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November 25, 2009
On this Thanksgiving Week we
mark the holiday of gratitude
with a Vent dedicated to
Thanks-ventings — only things
for which to give thanks. As you
see below, we had a terrific re
sponse. Remember, just be
cause we return to the normal
Vent next week doesn’t prevent
readers from submitting
Thanks-vents all year long.
I am thankful that we have a
BOE that finally listened and
made the hard choices. Happy
Thanksgiving Hubbard. You
have a lot to be thankful for!
rank: 22
We are thankful that the BOE fi
nally gave us our school back.
Thankful that we'll have peace
again! rank: 15
Many thanks to the BOE for
what you have given us. We
know it's not over for you guys
but very happy that our children
and parents can feel good
about our school once again!
Happy Thanksgiving, rank: 14
I am thankful for my wife - my
love, my friend and life long
companion. She's the best!
rank: 13
I am a parent of a Hubbard Ele
mentary School child and I am
thankful for reporters like Gina
Herring who will try to get the
truth even though some people
will not say the truth, rank: 12
My family is thankful for the
food we eat. Many thanks to
the farmers that have to deal
with the weather and politics,
rank: 11
We are thankful for life itself, for
family, and for the wonderful
men and women who protect
and defend this nation. God
bless them and give them wis
dom. rank: 10
Congratulations goes out to
Corey Jarvis, former MP coach.
Since Coach Jarvis left us he is
49-10 at ML King. While he was
here as our track coach we won
our only state championship in
track. Great coach and a great
man to lead young men. rank: 9
I am thankful that I have a job.
maybe not the best pay, or ben
efits, but where else can you
move traffic with lights and
sirens!? rank: 9
I am thankful for Nascar, #5
Mark Martin, my wife, my kids,
and M, my good friend, even
though she’s a #48 Jimmy
Johnson fan. rank: 7
I am thankful to live in a town
that wouldn't send a union to
look into a Boy Scout for an ea
gle project! Support your local
BSA. rank: 6
I just want to wish everyone a
Happy, Happy Thanksgiving. To
those who are still struggling,
just continue to trust and be
lieve in God. rank: 6
I am thankful to live in the best
county in Georgia and the best
news makers around (county
commissioners, city council,
Hubbard principal) LOL! rank: 5
Now that we all know that
Amanda and Scott McDonald
will be cruising the next 8 days,
someone should look after their
home and valuables, rank: 5
Praise the Lord that conserva
tive families are beginning to
speak out. We are the silent
majority, just as in the movie “A
Bugs Life”. Vent without fear.
Thank you MCR! rank: 5
^Reporter
Perkins: Giving thanks
for stunning recovery
I told them to take me home and let me die. - Jim Perkins
Hoping Amanda and Scott Mc-
donald will enjoy thanksgiving
cruising the Caribbean for 8
days, just be safe from any
dangers, rank: 5
To the person that is wondering
about Amanda and Scott Mc
Donald’s home while they are
at sea. No worry, we have a
housesitter keeping it safe for
them. They will be there the
whole time watching over
things. Happy Thanksgiving to
all of Monroe County rank: 5
Don't laugh, but I am thankful
for flowers. Really. Especially
snapdragons. And azaleas.
Forsythia, not so much, sorry
rank: 3
I'm thankful for the Backlot
Players who put on fantastic
theatre performances year after
year! Thank you Backlot for all
entertainment you provide!
rank: 3
Happy Thanksgiving to the per
son who loves Mark Martin. I
too am like your friend loving
me some Jimmy Johnson go #
48 rank: 3
I am thankful that I serve a God
who loved me so much that he
sent his son to die on the cross
for my sins. Be thankful for your
religion because before too
long, you may not be allowed to
practice your faith, rank: 2
I am thankful that, on occasion,
some people have common
sense, rank: 2
Thanks for AA. rank: 2
Way to go Monroe County for
the great sportsmanship shown
to the boys and girls that
played their hearts out on the
Strikers U12 Team this year!
rank: 2
Happy Thanksgiving to the
MCR for all they do for us and
all the news they give us. Lov
ing this vent section. It comes
in handy for us all rank: 1
I am thankful that my family still
has a home and we can feed
our self. Our dinner prayer this
year will be that all the less for
tunate will see better times
again very soon, rank: 1
Everyone can give. No
matter what. Give back
instead of asking for.
rank: 0
I am thankful for my
hometown it is a loving
and caring town and
has always been. Wel
come to all the new
comers. rank: 0
I am thankful that our
county govenrment has
become a business-like
entity this year. Quite an
improvement. Thanks!
rank: -2
I
BY WILL DAVIS
t was eight years ago this week that Jim
Perkins of Forsyth took a fall that
changed his life.
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating
Polyneuropathy (CIDP) in his back. And it still
is.
He was working on a roof at
Atkinson's Mid-Ga Auto on Hwy. 41
in November 2001 when he somehow
fell to the ground and seriously
injured his back.
A year later, his recovery was going
nowhere. Unable to walk, feed him
self, or even use the bathroom, his
wife had to put him in a Macon nurs
ing home. Then just 65 years old, he
had lost 40 lbs., down to 133 lbs., was PERKINS
wearing diapers and declining fast.
"They said I'd never walk and didn't
expect me to live," said Perkins. "I told them to
take me home and let me die. I felt like a bur
den on my family."
But one day a young Indian physical thera
pist asked him a question that began a
miraculous road to recovery.
"She said, 'what are your goals?"' recalls
Perkins. "I looked at her and thought: a
year ago I could tote shingles up a ladder.
Now look at me. What goal could I set?"
But she had posed the question and
Perkins finally found an answer: He told
his therapist that if he could learn to feed
himself he'd be happy.
"I lied," said Perkins. "Once I learned to
feed myself, I realized I could make an
improvement, and set another goal."
Perkins said it was providential the way
the help came to him. His 93-year-old
roommate had just lost the wife he had
spent years caring for, so he began taking
care of Perkins. "He wheeled me to thera
py every day," recalls Perkins.
First, he learned to push his wheelchair
up and down a ramp. Then he started
using the parallel bars so he could learn
to walk again. "I got that down and kept
making the challenge a little greater,"
said Perkins.
Perkins said he learned that he had to
be motivated enough to workout even
when it hurt.
"Somebody told me a long time ago that
there's no sin in being down," said
Perkins. "The sin is if you can get back up
and don't."
So Perkins kept getting back up, and it
worked. He had entered Peake Nursing
Home in Macon in a wheelchair, unable to
feed himself or use the bathroom. Fifteen
months later, he walked out of the facility
to go home.
Physical therapy was the key, said
Perkins, whose injury had left him with
"I've been called a miracle a lot," said Perkins,
"but if I back off the therapy for a
week, I know it. And in two weeks,
you know it. Working out is not
optional."
He swims 300 yards at Wesleyan
College every day and works out with
his Total Gym set and treadmill at
home.
And he hasn't stopped setting goals.
Now Perkins wants to scuba dive.
He said he never could have done it
without his supportive wife, Paulette.
Now he's even able to work, selling
food supplements from Windsor and
Ziga that have helped his recovery.
It was Thanksgiving Week that Perkins too
his life-altering fall. But eight years later,
Perkins says he finds himself with plenty of
reasons to be thankful.
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