“Parting is such sweet sorrow . . .”
~Shakespeare
Four years ago I launched my first blog. Those first few posts, my infancy
of sorts, were mostly cookie cutter, covering a sports medicine topic
sprinkled with a local anecdote. When in doubt, I could always summon
up a quote from my Grandmother Frances to add some local flair. Just recently,
she got me out of trouble in my clinic. I was telling a patient how smoking
impairs bone healing, and she needed to quit. By the scowl across her
brow I knew I was losing her, so I said, “Look, I’m not judging.
I know it’s hard. For the last twenty years after my Grandmother
Frances quit, she would say to me, ‘I sure would love a scotch and
a cigarette.’” The patient chuckled and said, “Okay,
doc, I’ll try harder.” Thanks Grandmother.
After awhile, my blog slowly evolved more into a rambling story with a
medical theme buried deep between the lines. I mean, it’s a lot
more fun to spin a good Southern yarn than write a textbook article. And
that gets me to the point of where I am now. I’m in no way a good
writer, but I do like to write and I need to expand outside of the realm
of a hospital blog. Maybe a short story, a poem, a play or all of the above.
So with this, my last blog—at least for now—I want to take
this opportunity to say thank you.
Thank you to my lovely wife, Lisa, who has been my unofficial editor for
the last 25+ years. I have written a multitude of blogs, articles, papers
and presentations that she has edited with a bloody slash of her red pen,
correcting my inattentive grammar and deadwood sentences. Her job is not over.
Thank you to my official editor at Southeast Georgia Health System, Melody
Bradley. She’s a “real” writer and just published her
latest book
Beyond the Next Star (plug, plug, plug). Melody has had the unfortunate responsibility of nudging
me toward my deadlines and deciphering my ramblings into some coherent
message. She is also the person who encouraged me to try something new
since she seems to get such great joy from her writing.
Thank you to the Health System for allowing me to fill up some of its website
with my random musings.
Thank you to all my relatives, my mother especially, who sees her name
in print when I’m telling a little piece of my history but probably
not remembering correctly.
And finally, thank you to all my readers who have enjoyed my blogs in the
past and left comments on the
Health System Facebook page. Your appreciation has made me persevere, which in turn, has made
me a better writer.
Thank you.
Exit stage left.