The Healing Power of Humankindness - Isabel Cumpian & Clifford Green

“Wake up, papacito, everything will be alright!”

That’s how Isabel Cumpian greeted ICU patient Clifford Green every day for eight weeks. Never mind that he was in a coma for 18 days and heavily medicated throughout. It mattered a great deal to Clifford, his wife and family members who were at his bedside every day, hoping for a positive sign. He suffered a massive heart attack triggering multiple organ failure and requiring five surgeries at St. Luke’s Health-The Woodlands.

Isabel, 58, an environmental services technician, cleaned Clifford’s room daily. Spanish is her first language, yet the meaning of her caring words and touch were comforting beyond words.

“I will never, ever forget her–English is not Isabel’s first language, but as the days and weeks went by, we could understand everything she said,” Patricia Green, Clifford’s wife says. “She always stopped and prayed over him. She massaged his neck, combed his hair and she loved on us all the time! She always said, ‘God is in charge, and He will heal him! It’s all God!’”

Thanks to the extraordinary talents of a multidisciplinary team at St. Luke’s Health-The Woodlands, which did everything medically possible, including administering CPR for a difficult 60 minutes when he arrived at the emergency room, Clifford Green survived.

Because he was so ill, he doesn’t remember a lot about his stay at St. Luke’s, but he remembers Isabel. A few months after discharge from the hospital, numerous members of Clifford’s care team gathered to celebrate his recovery. Clifford and Isabel shared a hug, lots of happy tears and a prayer of thanks.

“It fills my heart to help and to pray for such a beautiful family,” Isabel said afterward.

Her compassion is legendary on the hospital floor, her supervisor, Scott Bergeron says. “Isabel is an amazing, faithful worker. Our ICU would not be the same without her.”

Neither would the Green family.

For more information about St. Luke's Health Cardiovascular services visit: www.stlukeshealth.org/services-specialties/cardiovascular-care

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