When my dad made the decision to move to Amory and begin to practice medicine in 1972, he knew he had made a good decision. Amory was the perfect place to invest his time and grow his family. One reason I say this is because in a community like Amory a doctor can invest not only in his practice but also in his patients. This was very important to my dad. Patient care was at the forefront of what he believed in. Sometimes there is as little tough love that goes along with that but in the end they all knew he loved each and every one of them. I know this because I have heard the stories all of my life from those he cared for. When he made the decision to retire in 1999, one of the reasons he told me was that he just could not afford to spend the time he thought was necessary with each patient that held his trust to provide the absolute best medical care his ability allowed.

Early March of this year, the tables were turned. He was now the patient in the hospital in which he had devoted his life. For three weeks our family watched as the nurses and doctors made a return on that investment. The nurses in particular treated him with such care and patience each and every day. WE knew that no matter which direction his health was headed, he was receiving the best care around. This brings me to one young nurse in particular.

Lindsey McGee brought something a little extra every time she walked through the door into his room. On the not-so-good days, she would come with that big smile and he would immediately reach for her hand. When there was some treatment that he did not want to do, she would be firm but nice, using the same demeanor that my dad would use, and he recognized that in her. Even after his surgery and his health began to rapidly decline all we would have to say to him is, “Dad, Lindsey is here” and he would perk up and try to reach for her hand. Whether it was me or Mom staying with him at the time she always made sure that we had what we needed to make our time more comfortable staying with him day in and day out.

When our third week was coming to a close, we knew our time was coming to an end. When the decision was made to move dad into ICU to help make him more comfortable, she was there and knew the look on our faces as we began to accept the decision that had been made. She stayed with us in the room as we collected all the things that an extended hospital stay accumulates in a room helping us prepare for our next journey. Let me say, that last hug she gave me as I left that room for the last time was well needed.

The next morning in ICU, we knew we had only a short time left. Around 10:00 that morning my dad ever so peacefully left the hospital for the last time. When I looked up into the ICU I saw Lindsey quickly walking toward us. “I tried to make it in time,” she said to me and then gave me and my mother and my wife a great big hug. It makes a difference. That extra step and effort in patient care. It made a difference to my dad and it certainly made a difference to us.

The next Friday we were all gathered as a family with dad’s friends and past co-workers to say our final goodbye. I looked up and there she is. Sweet Lindsey in her pink scrubs making her way down to us. She took her brief break to come and console us one last time. Yep, she is a good one. That is what my dad stood for. Going the extra mile to let the patient and the family know that you really care. That is why P&S Clinic and Gilmore has grown into one of the cornerstones of our community. It is the staff and doctors who care. It is the legacy that my dad stood for that continues in that staff today and it makes me proud to call Amory the home my dad chose back in 1972. Thank you, all of you, for making a difficult time just a little easier to accept.

***

I have had the opportunity to work with many really outstanding health care providers over the course of my career. I cannot recommend a provider more highly than Lindsey. Lindsey is exceptional. She was an attentive nurse but interacted with my dad in a way that made him more alert; joking and talking directly to him rather than to us about him. On the day my dad passed, Lindsey was not his assigned nurse, however, sent a condolence message to me and my mother that night and said how much she enjoyed caring for my dad and how she wished she could have been there when he passed. She later sent flowers to the funeral home. She really went above and beyond, and I hope that she continues to provide direct patient care for many, many years to come.