|
TODAY'S ISSUE
Return to Joan Glancy Hospital
memorable for Duluth native
By Charles Summerour
Duluth
Special to GwinnettForum.com
SEPT. 27, 2002 -- In my lifetime, change has been the watchword
in most areas of life. Nowhere is this more evident than in medical
care, including our local hospital system.
However, an icon in this area is Joan Glancy Hospital in Duluth.
It was founded in 1944 as a clinic funded by General A.R. Glancy
in response to the death of a local child. The hospital was named
after General Glancy's daughter, who had also died in childhood.
It was later absorbed into the Gwinnett Hospital System, which has
upgraded it numerous times. Current plans are to build a complete
new facility a short distance away.
Recently I had the occasion to make my first official "visit"
to Joan Glancy since my birth there, four years after the clinic
was begun. That doesn't count hundreds of visits to others there,
including the death of both of my parents there and the birth of
two of my children.
But being a patient was different. Some have asked "Wouldn't
you have been better in a larger hospital?" While this may
be true for certain illnesses and conditions, I was in the right
place for me.
First, my doctors are there regularly and gave me the utmost in
attention. Secondly, it was convenient for my family and friends.
But most importantly was the attention from the staff who were
always responsive and in a timely manner. Because of my particular
situation, I was in five rooms in seven days. This included a regular
room, intermediate care and intensive care. In my travels, I must
have met a large portion of the nursing and attending staff. They
were always helpful, courteous and met every physical and medical
need I or my family had. Being a patient in a hospital took on new
meaning for me as being patient is not my strength.
Is bigger better in medical situations? Certainly there are times
when more sophisticated care from physicians and staff is needed.
Even in my case, a high degree of treatment was called for by my
doctor, and the staff at Glancy responded wonderfully. The facility
and the staff were excellent and I am thankful for both.
I don't remember anything about my birth at Glancy, but the last
trip was as good as I could hope for. After all, I am able to write
this column. back
to top
ELLIOTT
BRACK
On
visiting Georgia Southern, hurrah for hizzoner
and what can happen when there is a "show and tell"
By
Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
SEPT. 27, 2002 -- Visiting in Statesboro at Georgia Southern University
found only one Gwinnettian on the football team this time. He is
freshman Demarcus Rogers, a tackle from Duluth, and a cousin of
former Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers of Duluth..
However, the cheerleaders are rife with people from the Gwinnett
area: five in all. They include Roy Anderson of Snellville, Jennifer
Carpenter of Lawrenceville, Mary Beth Giddens of Loganville, and
Nicki Lewis and Mary Melyssa Smith, both of Snellville.
* * * * *
Think how overrun we would be with bugs if not for automobile windshields!
* * * * *
Now a "Hurrah" for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg,
as he takes on the restaurants in New York City.
Hizzoner, you may recall, will seek banning smoking in all restaurants.
Currently the state of New York bans smoking in all restaurants
of over 35 seats. However, smoking is allowed at the bar area of
any restaurant, and in smaller restaurants.
What we like best is the way Mayor Bloomberg attacked the problem.
Instead of talking about the health risk of the occasional diner
at a restaurant, he aimed his pitch at workers in restaurants, saying
restaurant employees are just as entitled to smoke free environments
as are office workers.
That's taking a new position. And a very reasonable one. When you
consider that some of the restaurant jobs are at the bottom of the
employment ladder, so to speak, that would amount to discriminating
at the lowest level of work. Why should these people be targeted
for second-hand smoke?, he reasons.
Big Tobacco and restaurant owners have whined recently that being
smoke free hurts their business. Others argue forcefully that being
non-smoking may actually attract many more people to restaurants,
since a preponderance of Americans now don't smoke.
Now one thing is certain: if Mayor Bloomberg's measure passes,
it will mean that all restaurants will have a level playing field,
with no one smoking within such public places.
Go to it, Mayor Bloomberg. Continue to cut new ground
in the way you approach problems and you may have people soon saying
"Rudi who?"
* * * * *
You might enjoy a short snippet out of a larger story from Frank
Moore, President Carter's former legislative liaison, from a recent
edition of the Dahlonega Nugget. Frank is a native of Dahlonega,
and visited there recently. A story by Alton Bridges read in part:
"I remember sitting in an English class at (Lumpkin County
High School) and the teacher assigned us a 'show-and-tell' project.
We had to bring charts or pictures, to the classroom.
"One young man walked up to the blackboard and drew a ground
hog still and explained how it worked. He drew the still underground
near the water supply and told how whiskey was made. When he told
how to mix the ingredients, two other students jumped to their feet
and told him he was wrong.
"'My daddy always mixed more of this and that because it makes
better whiskey.' The children had a lot of pride in whatever they
did.
"The teacher was so shocked at what she was hearing that she
only stopped the demonstration when the arguments about how to make
good whiskey got heated. That ended the 'show-and-tell' projects."
back
to top
ABOUT HOMELAND SECURITY
9/27:
Free brochure offers tips for family
or businesses about homeland security
By
Bill Maddox,
Atlanta Red Cross Chapter
Would you know what steps to take when the government announces
a "code yellow risk of attack" warning for the country?
Or a "code red?" The American Red Cross has issued tips
designed to help you and your family better prepare for such warnings.
With input from the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice,
Defense and the FBI, the American Red Cross developed a set of
color-coded guidelines to complement the Homeland Advisory System.
The guidelines recommend practical ways for individuals, families,
neighborhoods, schools and businesses to prepare for each level
of terrorist threat from "low" (green) to "severe"
(red). Since threat conditions change from time to time, the Red
Cross feels it's important that everyone understands the color-code
system and how to respond when a threat is issued.
According to Marilyn Self, director of disaster planning and
preparedness for the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Red Cross, disaster
preparedness is always something that is important but it is especially
so now. "Following recommended actions for each color code
can help evaluate a person's current level of preparedness,"
she said. "We encourage everyone to develop a plan tailored
to individual and family needs or those of schools and businesses."
To get a printed copy of the "Homeland Security and You"
brochure, other disaster preparedness materials or to schedule
a group presentation on "Preparing for the Unexpected,"
call the Gwinnett Red Cross Service Center, 850 Hi-Hope Rd., Lawrenceville,
770-963-9208. These materials are also available on-line at www.redcrossatlanta.org.
ABOUT
OUR SPONSORS
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers, . Today's sponsor is CSI,
a Norcross-based video production service, providing cutting-edge
concepts, filming and editing services for a wide range of industrial
and commercial customers. Using the latest equipment and techniques,
CSI can transform your message to tape, DVD or CD with quality,
creativity and professionalism. For more information, visit the
web site at www.csivideo.com
or call 770-453-9900.
For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm.
Back
to top
FEEDBACK:
9/27: Suwanee takes
care of old political signs
Editor, the Forum:
Suwanee has less and less trouble with left-long political signs.
Landowners and city fathers make it known that "what goes
up must come down" and in due time. It works!
-- Loretta Roberts, Suwanee back
to top
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
About high-heeled
shoes
"If high heels were so wonderful, men would still be wearing
them."
----Novelist Sue Grafton. back
to top
SEND YOUR FEEDBACK
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication. Back
to top
===========================================
MORE:
Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com
© 2002,
Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary
for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic
approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.
|
