Media release from Atrium Health Floyd:
Molly Horton has had her share of setbacks over the past several months, but she’s not the kind of person to focus on her troubles.
The Harbin Clinic X-ray and ultrasound technician had both her knees replaced in December 2024. She had post-surgery complications resulting in a torn left patella tendon and a torn right quadricep, both of which required surgery, and none of these were on her get-‘er-done list for 2025.
Horton’s three surgeries resulted in casts for both her legs and 16 weeks in the hospital, but she doesn’t go on about her medical history. She’d rather brag about her Atrium Health Floyd care team and the extraordinary efforts some of her nurses and caregivers have made on her behalf.
After being hospitalized at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, Horton was transferred to Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center, to continue her healing. She likes to do things for herself whenever possible, and in the days following her surgery, she required the use of a trapeze to pull herself up in bed.
Although the trapeze she had used at Floyd Medical Center had traveled with her, she didn’t have immediate use of the adaptive contraption because it had not been installed over her bed.
When Leisa McCright, who had been one of Horton’s regular nurses at Floyd Medical Center, learned her former patient didn’t have her trapeze installed, she took action. The two had become mutual admirers while Horton was in the hospital, and McCright wanted to help her new friend. She drove to the Centre hospital and assembled the trapeze for her former patient. Molly would have some independence.
But that wasn’t the only visit from McCright, who lives in Cherokee County. Remembering how Horton enjoyed yogurt, the nurse often stopped by the hospital, most often bringing a yogurt treat to cheer up her new friend.
But the kindnesses Horton received didn’t stop with McCright.
When Elliott Gault, who also had worked with Horton’s care team in preparation for her homecoming, learned Horton would be discharged, he joined with fellow physician liaison Kenneth Tillery, and built a ramp to give her access to her home.
For Gault, who had never built a ramp before, the construction work was an extension of his work as a nurse and liaison – doing what is necessary for their patient.
“Molly is single. She has friends, but of course, they have families and jobs, so she didn’t want to burden anybody,” Gault said. “We want to support our patients’ independence as much as we can. We try to meet their discharge needs and home care needs. We just wanted her to be home and to be safe at home.”
It’s not lost on this group of caregivers that, as a result of the combination of Harbin Clinic with Atrium Health Floyd, Horton is a patient and a teammate. While they, no doubt, would have performed these kind acts regardless, knowing they are on the same team certainly adds to the gratefulness.
“I will be forever grateful for how kind and helpful everyone was on my journey,” Horton said. “From Leisa going out of her way to set up equipment for me to Elliott and Kenneth building a ramp for me on their own time, my teammate caregivers at Floyd and Cherokee were so good to me.”
In the photo from Atrium Health Floyd:
Molly Horton with Nurse Leisa McCright