Twelve-year-old Maxim Healthcare Services patient Ava is living proof of the saying, “There’s no place like home.” After being sent home for hospice care, and thanks to the care of her collaborative healthcare team of physicians, in-home nurses and family, Ava’s health saw a remarkable improvement over the course of the past year.
Our story began at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Erlanger Hospital in Tennessee where Ava was being treated for pneumonia and respiratory failure. Her mother, Megan, crossed paths with Taylor, a Maxim nurse who would later become an integral part of Ava’s care team. Their meeting marked the beginning of a life-changing partnership.
At their first meeting, Taylor told Megan all about Maxim and how our team of dedicated and passionate nurses could help Ava with in-home care. This short conversation moved Megan and piqued her interest in inquiring about in-home care for her daughter.
“Taylor was so kind and helpful from the moment we met,” says Megan. “She put us right at ease! We were initially apprehensive about home care because we didn’t know if our insurance would pay for it. But we also have three younger children and wanted to keep home life as calm as possible for them.”
Until Ava started treatment with Maxim, Megan and her husband had always cared for Ava by themselves. However, as her condition got more medically complex, they didn’t feel equipped to do it alone. As Ava started to have lung problems, the couple began to see how disruptive long hospital stays were to the family and wanted Ava to be with her siblings in the home. Additionally, the younger kids were getting to the ages where they were participating in extracurricular activities that would be difficult for Ava to attend.
As Ava’s health declined, doctors told Megan to take Ava home and make her as comfortable as possible for her to pass on. In light of this agonizing news, Megan made a huge decision: she decided to give home care a try.
A few weeks after meeting Taylor, Megan called Maxim and asked to work specifically with Taylor. When the two met for a second time, it was for a meet-and-greet at the hospital to discuss home care options for Ava. They talked through Megan’s preferences for her daughter’s care, collaborated with Ava’s physician and created a plan of care.
When Ava first came home, she was extremely fragile. Taylor and Megan held multiple meetings with the Neurology and Pulmonology departments at the hospital to carefully plan for hospice care, ensuring Ava could pass peacefully and comfortably at home, surrounded by love and support.
The family had a helpful transition nurse, Cherry, who set up all of Ava’s respiratory equipment and new hospital bed. She trained the family on how to use the equipment to properly monitor Ava’s respiratory status. Cherry also helped Ava look and feel her best. During the first few months, Maxim established a regular rotation of nurses who have stayed with Ava and now know her very well. They also make her feel special by reading to her, making playlists of songs for her treatments and painting her nails.
Over a year later, Ava is doing better than ever. She is very stable and recently got a Tobii device that allows her to communicate with her family and nurses. She tells her mother Megan that she loves meeting new friends, and she feels like the nurses are her fan club. Ava also attends church weekly with her youth group and attends school again after missing the entire fourth grade school year.
Maxim’s support has significantly improved the family’s ability to connect with their extended family. Thanks to having nurses they trust with Ava’s care; the family feels comfortable traveling on holidays to visit local grandparents and cousins.
Ava’s progress has inspired and touched the hearts of those around her — especially the staff at her school. This year on Ava’s birthday, her school had a ceremony where they dedicated the school playground in her honor.
“She had the most perfect birthday,” says Megan. “It was a dream! Her nurse got her all dolled up and she rolled into school with a huge smile. The whole school was waiting for her on the new inclusive playground that they dedicated to her! It was truly amazing. The whole school sang happy birthday and cheered for her, and she was showered with balloons and flowers. It was so special!”
Following Ava’s tremendous progress, the family has begun participating in Maxim’s Novice Nurse training program and Nursing School Partnership. In these programs, current nurses train new nurses on respiratory equipment, oxygen monitoring and more. Thanks to Ava’s Tobii device, she is now able to thank the new nurses and can even tell them that she loves them!
Maxim Healthcare Services is proud to serve Ava and her family! We look forward to making a difference for other families in the future by providing quality service and compassionate care to those in need. Reach out to your local Maxim office for more information on the services available near you. If you’d like to know more about Maxim’s in-home pediatric care offering, read our blog here. You can also read our blog with FAQs about pediatric home care here.
