At Surrey Memorial Hospital, compassionate care and clinical excellence come together every day to save lives. Behind every monitor, ventilator, and medication is a team of health care professionals fighting for their patients’ recovery—many of them supported by donors through Surrey Hospitals Foundation.
Mandeep, a registered nurse with 19 years of experience, shares with us one unforgettable story in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that shows the impact of critical care and the people who make it possible.
The sun had set, casting a warm glow over the horizon as I served dinner to my kids. With the evening routine complete, it was time to step into my other role—the one I had dedicated 19 years of my life to, the one that still filled me with purpose. My work was not just a profession; it was a calling.
As I arrived at Surrey Memorial Hospital and checked my assignment for the night, I saw that my patient was a young mother in her late twenties. Just two days ago, she had welcomed a baby girl via C-section—a moment that should have been filled with joy. Instead, she was now fighting for her life.
Critical care begins for a new mother
Post-surgery, she had developed sepsis and was critically ill. A breathing tube had been inserted to keep her airways open, and she was placed on a ventilator. The infection had weakened her heart, requiring medications to maintain its function. Her kidneys, too, had suffered, requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), a form of dialysis.
As I carried out my routine care, the heartbreak of the situation became clear. The cruel irony was not lost on me; while the universe called for mother and child to be together, she was too ill to hold or feed her newborn. Her baby, nestled in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), was being nourished with formula. Standing by her bedside, her mother and husband clasped their hands in silent prayers, their eyes filled with desperation and hope. I stepped away briefly to collect myself.
But there was no time to dwell. My job was to fight for her life, to do everything in my power to bring her back to her baby. The night was long and difficult; each moment filled with challenges. Her damaged lungs struggled against the ventilator, demanding constant adjustments. Her blood pressure teetered on the edge, requiring precise adjustment of medications to keep it stable. The dialysis machine blared with alarms—each issue swiftly resolved with the help of the physician. I ensured she received vital nutrients and carefully repositioned her every two hours to prevent pressure sores.
A recovery fueled by care and compassion
For three consecutive nights, I cared for her, each shift presenting new battles. Yet, slowly, hope began to bloom. After seven days in the ICU, her condition improved. The antibiotics fought back the infection, her kidneys regained function, and her heart grew stronger. She no longer needed the ventilator, and one by one, the IV medications were discontinued.
It was not just my efforts but the dedication of an entire team—physicians, respiratory therapists, dietitians, physiotherapists, health care aids, and housekeepers—who worked tirelessly to bring her back from the brink. With resilience and unwavering care in ICU for seven days, she was transferred to the medical unit to regain her strength and complete her IV antibiotic course. Five days later, she was discharged home.
As I watched her leave, I imagined the moment she would finally hold her baby in her arms, feel the warmth of that tiny body against hers, and know that she had survived. There is no gift more precious than a mother returning to her child. And that night, as I walked out of the hospital, exhausted yet fulfilled, I knew—this is why I do what I do.
Story provided by Mandeep Dhaliwal, RN, BSN at Surrey Memorial Hospital
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