Newspaper Page Text
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 13,2011 forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY
FROM 1A
Dudgeon
By about 7 a.m. Dudgeon is
in his legislative office, and
-starts by checking e-mails.
Wednesday, Dudgeon attend¬
ed a legislator Bible study until
8 a.m., when it was time for his
Science & Technology
Committee meeting.
That session was particularly
exciting for Dudgeon, who got
to hear about a cardio medical
tool created by undergraduate
biomedical engineering students
at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.
“It’s going to save a ton of
money and help a lot of people,”
Dudgeon told the students. “I’m
glad you brought it to show and
1 hope as many people can see
the kind of stuff we’re doing
here in Georgia Tech and in
Georgia with this kind of tech¬
nology.”
The presentation was also a
refreshing reminder of his four
year term on the Forsyth County
Board of Education, when he
got to leam what students were
doing in school.
He misses the school board,
but is settling in well to his new
role.
He also tries to keep the mood
light, often engaging in witty
FROM 1A
Hyde
“Everything’s rocking
along."
Hyde is one of just 300
to 600 people in the
United States with atypical
hemolytic-uremic syn¬
drome, more commonly
known as Atypical HUS.
The condition is a
genetic blood disorder that
causes the immune system
to attack red blood cells,
eventually destroying the
kidneys and renal and
immune systems.
It’s caused by a muta¬
tion in the gene that pro¬
duces Factor H, which
helps control the immune
system.
Phyllis Talbot said when
Hyde was first diagnosed
at 18 months old, the only
true treatment was a com¬
bined kidney and liver
transplant.
Treatments have since
advanced and a new,
experimental drug com¬
bined with the kidney
transplant may be as effec
five.
She said the family was
excited about the proce¬
dure, but it was also
“nerve-racking.”
“We’re just taking
everything one day at
time,” she said.
They’re hoping the
combination treatment
will be effective since a
liver transplant involves
more complications.
“A liver transplant is
much more risky,” Talbot
said. “There’s only a 50 to
75 percent survival rate.
That’s why we chose to go
this way.”
. In the years since he
was diagnosed, Hyde has
experienced failure and
removal of both kidneys,
severe high blood pres-
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banter with Forsyth’s other law¬
makers.
“I’m big on that.” he said.
“There’s way too much stress
down here, so l try to make
some sort of lighthearted remark
as often as l can to keep it inter¬
esting.”
There were a lot of jokes dur¬
ing Wednesday’s session, which
ran from about 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dudgeon sits a few seats
away from the other local
Republican delegates. District 9
Rep. Amos Amerson of
Dahlonega and District 23 Rep.
Mark Hamilton of Cumming.
Dudgeon is one of 35 fresh¬
men representatives this year.
Though a large class. Dudgeon
said the group, both Democrats
and Republicans, sticks togeth
er.
Among his closest friends is
District 101 state Rep. Buzz
Brockway, R-Lawrenceville,
one of the few other House
members who graduated from
Georgia Tech.
The two sat in on a Budget
and Fiscal Affairs Oversight
Committee meeting Wednesday
to hear about proposals for zero
based budgeting.
While neither serves on the
committee. Dudgeon said he
often spends his spare time
learning about topics of interest
because “my personality is if
sure, anemia and low
blood platelets.
He’s had to undergo a
variety of treatments
including blood transfu¬
sions, hospital stays last¬
ing weeks at a time, and
10 hours of dialysis every'
night to do the w'ork his
kidneys would normally
do.
The new drug blocks the
immune system from
breaking down red blood
cells, and the new kidney
will hopefully restart his
renal system.
“Atypical HUS is a terri¬
ble heart-wrenching dis¬
ease, but you have to con¬
front it head on,” Phyllis
Talbot said.
She and husband Bill,
along with their extended
family and neighbors,
have done just that.
In 2009, they launched
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Jennifer Sami Forsyth County News
District 24 state Rep. Mike Dudgeon, second from right,
poses with other Forsyth County delegates and members
of Leadership Forsyth on the Capitol steps.
