About The Monroe County reporter. (Forsyth, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 2009)
PAGE 2A 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. Are Your Property Taxes Going Up? We can help with the CA$H you need! 109 Patrol Road (478) 994-9911 Apply online at www.lffc.com *A11 loans subject to our liberal credit policy and limitations, if any. 1 st Franklin Financial Corporation, Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #5656, NMLSR #141654. 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