(Media release from Atrium Health Floyd):
Amber Huckaby is Atrium Health Floyd family. Her mom, Jean Huckaby, was a longtime teammate and cheerleader of Floyd Healthcare Foundation’s SPIRIT campaign, and Amber visited Floyd from time to time to see her mom or volunteer at an event.
But her legacy had nothing to do with her most recent experience at Floyd. In fact, the caregivers in this story weren’t aware of Amber’s Floyd connections. The extraordinary care they provided was what they do for all their patients.
Amber had been a patient at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center for several weeks. She was being treated for a drug-resistant infection that had spread throughout her body.
While there is no good time to be sick or to be hospitalized, the timing for Amber couldn’t have been worse. Her father died two weeks before she was hospitalized, and she had just started the process of getting his estate in order. She had accepted a new job with a start date the week following her hospital admission. Her son was working a full-time job, and her daughter was in her last month of elementary school.
As Amber’s hospital stay extended into months, her daughter became fearful that her mom might not live. Amber’s son scheduled his work around getting his little sister to and from school as well as making sure she completes her homework, gets a bath and gets plenty of sleep. Family and church friends also helped with childcare, when possible, but the situation was not sustainable. School would soon be out, and Amber’s daughter would need full-time care while her mother heals.
A friend of Amber met with J’May Moats, the nurse clinical manager overseeing Amber’s care team. That friend told Moats he was concerned about how Amber’s daughter would be cared for once school was dismissed for the summer. Amber had no income to pay for childcare, and she had no resources who could help.
Moats enlisted the help of Coordinated Care social worker Crystal Childers. Childers immediately went into problem-solving mode, something not uncommon for her.
“She looks for creative ways outside the box to help our patients and their families,” said Donna Parris, director of Coordinated Care. “Crystal came to us from the Department of Family and Children’s Services where she was used to tapping into every single resource she can find and calling in favors to help families and children in need. Crystal brings this mindset to work with the intent of making a difference any way she can.”
Within a few days, Childers had a solution. Using her DFACS contacts, she reached out to the Boys and Girls Club of Rome to ask about the possibility of enrolling Amber’s daughter in their summer program. She was upfront about the need for financial assistance, and before the call was over, Amber’s daughter had a secure spot in the Boys and Girls’ Club summer camp, free of charge.
“This has been a real blessing for this child and her mom. Her daughter will be with friends, but it also will give her mom have time to recover from a nine-week hospital stay,” Childers said.
And, giving Amber time to heal while making sure her daughter is well-cared for is a gift, Moats said.
“Crystal did something that benefits the patient but also benefits this family,” she said.
It’s a physical benefit that will ease stress and renew peace of mind for an entire family, she said. Amber can heal at home; her daughter can enjoy her summer with friends and her son can resume a regular work schedule.
“It takes a huge burden off of us,” Amber said, the relief apparent in her voice. “I don’t know what I would have done.”
