Skilled nursing care offers hope and healing for patients

Isn’t it crazy how quickly life can change? Charlotte Blythe experienced a medical crisis and had to learn to walk again. Thanks to the support of our skilled nursing staff at Cox Monett, she has not only made strides in her physical recovery but emotional recovery as well.

Read more of her story below:

Jennifer Hudson received a call from her mother's neighbor informing her that her mother was ill and was having trouble walking. Upon her arrival, she found her mother to be extremely sick. Charlotte pleaded with her daughter to not to take her to the hospital, telling her that she would feel better in the morning.

Knowing how obstinate her mother could be, Jennifer, the Cox Monett patient registration supervisor, grudgingly consented to wait until the next day.

Jennifer tried to contact her mother early the following morning, but she did not answer the phone right away. When she reached her after a few minutes, she knew by her voice that something was not right. She grabbed her daughter and rushed to her; upon arrival, they called the ambulance.

Charlotte was admitted to Cox South, where tests were performed, and it was found that she had a staph infection in her spine. After a few days in the hospital, the neurosurgeon determined she needed more specialized care, so she was transferred to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.

In order to keep her spine in place, the surgeons there had to remove the portion of her spine that contained the infection and replace it with metal and screws.

This kind of major operation meant that Charlotte would have to relearn how to walk.

“I knew my mom could not go home by herself to her little apartment in Aurora,” says Jennifer. “There was some confusion as to where my mom could go to continue her rehabilitation, so she ended up being transferred to a skilled nursing care facility in Springfield, and then a few weeks later, our amazing social services team at Cox Monett worked to get her closer to home to continue receiving skilled care.”

Skilled nursing care is for patients who have had surgery, or a procedure that needs more support after a hospital stay to recover. Skilled nursing teams including physicians offer 24-hour care when a patient no longer needs acute hospital care but is not yet able to return to their place of residence without help. To enhance a patient’s stay, Cox Monett offers large, private rooms with the hotel-like convenience of room service.

Jennifer says with a smile, "I can't say enough good things about everyone who made a difference in my mom's life." "She received the best care, and they worked with her every day to help build her strength so that, after she was discharged, she could take care of herself and her basic needs."

After a little more than a month in skilled care, Charlotte was delighted to hear that she was finally going home.

Little did she know, at that moment, a surprise was waiting for her.

As Charlotte was wheeled out of her room, to her astonishment, staff members were lining the hallway, encouraging her, and expressing support for her willpower, fortitude, and resolve to press on with her rehabilitation.

“Skilled nursing care is probably one of those services that tends to go unnoticed until you or someone in your family needs it,” says Jennifer. “The staff became like family to my mom, and it meant the world to me to see my colleagues form a bond and love her as much as I do.”

Jennifer explains that it was the little things staff did throughout the day and night to lighten the mood and keep her mom’s spirits up.

"It just so happens that my mom celebrated her birthday in the hospital,” she says. "When the staff asked her what kind of cake she preferred, she replied that she liked cheesecake, so they got her that in addition to a card, balloons, and a lovely gift."

Charlotte’s official diagnosis ended up being osteomyelitis of the spine.

“Doctors told me if we had waited another day that my mom would not be with us anymore; she was a very sick lady,” says Jennifer.

Charlotte is slowly returning to her former self. The road to recovery has been difficult, but with the help of friends and family, she is getting better by the day. Eventually, she hopes to put the walker in a closet and use a cane.

“My mother loves to decorate her apartment and go antique shopping,” says Jennifer. “She also likes to keep a very tidy and clean residence, so she is working on getting her apartment back in white glove order.”

Jennifer conveyed her gratitude for the attention and love given to her mother. "It warms my heart that many of her caregivers, even now, still check in on her.” “Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all the nursing assistants, registered nurses, housekeeping staff, doctors, and rehabilitation specialists."

Skilled nursing care is available at CoxHealth facilities in Monett, Lamar, and Springfield. For more information, please click here: