A five-star patient experience, a hallway filled with hope

On a brisk Friday afternoon in January, Orra David “OD” Cope entered the Medical-Surgical North hallway at Cox Monett for a moment that he and those around him would cherish forever.

After three weeks in the hospital, fighting an illness that left him uncertain about his survival, OD was finishing his last physical therapy session. As he stepped out, the hallway erupted in applause. Staff, family, and caregivers filled the corridor, some in tears; many were overwhelmed with emotion, celebrating a milestone that once seemed unattainable.

“I just can’t believe it,” OD expressed, tears forming in his eyes. “This is the most amazing hospital I have ever been in.”

OD doesn’t recall much from the initial days of his hospitalization. He was so unwell that he frequently questioned whether he would live or die.

“Then, all of a sudden, it felt like a light switched on, and I was able to get out of bed,” he remembered. “I tried, but my body wasn’t quite prepared, and I suppose I didn’t realize how weak I had become.”