I am an Ogdenite!

I am an Ogdenite. And I love Ogden! I was raised and schooled in Ogden and graduated from Ogden High. I married my high school sweetheart from Ogden and we both returned to Ogden after college and living out of town and state for several years. Our children, like us all graduated from Ogden High as well. Having spent so many years here, Ogden has becomes an old, trusted friend with so many magnificent memories. Reflecting back on nearly fifty years of Ogden, many things have changed and much has improved. But the basics of Ogden that I love so much remain - the people, the opportunities, the diversity, the lifestyle and the beautiful outdoors. 

 Ogden has experienced its share of triumphs and sorrows. Many of those things remain etched deep inside. Today (and now, many years have passed since Nov. 18, 2012), I attended the funeral of Paul Southwick. He was a kind giant in the community, treating over 250,000 patients while raising his lovely family of nine children. The funeral was edifying and uplifting, just as Paul was. He always made everyone feel special. I was reminded of one of those sorrows. I remember being in the first grade when I heard of three young children just a few years older than I who fell and died while hiking to the "waterfall". It was a cold, wintry day with ice packed trails.  The three children all slipped into an icy cravass, falling to their deaths below. The "waterfall" is as common to the locals as the "hotpots", "turkey flats", "red light alley", "the basin", "Malan's Peak", etc. For those not so familiar with the area, the "waterfall" is a beautiful, slightly rigorous hike in the foothills of Ogden, about a mile up.  It was a devastating tragedy in the community.  The three children of doctors Ross, Southwick and Way lived just around the corner from our current home. Shauna Southwick was Paul's daughter.

As a side note, Paul's personal motto was, "Do it. Do it right. Do it right now!".  I have recited that so many times over the years when I face something difficult that I would rather avoid.  It always feels better to just dig in and get 'er done.

Another sorrow of Ogden was the HiFi Murders that happened on April 22, 1974. I was a junior at Ogden High School and Courtney Naisbitt was a sophomore. It involved two airman at HAFB, Pierre Selby and William Andrews who decided to rob the HiFi shop with a third person as the driver.  They took hostage Courtney and two others, Stanley Walker and Michelle Ansley, forcing them to the basement. When Courtney's mom, Carol, went to check on Courtney, she was also taken hostage as was Stanley's dad, Orren Walker.  The hostages were held at gunpoint, forced to drink Draino, the women were raped and then later, Selby began to shoot each hostage in the head. When Orren Walker showed signs of life, Selby, who had run out of bullets, kicked a ball-point pen into his ear.  Only Courtney and Orren survived.  Selby was executed by lethal injection in 1987 and Andrews in 1992. 

Two weeks ago, my rock and roll band, Midlife Crisis played a concert at the Kenley Amphitheater in Layton.  During the concert, mention was made of my former job as a deputy Weber County attorney/prosecutor.  After the concert, Ron and Tracy Bird came up to talk to us.  Ron is a news reporter on Channel 2.  He asked me what my most memorable case was. He asked if I had heard of the HiFi Murders. He didn't realize that I had married into the Naisbitt family of which two of the victims, Carol and Courtney were relatives.  He was a witness to Andrew's execution in 1992. The conversation revived many memories from the past.

In 1992 prior to Andrew's execution, we were living in New Jersey. The execution had garnered nationwide attentnion. Our four year old daughter, Paige, was hospitalized for a double hernia procedure.  I had someone call our home from St. Barnabas Medical Center stating that they noticed Paige was a Naisbitt born in Ogden, Utah and were we related to the victims in the case. Also, the local library in West Orange, NJ had a big display all about the HiFi Murders. That was remarkable.

Despite the ugly, Ogden is an amazing city with an interesting history.  I'm proud to be an Ogdenite.

  

Retirement Reflections

Three years ago, on September 28, 2015 Mark retired from his work as an anesthesiologist at McKay Dee Hospital.  It surprised some for him to retire at the age of 58 but for us, it felt right. The decision was made several years before based on numerous factors including financial forecasts,quarterly tax reports, our children's well being with educations and careers, a post retirement trip, a transitioning into a different chapter of life, mandatory changes at work with iCentra (computerized charting during cases which Mark felt detracted from anesthesia), and general overall health.  Both of our fathers retired at the age of 58 and were glad that they did.  They offered their wisdom, love and support in this important decision.

Mark began his practice of anesthesia on July 1, 1991 at the McKay Dee Medical Center.  I loved our time spent in both Arkansas and New Jersey for internship and residency but it was wonderful to return home to Utah.  Our first child was born in Utah during medical school (the last delivery Mark's dad had before his retirement as an OB/GYN) and the next three came during residency. When Mark began his career, our oldest child began kindergarten at Sara Adams Elementary in Layton and the twins, age three, began preschool at Burton Elementary in Kaysville.  Life was busy and crazy but we felt so blessed and sighed with relief for Mark's job and to be back in Utah, surrounded by family and friends. 

Mark had a wonderful, fulfilling career and provided anesthesia to thousands of patients with hundreds of loyal pain patients on the side.  Many of his pain patients suffered from chronic back pain and needed steroid epidurals injections. Mark was masterful at regional pain blocks and he enjoyed doing them. He has always had an uncanny ability to remember human anatomy and a hyper sensibility to feel when his needle was in precisely   I got to know many of his pain patients because they would call our home phone to schedule an appointment.  They would often tell me how much they appreciated Mark and the great service he rendered. 

Mark had a pretty good sense for those truly suffering from pain and those who unfortunately might be drug seeking or abusing. He flat out refused to prescribe narcotics for long term pain use.   But if a patient suffering from chronic back pain was a proper candidate for an epidural, Mark would try to schedule their procedure within a day or so, much to the surprise and delight of the patients. 

Mark never had a malpractice lawsuits or bad outcome from a physician error during his twenty four years of practice.  He received great reviews from surgeons and patients alike. Patients who had experienced anesthesia on prior occasions from other physicians often commented on Mark's anesthesia because they were not nauseated after surgery or had wonderful regional pain blocks that put pain at bay for many hours or even days.  Because of this, Mark received many requests from patients for his anesthesia.

 Mark's graduation from the University of Utah Medical School, May 1996.

 Mark's first day of his internship at the University of Arkansas Medical Center, July 1986.

 Mark comforts Paige at age three before her bilateral hernia surgery.  Perhaps she lifted her twin brother and sister too many times at such an early age.

 This was Mark's last day of work.  Both the McKay Dee OR and Surgical Center had nice going away parties for him.

Mark finishes up a very wonderful, successful career in anesthesia, Sept. 2015.