THANK YOU ...

... to dedicated medical professionals

The recent Statesman report concerning reimbursement of medical professionals in the Boise area prompts the following comments.

In my opinion, doctors like Walter L. Seale, a cardiac electrophysiologist, deserve every dollar they earn.

After facing heart episodes for three consecutive days in early 2012 with heart rates of 134, then 188 and finally 177, on the third day Dr. Seale performed a heart ablation, successfully locating and then destroying two short circuits which were causing things to go haywire (atrial flutter).

Thanks to Dr. Seale as well as the state-of-the-art cardiac care and repair facility at Saint Alphonsus hospital in Boise; thanks to my primary care provider, Dr. Suzanna Hubele at the Weiser Two Rivers Clinic, who made the initial diagnosis; thanks to the Weiser Memorial Hospital emergency services, open 24/7, and ER doctors Guerin Walsh and Mark Urban and ER nurse Irene Winters and her staff, who all worked diligently to affect the three reversals. I was able to enjoy another golfing season in 2012, an activity that has continued since the year 1944.

Now, if I could just find a golf doctor to help hit the ball a little bit farther and straighter. Oh, well, I need to count my blessings.

Thank you all. You’re worth your weight in gold!

CHARLES H. MORSE, Weiser

... to a mystery Good Samaritan

On Jan. 8, my husband and I were stranded in Albertsons’ parking lot with a dead battery. We called for help on my cellphone but couldn’t reach anyone to help. So we rose up the hood and waited.

After an hour and a half, we were getting cold, and finally our Good Samaritan showed up. A gentleman that had been parked next to us came out from the store and inquired of us what we needed. So he pulled his truck closer to us and set about getting out tools, etc. Within five minutes time, he had our car up and going. We sure would like to thank him, but wouldn’t give his name. I called him our guardian angel. We are eternally grateful for the help he gave to two cold 70-year-olds.

DON AND PAT HILL, Boise

... for giving veterans a merry Christmas

On behalf of all the staff and our nation’s heroes at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise, we would like to thank all those who helped make this year’s Christmas so very special. We thank you for your kindness, your caring and the wonderful gifts our veterans received as well as the time spent with them. That was very special.

Thank you for all the effort you put forth. There were many, many groups and individuals who helped make sure our veterans had a special Christmas. If I tried to mention them all, I would undoubtedly miss some, so let me just say thanks to everyone.

Special thanks to Gowen Field for their never-ending support — no matter what their mission, they never forget our veterans.

And to all the veterans organizations and others who went the extra mile to make the veterans’ Christmas special, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I hope the new year brings great joy to us all.

PHIL HAWKINS, volunteer coordinator, Boise

THE FEDERAL DEBT

A dereliction of duty

My heart bleeds for the young people in three segments of our society:

• Unborn babies who are aborted by the bushel at the hands of “doctors” sworn to relieve suffering, pain and sickness.

• Helpless kids trapped in the foster system, whose greatest wish is to be adopted and loved by real parents instead of, sad but true, mercenaries lacking true love.

• Recent college graduates who must compete with a huge surplus of unemployed competitors with years and decades of marketable experience in their chosen professions.

I was moved to craft this epistle by your gripping cartoon on the Jan. 13 editorial page titled “Les Miserables,” depicting several little American kids, extremely sad, against a jet-black, featureless background, one depressed child holding a tattered banner upon which was written “Trillions in Debt.” I’m seriously considering getting this cartoon tattooed upon a presentable portion of my body as a constant reminder of the inexcusable dereliction of duty of my entire generation (the Baby Boomers) after all the greatest generation (World War II folks) blessed upon us. I pray to God we get our act together for their sakes.

HARLEY D. BROWN, Nampa