Letters to the Editor - The Lakeville Journal - 1-12-23

Life saving care Sharon Hospital

On December 19th, one of the busiest days experienced by the emergency department at Sharon Hospital, the care that I received was indeed life saving. My age and an unrecognized heart condition detected along with flu and developing pneumonia finally overcame my independent nature. I have never had a doctor speak so convincingly and I do wish to thank her and the staff for the excellent care I received.

Previously my grandson had also received imperative excellent care for a minor football injury. As a resident of Salisbury since the 1960s and one who has seen our volunteer ambulance service started by Reese Harris and my husband, John Harney, we are so fortunate to have this emergency care so available. With private schools in the area and the increased population of young families with young children, I commend Sharon Hospital for the excellent work they are doing.

Elyse D. Harney

Salisbury

Service here is exceptional

Christmas Eve. 5:15 pm.  Two days with no electricity or water.  We were cold, frustrated and unhappy with the lack of information from Eversource.  But then a truck from Perotti Plumbing of Canaan pulls up.

Will Perotti pops out, with a smile on his face: “let’s fix this now!”

In 30 years living in Greenwich, Conn., I know of no heating or plumbing specialist who would service a non-emergency client on Christmas Eve!

In Sharon, service is the accepted norm — whether it is neighbor-to-neighbor or business-to-household or medical provider-to-the-home. Locals and neighbors go out of their way to assist, even on Christmas Eve.

That is what makes living in this area so exceptional!    Thank you Perottis, snowplow drivers, emergency medical staff and all good neighbors: may you enjoy a fine 2023.  You deserve it.

Roger H. Lourie

Sharon

Correction, Pope property reference

Thanks to The Lakeville Journal for running a very informative two-part series on the role that local land trusts play in conservation.  However the caption accompanying the photo on page 1 of the Dec. 22 edition is incorrect.

The 55-acre Pope property on Salmon Kill Road was acquired by the Town of Salisbury. It has been identified as a potential site for affordable housing.  The Salisbury Association Land Trust owns the 79-acre Pope Preserve located north of town off Route 44 and adjacent to the Appalachian Trail.

This year the Salisbury Association passed a resolution in support of affordable housing. We believe that land conservation and affordable housing are both essential to our community.

Jeanette Weber, President

Salisbury Association

Salisbury

Thanks for the seasonal cheer

Warm white lights on Main Street trees, friendly reindeer covered in lights, the familiar tree ablaze with white lights on the White Hart lawn, Salisbury Ambulance building with its fanciful lights, candlelight in house windows all bespeak warmth, peace and a quintessential New England town. Amidst our topsy turvy world, this scene has been a welcome sight for our family Christmas stroll and throughout this season. 

Thank you to all who made it happen. You certainly brightened our lives. We wish you a New Year filled with light, warmth and hope for 2023. With gratitude.

Newt and Barbara Schoenly

Salisbury

An open letter to Nuvance Health admins and Sharon Hospital Board of Directors

In January 2022, I gave birth to my fourth child, Nora. My “rainbow” after an extremely traumatic child loss in February 2019. My experience at Sharon Hospital was the best I have had giving birth, as a mother of four. Dr. Howard Mortman listened to me, he heard me and understood. That is very rare in Obstetric & Gynecological Medicine. OB-GYNs are known more for their proficiency in medical gaslighting, then they are validating the pregnant person sitting in front of them seeking medical care.

I said it out loud, it needs to be addressed. But not now, I only have 500 words.

The week I was planning to be induced, Dr. Mortman planned his schedule around what date I chose to be induced, so he would be the delivering doctor. It was important to me to know who was delivering my daughter, I would not survive losing another child and he knew what that would do to my family. This is how he treats every one of his patients, I am not special. Did you know that he has never lost a single pregnant person, during or as a direct result of childbirth, his entire career (1985ish-present) as an OB- GYN?

That’s pretty good, considering the U.S. has the highest maternal fatality rate out of any other industrialized nation, at a rate of 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births. Black women die during childbirth at a rate of 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, in the United States of America. France is second, with 8.7 deaths per 100,000 live births. In 2012 the US was still first, but just at a rate of 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births

So, our medical system is failing pregnant people, and brutally.

Ascension Healthcare just got caught (see The New York Times, Dec. 15, 2022, article by Rebecca Robbins, Katie Thomas and Jessica Silver-Greenberg) trying to drive facilities into the ground for profit, always putting profit over human life. A healthcare company that is price gouging and exploiting its employees and patients, without regard for human life. For money.

That is wild to me. So, I start reading about what Ascension Healthcare did to their facilities and the employees that work/worked there. The similarities should make you uncomfortable because there are too many for just coincidence. The optics looking at the Board are not great, with Board Chair Richard Cantele, being President & CEO of Salisbury Bank, simultaneously sitting on the board of a nonprofit hospital. A hospital that has questionably fulfilled the requirements for its nonprofit status since 2018, shortly after Nuvance took over.

   If I ran my household the way you all handle hospital business, child services would take my children away and the bank would take what was left of a neglected house.

This is corporate greed, turned corporate psychopathy.

It is extremely disturbing.

Make no mistake, we see you.

Siobhan Rooney

Sharon

Considering the new year, working to help others

With the New Year of 2023 off to a warm weather start, more people can enjoy a “mini-vacation” and remember that spring and time to plan for gardens and outdoor events, walks and fundraisers is just around the corner. I have enjoyed thinking of ways more people could feel connected to the seasons and months of the year in wider circles.

 For instance, dividing the 50 states of America by 12 and placing them on a calendar grid of four across and three deep, we can recognize and learn more about the states if groups of four or more from West to East, and give each one (or so) a week per month, so Jan. would include the NW then April would include the NE. 

The next set of states would pick up from May on the West Coast to  August on the East, then the SW states would go from Sept. through the SE through December. How climate, large cities and natural resources and the skills and needs of people interact are all key factors to consider on a large scale, then hone in on regional and particular areas with more details. I have made The Turtle Garden Permaculture Game, which is free online for countries, states, towns, schools and other businesses and groups to access the basics of the Permaculture Design process.

I hope more people will join me  and others in taking learning into their own hands yet helping those with deeper pockets and decision-making power know everyone is using their time and energy to team up and learn what can be done from the ground up to improve options for all.

Helping youth and adults learn of those who have been exploring possibilities such as Dr. Steven Greer and many in permaculture networks around the world can ease the typical news of doom and gloom, of too little, too late across many fields.

Thanks for all doing their utmost to join in the efforts of those who have worked for decades to give us more options,time and ways to see the world and one another with new friendly eyes as team players.

Catherine Palmer Paton

Falls Village