CHA HPMC ‘ICU Heroes’ Save Irina Tsuerman’s Mother, Give Her Life

Posted by Divya Sathyanarayanan

For Irina Tsuerman, her mother, Zvard Tonoyan, was her life. Irina’s whole world came crashing down when her mother suffered a heart attack and was admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU). “My mother was in an extremely critical situation. My whole world revolves around her and seeing her critical just broke my heart,” says Irina, controlling her tears.

This isn’t the first time that Irina’s mom, who is fondly called Zena, was in critical care. In 2013, she suffered her first heart attack and was admitted to our ICU and Definitive Observation Unit (DOU) for 20 days. This time, Zena spent 65 days in our ICU due to heart complications—and her stay coincided with the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. “During this pandemic, a hospital is the last place you would want to visit. But my mom’s health brought us here. After seeing the strong safety measures, sanitization practices, and employee safety measures, I can confidently say that my mother is safe here in the hands of these heroes,” explains Irina. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, CHA HPMC has implemented stringent safety protocols and visitation guidelines to ensure the safety of patients, families, caregivers, and staff. “I am very particular about cleanliness and hygiene and I can say that this hospital has the highest level of sanitation. The housekeeping team cleaned the walls, curtains, and all surfaces several times a day,” says Irina.

Living in the neighborhood of CHA HPMC, Irina and her mother trust us with their healthcare needs and have been coming to our hospital for routine and emergency medical needs for a decade. At CHA HPMC, our team of experts provides innovative, advanced heart care services, while maintaining personalized care and compassion. Our cardiovascular surgeons are some of the top surgeons in the area and provide cardiac and vascular surgical services for patients requiring heart surgery. “After seeing the cardiac care my mother received during these 65 days, I am confident that they have the best doctors here. The nurses and the ICU nursing director, Farideh Ara, are angels sent by God to save my mother,” says Irina. She knows the names of the entire ICU nursing team, including members of our housekeeping, respiratory therapy, and security team who she has frequently interacted with during her mother’s stay. “They are like my own family now and they gave me the confidence I needed to face this difficult time,” says Irina, thanking CHA HPMC heroes for giving her world, Zena, back. Zena is on the road to recovery and will be ready to go home soon.
 
 
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