It's funny to me how we get up every morning, go through a routine fall back in bed at the end of the day and get up the next day and do it again and years go by without much notice. Depending on the stage of life we are in the routines vary; it might be college time for some, career, significant other, children and family. All through life we are presented with choices, sometimes we know exactly what to do and the exact outcome we want and other times situations come from left field and turns everything upside down to a different path.
This is what happened to our family. Married for a few years my daughter was 3 and my son 6 months, and we found out that my mom needed a quadruple bypass. She had an excellent surgeon but she never completely recovered from this procedure and unfortunately this was only the first of many surgeries in her future. My sister and I spent countless hours in Dr. offices, hospitals and months in nursing homes for rehab. In the beginning she would travel and spend time with my sisters family in New Jersey, but flying eventually became to much. Eventually it became obvious that she wasn't eating properly, keeping up with medications and becoming a fall risk to often to live alone; so our choice was for her to move in with my family. I found myself part of the "Sandwich Generation" balancing small children and aging parent, something I had never imagined and was not a part of the exact outcome I had planned for my young family. Thankfully my husband was always supportive no matter what was put aside in our life.
Mom had lived with us for seven years when she fell out of the bed during the night and couldn't get up to wake me, so I found her hours later. Our family Dr. was very tactful and persuasive in the fact that she was to the point of needing more than I could provide, she was going to need rehab and I needed to consider full time skilled care. Mom had rehab at several nursing homes in WI where we had lived and in NJ by my sister and we always hoped she wouldn't have to stay full time. This decision had become as important to me as where would my children grow up and attend school; but this was a decision I did not want to make.
Welcome to Lexington Manor, Lexington Tennessee. The outside of the building is immaculate, beautiful landscaping surrounding a huge front porch full of rocking chairs, and the windows are painted for every holiday and season. From the moment I sat down with the admitting director I was taken care of. They understood that this was incredibly difficult for me and that I wasn't convinced that she was staying. They had all the paper work in order for me to easily complete, when mom arrived from the hospital the staff was in high gear with admitting procedures, getting her comfortable and helping me get her belongings arranged.
In come the nurses, they were efficient, helpful and most of all kind. It probably wasn't the three I have pictured here since my mind wasn't on taking pictures that day but these ladies have made a life long impression on me with their skill and care for the residents they are charged with caring for. I can not say enough about this facility! The staff is always on top of their game, from housekeeping, nursing assistants, maintenance guys-everyone treats this job as it's their family. The one thing that I can't impress enough is how I have never come across one staff member who is ever rude, impatient, or unpleasant. There is constant contact with the family concerning any needs, and they know exactly which resident your there to visit. The activity schedule keeps them busy, normal exercise and bingo but add diner out, baseball games in Jackson, horse and carriage rides, family dinner night to name a few. Local churchs are here every weekend with activities too. They take top notch care of the building and residents rooms.
It only took a few weeks to realize that I had hit the jackpot for skilled care facilities with Lexington Manor, and I was as comfortable as I could be. I finally stopped crying every time I left her there.
Mom stayed at Lexington Manor for nine months until she passed away July 23, 2008. She always said "If I can't live with you this is the next best place to be-the people are so nice here". Today would have been her 80th birthday...Thank you Lexington Manor for the special care you gave and helping me make one of the hardest choices in my life the right choice
My choices directly effected every aspect of my life...I was blessed to be able to help my mom for as long as I did, my children are compassionate for the elderly because of the experience. God always met our needs and we are blessed.
Central A/C
