The Miracle of Medicine

Many of you know that I’ve been in healthcare for a long time. You might however not know just how long. I started in 1966 when I was 15 years old. I worked part-time in Charlotte at Presbyterian Hospital, where I carried luggage up and down the elevators for the patients. I made 85 cents an hour. It was a good job; it was hard work and I learned a lot about people.

One of the things that I learned quickly was a lesson in faith. People – in general – have a lot of faith in their doctors. They did back then, and they still do today. And rightly so in almost all cases. Although we now research our own diseases on the internet, and we learn about medicines from TV commercials, we still have a tremendous amount of faith in what our doctors tell us. They have an expertise that’s very special. It’s a gift.

Here at Tuomey, I have worked with some incredible physicians. Men and women who practice medicine with their minds and their hearts. And although there are countless stories out there – about the lives they’ve touched – I want to take time today to tell you about two very special doctors.

Ben Raffield came to the Tuomey Emergency Department late last year with severe stomach pain. He knew it was no ordinary stomachache, but he had no idea how serious his condition was. He was admitted to Tuomey, and soon diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm – oftentimes, a fatal diagnosis. Fortunately for Ben, he was being taken care of by vascular surgeon Dr. Hans Brings. Since the aneurysm was at 11 cm, and they usually rupture between 5 and 6 cm, they were running out of time. In a five-hour surgery, with the odds stacked against him, Dr. Brings saved Ben’s life. In just over a week, Ben walked out of the hospital and back into his life – taking care of his grandson and planting his garden. I’m still amazed every time I hear this story. If we didn’t have Dr. Brings in our community, we’d probably not have Ben Raffield either.

Dr. James Goodson is another man who provides a tremendous level of care. Just ask Ann McJunkin. I don’t know anyone who could sing his praises any better. At 73 years old, Ann had worn glasses for more than 60 years. It was a part of her life that she had just become accustomed to. But a few years ago, she needed cataract surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery did not go as planned. That’s when she went to visit Dr. Goodson. He was able to discover exactly what went wrong and got her the care she needed. Ann recently told the folks at Tuomey that “being able to see at a distance is such a gift,” and that “had it not been for the advice of Dr. Goodson,” she would still be wearing those thick glasses. “He’s the only person I trust with my eyes,” Ann said. And now, after more than 60 years, she doesn’t need glasses at all. What a lovely lady!

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. What a blessing it is to live in Sumter and work every day with the wonderful physicians we have on staff. I couldn’t ask for a better job.

Jay Cox