You bring the wedding to your parent.

Mr. Smith was a long-term patient at Floyd after his major surgery resulted in several unexpected complications that extended his recovery and left him weak and deconditioned.

Early on in his hospitalization, Mr. Smith’s son, who was engaged to be married and planning a December wedding, realized his father would not be physically able to attend the marriage ceremony. The wedding was postponed. As days turned into weeks, however, a new idea began to emerge: Perhaps the wedding could go on with a change in venue and change in plans.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves in telling this story.

When Mr. Smith, who is not a small man, first received rehabilitation therapy he was quickly paired with physical therapy assistant Donnie Gentry. Donnie, who is quite a husky gentleman himself, is really the only therapy assistant able to work with and encourage Mr. Smith to do his physical therapy and exercises. For more than two months, Donnie has worked with Mr. Smith over and above his routine regimen as we desperately try to improve his conditioning.

Donnie has shown such patience and concern for him, providing his usual stellar therapy. So, when the wedding plans changed, it didn’t surprise me at all when I heard how Donnie assisted our patient to make sure he could attend his son’s special day. Because Mr. Smith had been a Floyd patient for so long, his son asked for permission to use the Floyd Medical Center Chapel on March 1 for a small, private wedding ceremony our patient could attend more easily. We, of course, made every effort to accommodate the request, and we were able to do so.

On the day of the wedding, Donnie took on the role of Mr. Smith’s personal groomsman.

He came in after work hours and of his own accord to help dress and prepare Mr. Smith for his son’s wedding. He helped him get into a mobilized chair and transported Mr. Smith to the chapel for the ceremony, then waited in the back for the hour-long service to conclude. After the ceremony, Donnie helped get Mr. Smith back upstairs, undressed and into bed. Because of his condition, it usually takes multiple staff to help with these things, but Donnie took this on himself, without any thought, and was able to help give Mr. Smith a wonderful gift. Donnie’s voluntary assistance kept him at Floyd well into the evening, and through it all he took phenomenal care of our patient. Mr. Smith and his family were so grateful.

I was too, but this story does not surprise me about Donnie.

He has always been superb, attending to the technical things that are a part of physical therapy. More than a skilled therapy assistant, though, Donnie demonstrates such tremendous compassion, patience and kindness towards those he touches. He just goes above and beyond anything that would be expected or required.

Oftentimes patients have asked for him by name to help them with their physical therapy, and he always is amenable when we physicians ask him to work a little extra with certain patients to meet their needs.

All of the physical therapy employees here at Floyd do a phenomenal job caring for our patients, but Donnie is special. I know he would be embarrassed by any recognition for this, but, I feel strongly that he should be recognized for exhibiting what we all want Floyd employees to be known for–people who go far above and beyond the call of duty to serve our patients.

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