When a sick person enters a hospital, medical professionals are expected to use whatever necessary methods to ensure the survival and health of their patients.
Tragically, hospice caretakers are merely there to make them as comfortable as possible during the last months, days, or even hours of their lives.
When an elderly man was placed in hospice care at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, his daughter was often there to check on him.
But one day she saw what one of her father’s nurses was doing and she knew immediately that she had to film the event.
Robert Olson seemed to be in prime health when he retired at the age of 85.
However, soon after, his condition quickly began to worsen, leaving him with breathing issues and fighting for his life.
His family had the sinking feeling that this time he wasn’t going to get better and Robert was placed in hospice care.
Nurse Brenda Buurstra works at the hospice care and was known for going above and beyond the call of duty, to make her patients as comfortable as possible.
The Kalamazoo, Michigan, nurse started looking after Robert and soon they formed a special bond.
Hoping to spend the last days of her dad’s life with him, daughter Roberta Lytle went to visit her elderly father in hospice, checking up on his health and quality of life.
After her arrival, she quickly noticed that Brenda wasn’t providing the same level of care as the others.
She then dedicated her time at the hospice to inform others about the nurse’s unconventional treatment.
According to WWMT, Lytle secretly recorded Brenda offering her elderly father an unorthodox type of treatment.
Robert had told Brenda that he loved the song “You Light up My Life.”
Brenda returned the next day with the lyrics printed out and encouraged Robert to sing with her. She had learned all the lyrics and crooned it to Robert as he listened in awe.
“He said, ‘My favorite song is “You Light Up My Life”.’ And I just started singing it,” Brenda said.
Roberta Lytle had a hard time believing her ears when she first heard Brenda belt out the timeless ballad.
Quickly, she pulled out her cell phone and captured the heartwarming act of kindness.
“I’m just blown away because the woman’s got a voice,” said Robert’s daughter Roberta Lytle, according to ShareTap.
Incredibly, Roberta watched as her father, who could barely speak at the time, joined in.
“Even through his little venting mask he was wearing, his eyes lit up. His whole countenance changed, and he had a big smile,” said Roberta.
Nobody expected Robert to be able to find the strength to sing with this special nurse, but he did!
“You could tell that song lit him up. Literally ‘You Light Up My Life,’ that song really just lit him up. You could tell it touched his heart.”
Although Brenda’s compassionate investment in her patients makes their stay in hospice a little easier, her care for Robert is particularly unique.
Within days of the nurse’s private concerts, Robert’s health began to become better.
Doctors had told the family that it was likely Robert would die in hospice care but then, one week later, Robert was discharged from hospice care and headed home.
The family credited her father’s recovery to Brenda, revealing that he could barely even speak when he was first admitted.
“He has heart problems but because of his age, they can’t put a pacemaker in,” Roberta told WMMT.
”He had an episode at the house, and he couldn’t breathe. So they took him to Bronson Hospital. He was there about a week. We did not think he was coming home this time.”
Brenda has been singing for her patients for more than a decade, but this was the first time her selfless deed has been brought to light.
Without Brenda going above and beyond to help Roberta’s critically ill father, he may not be here today.
“I have sung to patients for 14 years, and this is just the first time I got caught … To make that awful hospital stay they’re going through just a little bit better, a little bit brighter,” said Brenda.
Brenda explained that, while she loves to sing in general, she finds that it improves the quality of life for her patients.
In some cases, such as Robert’s, it even helps with their recovery.
“To make that awful hospital stay they’re going through just a little bit better, a little bit brighter,” Brenda said.
“I wanted to be on a team of positive people, and that’s what we have here at Bronson. I’m not the only nurse who goes above and beyond at Bronson. This is what we do every day.”
We so often hear of mistreatment in a hospital, that makes this type of treatment is especially good to read about.
What a wonderful person/nurse this lady is. She is exactly where she need to be. This profession was her calling and this is exactly what a hospice nurse should be❤️
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