Em going to do something, I
want to dig into it.”
With three sons from ages 11
to 15 at home, Dudgeon choos
es not to live in Atlanta during
the week. Instead, he makes the
daily commute from Forsyth to
Atlanta and back. So far, he has
yet to miss a family event.
“I have a Droid [smart phone]
and my wife has one and she
can look at mine and tell when
I’m going to be home, and 1 can
look at hers and see what’s
going on," he said,
“1 have family things. You’ve
got to keep those first and I've
On the Net
• For more information
about Hike4Hyde, go
online at www.hike4
hyde.com.
•To learn more about the
Foundation for Children
with Atypical HUS, visit
www.atypicalhus.50megs
.com.
an annual fundraiser called
Hike4Hyde, which bene¬
fits the Foundation for
Children with Atypical
HUS and Children’s
Healthcare of Atlanta.
The event has raised
$52,(XX) for research. The
2011 Hike4Hyde will take
place April 16 at Sawnee
Mountain Nature Preserve.
Hyde’s uncle, Warren
Chase of Pennsylvania,
helped in an invaluable
way.
Chase, who’s related to
done that.”
Technology does more than
keep Dudgeon’s home life in
order. It’s the key to his legisla¬
tive work as well.
“If it’s not in my e-mail, it’s
dangerous, because I’m a very
electronic-oriented person," he
said. “1 laugh because they
dump all this paper on your
desk ... all the bills and calen¬
dars, and to me, it’s all there on
the computer.
“I bring my laptop to session
and boom, if I need a bill, I
don’t need a page to bring it out
for me.”
the family by marriage,
was Hyde’s kidney donor.
Phyllis Talbot said Hyde
required a donor who was
not a blood relative since
his condition is genetic.
She said her brother-in
law’s generosity has been
amazing.
“He's just so cool,” she
said, adding that Hyde
doesn’t yet understand the
gift he’s received.
Talbot related how one
of the nurses told Hyde he
should be grateful to his
uncle for the present.
“[Hyde] just looked at
her with a confused look
and said, ‘I’ve gotten lots
of presents,’” she said.
“It’s hard for a 4-year
old to understand why all
this is necessary. He just
wants to be a normal little
boy.”
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it was through text messaging
that Dudgeon was able to com¬
municate with other House
members during session, and
how he met up at the right place
with Leadership Forsyth on
Wednesday.
The group of future county
leaders was touring the capitol
and stopped for a brief photo
w ith their delegates.
After a vote for Emily Dunn
to replace Steve Gooch as the
9th District representative on the
state board of transportation.
Dudgeon also made time for
another constituent.
Shiloh Point Elementary first
grader Ava Leavitt’s work was
featured in a statewide art con¬
test.
Dudgeon squeezed in a quick
visit and photo shoot with
Leavitt and her family before
heading to a reception for the
Technology Association of
Georgia.
Dudgeon, who doesn't drink
coffee, said it can get tiring on
the busy days, especially with
more bills being discussed in the
coming months. Still, he’s
enjoying the experience.
“If you had told me five years
ago I’d have gone into politics.
I'd have laughed you out of the
room,” he said.
“But so far, I’m glad 1 did it.
It's an experience of a lifetime.”
FROM 1A
Start: 3rd inclement
weather day added
It’s also why a third
inclement weather day
was added. The 2010-11
school calendar had
two.
The draft is just that.
The board has the option
to shift things around
before a calendar is
approved.
Two years ago, the
board agreed to increase
the Thanksgiving break
from three days to a full
week, at the request of
parents.
Board member Ann
Crow said she’s not sure
having school on
1 3A
Monday and Tuesday of
Thanksgiving week is
best for students.
“Thanksgiving, it’s
almost a wasted week
because it’s hard to get
the kids to focus,
because they know
they’re going to get out
on Wednesday,” she
said.
“I don’t have a dog in
the fight, but it just does
n’t make sense to me
because of the academic
part of it.”
The board is scheduled
to approve the final cal¬
endar Feb. 17.