【Scene】Cao Ying introduced the ward

This is the oldest and largest ward of the "Daisy House" (children's hospice unit), which has been around for more than five years. It's like a home-like design, not like a hospital.

The "Daisy House" sent a total of 100 children in this room. I've also been working in this room for almost five years.

【Scene】Pull out picture books from the bookshelf

"Come and take us home!" Read picture books to children, and children love to listen to them.

Founded in 2017 by Zhou Yi, chief physician of Beijing Children's Hospital, "Daisy Home" is an institution that provides hospice care for terminally ill children, and currently has three wards, all of which are decorated in a family-style manner. Among the resident staff, Cao Ying is the only professional nursing staff. On the eve of International Nurses Day on May 5, she told reporters her story with the "House of Daisies".

【During the same period】Cao Ying, ward supervisor of "Daisy House" of Beijing Songtang Care Hospital

Before retiring, I worked as a nurse in charge of the emergency department of Peking University Shougang Hospital 120, and I have been engaged in nursing for 43 years.

It was 120 that day, and I would still be working at 120, so we sent 120 to take care of this child. I asked the director, and I said do you still need nurses for this? Director Zhou said yes, so I came to this organization when I retired.

【Commentary】Cao Ying deliberately chose to be interviewed by reporters on the days when the ward was empty to avoid the children and their families from feeling uneasy. She said that the biggest difference in the face of dying children is the need to pay more attention to the psychological state of the child and the family. In the ward of the "Daisy House", Cao Ying is the "big housekeeper". At the beginning, as long as there were children, she had to come to the ward every day, and as the "Daisy House" gradually joined some social workers and volunteers, she could rest two days a week. On a daily basis, she monitors vital signs, observes the condition, and performs analgesic procedures for the child, as well as communicates with other staff, doctors, nurses, and the child and their families. She spends a lot of time with her children and parents every day.

【Scene】Cao Ying recalled in the ward

I was particularly impressed by a child in 2019, the child is very cute, lived here for more than a month, and left on August 8. Because he didn't have a father, we all took extra care of him. I also gave him some money, and [he] held it with his hand, which was very cute.

【During the same period】Cao Ying, ward supervisor of "Daisy House" of Beijing Songtang Care Hospital

I feel very sorry for this child. When he left, he told his grandmother, just say grandma, my place that looks particularly bright, there is thunder on it. In fact, it is all his thoughts, his imagination. They are all angels. Through these children, I have also improved my ideological realm, from which I also feel that this family and health are precious.

The longest child of the "Daisy House" lived for more than 100 days, and the shortest lived only a few hours before dying. With decades of experience in emergency work, Cao Ying is no stranger to such a parting of life and death. But in "Daisy House", her job is no longer to "rob" people with "death", but to let children spend peacefully in the last moments of life through palliative treatment.

【During the same period】Cao Ying, ward supervisor of "Daisy House" of Beijing Songtang Care Hospital

I was still dreaming two days ago, dreaming that the child was in pain, and then I pressed the self-control for the child when I slept, and when I pressed it, I felt that the child was not in pain, and it was much better.

To the "Daisy House" is to do palliative treatment for the child, how to take care of and care, for example, the child has phlegm, we should suck his phlegm, or when the child has no urine, to give him a urinary catheter, and when should we do atomization... Mom and grandma dad, not to say that from the perspective of adults, I feel that no matter how painful or uncomfortable the child is, I still want to look at him. [Rather] use love to relieve the child's pain.

According to statistics, there are tens of thousands of childhood cancer patients in China every year, and some of them will inevitably die early. In the last stages of their lives, both children and parents suffer greatly and need professional medical support. And the existence of "Daisy House" is to provide them with such help and make them feel the warmth of home.

【During the same period】Cao Ying, ward supervisor of "Daisy House" of Beijing Songtang Care Hospital

They (parents) are all about the same age as my son, so I call my son a girl. My children are all my grandchildren. The most common thing to say to children is: Grandma loves you. That kid is especially sensible and called Grandma Cao, I love you too. When I arrived at the "Daisy House", I felt like a family.

Reporting by reporter Wen Mengxin from Beijing

Responsible Editor: [Fang Jialiang]