Nation needs different, better things to happen

My dad was a devoted Democrat. He was brought up to see Democrats for the working man, and Republicans for big business. It was always a straight ticket to vote. It really didn’t matter what was said, they voted their party.

The people they put in office made the rules, always trying to tip the scales in their party’s favor to control the power and the people.

I can’t say Trump is the answer. I can say he is the only one willing to make different, hopefully better, things happen. He can’t outright say now what will be done in a plan. Why? As he has said, you have to place the right knowledge in the right places to make a plan that works. You don’t build a winning race car with people from all walks of life. You don’t teach bricklaying with someone who has only been a lawyer. You don’t elect a president who is a “Yes” person for one party.

I was taught that when something is not working right, you fix the problem within first. Compromise and checks and balances are the foundation of our government. But over the years, they broke that system

My dad always wanted me to find life better than he did. And I have. But I took the path I needed to take and not the one he had laid out for me. He saw me running a Fortune 500 company. … I decided to go into construction type work.

The next president has to not be a “Yes” person for any party.

If we want to leave this world to our children, our best way is to help them become thinkers and doers with morals.  To live “outside the box” past life has made for us — to live and think in today.

— Art Liles

China Grove

They saved my wife’s life

My wife was dying right in front of my eyes and we had been in love since we were 15 years of age. How could this be happening? I had arrived home from work and she had developed a kidney stone (her first) less than an hour earlier. However, while exceeding painful, that was not life threatening. In less than an hour from my coming home, she was developing sepsis, commonly known as septic shock, caused by blockage of the kidney and bacteria infecting the bloodstream

I knew we had to get to the hospital and my preference was Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. Quite simply, they saved her life. From the emergency triage nurse, her treating emergency nurses and X-ray/lab, her superb Emergency Department doctor, surgeon, the operating and recovery room nurses, followed by the intensive care nurses and step down nurses and staff, my wife received world-class care.

We could have gone to any other hospital, at any time, but my pride in her excellent care was well founded. You see I have a unique ability to judge quality of medical care. I am a physician. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of individuals staffing our hospital in Rowan County,  often in spite of insults and claims of inadequate care. We love the citizens of Rowan County and feel that they should be very proud and supportive of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. I know that I and my wife certainly are.

— Dr. Timothy L. Dagenhart

Salisbury