop for the old people approaching the end of life through our holistic care is the aim that all our team members struggle for.

Author: Jianping Song
Date: July 4th, 2013

If the old people who come to our hospital for care service are like depleting oil lamps, then our medical members are like the watchers of the lamp. Our meticulous care and hard work can help the spark of life continue to sparkle.

Decisions of life and death mostly occur at just a moment. You Li, who is in room A302, got cerebrovascular disease. Aunt Li was active the other days, and this time was in bed with sleepiness, so the nursing members immediately reported it to our medical members and we selected the best treatment option at once. After three days of treatment, aunt Li regained consciousness, and was able to move as usual. Aunt Jingmin Qian, who is in room A305, has been in a vegetable state. Long-term immobilization resulted in cardiac dysfunction, and at times occurrence of heart failure. However, whenever short breath or expectoration of phlegm occurs, we can arrive in time, and take measures to help her go through the difficulties. Aunt Surong Zhao, who is in room A316, suffers from lung and urinary tract multi-organ diseases. One day, she had a fever and was in low spirit. Nurse Shihui Chen was doing her nursing work as usual, and when she found the sharp drop of blood pressure, she informed me at once. I asked doctor Liu to inform the family and get their agreement. Nurse Xiao Cui brought first aid medicines, and Xiao Lu used medicines for her expertly according to my instruction. Two liquid infusion channels were got through and the whole process went on in order. At afternoon when the family members came, aunt Zhao was in a relevantly stable state and she could open her eyes. At midnight, due to meticulous care of helper Qi, she had miracle changes: she could talk to Qi. Now this old lady is still in our hospital, which made me feel that the quality and length of the patients’ lives are largely dependent on the sense of responsibility and love of our service personnel.

To provide caring serve for the patients and dedicate to them is the state of work that we relentlessly pursue. Our attitudes decide the fate of patients, our behaviors decide the patients' emotion, and our ability decides the length of the shining spark of life. Therefore, it is the task of our team members to grasp the moment of life and keep the spark of life sparkle till the last moment of life.

Author: Jianping Song
Date: June 7th, 2013

Mentality is the state of mind. The mentality of the patients could have great effect on their pain, development of disease and quality of life. Positive mentality may create positive energy, relieving discomfort and pain of body. On the other hand, negative mentality can do the opposite. Health and disease, as two states of living, are both contradictory and mutually transformative. Modern medicine has guaranteed the protection of our health in some degree. Longer lifespan makes us involved better into social activities. However, there is still a long way for it to meet the increasing demand of modern people who seek for health and quality of life. Modern medicine still has many limitations. This is to say, no one can live forever, though in this modern times. No matter how long or how short your life is, the journey of your life will end up one day. Then, with what kind of mentality should we direct the last act of our life? Should it be positive or negative?

Here is a hospice setting. We have patients with different situations. Those who believe in Buddhism are relatively quiet and obedient. They seek for spiritual solace and the power of Buddhism changes the pain from disease to the desire for paradise. It’s just like mind transfer in psychology which help people acquire the balance of their soul. We have several patients who believe in Buddhism, some of them believe in Buddhism before hospitalization and some after. Facing physical difficulties, they accept the reality and positively try to adapt. Faith training of Amitabha gives them mental concentration and makes them forget mental and physical pain. They are quiet and carefree. We cannot see from them mental breakdown or helpless staring. Uncle Wang is a man with cancer of urinary multiple organs. Traumatic treatment has brought him unnecessary pain. Then he heard that Allbright is able to offer caring service, so he came to our hospital. During hospitalization, he had to rely on painkillers due to great pain, and the side effect made him eat less. Since he believed in Buddhism, he smiled in bed while listening to the sound of Buddhism every day, and we can always hear his optimistic voice in his ward. Now he takes drugs less and eats foods more, and seldom mentions about his pain. Only his wife tells us in secret: “He doesn't feel good.” We see the power of Buddhism in him. Uncle Fu came to our hospital with TB diagnosis from one big hospital. At first, we all have consciousness of protection. After a week of anti-infection, his phlegm cleared up and his cough stopped, and he got a stable condition. His family members made him listen to the sound of Buddhism every day and he always smiled at us when we made the rounds of the wards. Every time the disease tortured him, we encouraged him to overcome the disease bravely. Maybe because of the power of Buddhism, after a month, his sputum culture became negative without having done systematic treatment.

Two persons are unforgettable to me. One is Xueyan Liu, female, 75 years old. She came here because of chronic renal failure with severe pressure sores. When checking, it stinks in lumbosacral portion and both sides of hips. Even though we try to be soft in every dressing change to reduce her pain, we still hear her slight groan. We know that she bears great pain. When I ask her, she often replies: “It hurts”. Another one is Jingling Sun, who has gastric cancer and is over 72. When she came here, her face looked yellow and she was extremely thin. According to the opinion of her family, we only use painkilling injection when she feels pain. Every time I see her, she stares at me peacefully. I know she feels great pain. But when I ask, she also replies softly: “It hurts”. There is no cry of pain from her. I think that her optimistic attitude towards illness helps her. In the face of incurable disease, she accepts the arrangement of fate, and quietly goes to the end of life.

Huiying Yu was gone in the morning of June 7th. She is almost 100 years old, one of the oldest in our hospital. She came here because of cerebral infarction and Alzheimer`s disease. In my memory, she was one of the few patients whose condition was stable. There was only one time that she got severe fever because of cold, and she recovered quickly after 4-days treatment. Although she has hyperphasia and hyperactivity, we still can communicate somehow. Just a few days before she was gone, she lied on bed quietly and expressed kindness and peace in her eyes. She didn't express in word that how she got rid of disease and realized glory of life. However, she sang an anthem by her behavior that as a 100-years-old person how she completed the last journey of her shining life. She set a sample for the living.

Life is a line segment, with a start and an end. We need a good mentality to face, adapt, and overcome the bewilderment of our life. The mentality you have decides the quality of your life. In Allbright, we feel the pureness of life, see the magic of life, and witness the brilliance of life moment by moment.