Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Page 3 Second Surgical Opinion May Prevent Unnecessary Operation If your doctor recommends surgery, you have a right to know whether or not surgery is really necessary...especially since there is always a risk involved. If surgery is of & non emergency nature, consider getting a second medical opinion. Talking to another doctor can helpyou decide what treatment is best for you. One doctor may think surgery is the only solution; another may advise you to delay surgery temporarily and try a non- surgical procedure. In the meantime, you’re spending more money for a second opinion. Right? Wrong! Clinton Mills believes you shouldn’Jt face the trauma and risk surgery unless it’s.absolute ly necessary. Consequently, the company will pay through Aetna Life and Casuality for a second opinion. Before you ask another opinion, make sure you have thoroughly dis cussed all the benefits and risks of surgery with your primary doctor. Truman Owens and Lucille White in Geneva will be pleased to answer any questions you may have about second opinions as well as ways for em ployees to save money on health care. When talking with your primary physician, it is important to have a list of questions in mind: • What are the risks i nvolved with surgery? •What are my other options? •Could I avoid hospitalization and use an outpatient facility? •How much will the operation Cost? •Will a short delay while I see another doctor affect my well-being? Non-emergency surgery means there is time to seek a second opinion. Find another doctor whose opinion you can trust. Your first doctor may recommend someone; if not, it's up to you to locate a doctor. Above all, don’t feel uncomfortable telling your doctor you’re seeking a second opinion. Most doctors welcome a second opinion to resolve any doubts about the need for non emergency surgery. If both doctors agree that surgery is neces sary, employees really have little choice. If there is a disagreement as to the urgency or need for an operation, discuss the situation with your first doctor before making a final decision. Perhaps you should consult a third doctor. Remember—the ultimate decision fof non-emergency surgery is yours. So why not make a second opinion a first priority? After 38 Years King Says Farewell to Football (Reprinted by permission of Clinton Chro nicle.) By MONTE DUTTON Sports Editor Norman D. “Sonny" King has seen foot ball from all angles, but he'll be calling it quits this fall after 38 years. Since 1947, Sonny has been playing, coaching or officiating football, but the Clin ton Mills Coordinator of Health and Safety says the demands of working his high school officiating into a job schedule finally made him decide to give up the game this year. It all began at Anderson Boys High School, where King captained the football team and earned all-state and All-America honors. Later he played football at Clemson University and^ Presbyterian College, where he graduated In 1959. He has completed graduate work at South Carolina, Western Carolina, Georgia and Clemson. The King coaching career began at Clinton High School, where he was assistant football and basketball coach in the 1958-59 school year, moving on to Honea Path High as assis tant football and head baseball and basket ball coach the following year. From 1961 to 1966, he served as head football coach and athletic director at Honea Path, continuing in that capacity when the larger Belton- Honea Path High School was finished and serving until 1972. For one year King was defensive coordinator of the semi- professional Greenville Bulls. “You know, I thought I knew the rules when I was a coach, but when I went to work as an official, I found out there were a lot of rules that I didn’t know about,” he admits. “One of the biggest drawbacks I’ve found in some coaches is that they’ve never really sat down and studied those rules. It’s amazing what questions you’ll get from some of the coaches, and it’s amazing how many things there are that they don’t know." “If I went back to coaching right now, I’d be a lot better football coach because I know the rules of the game, and I think you’ll find that the best coaches usually know what they’re talking about out there.” “When I was officiating, I always made a special point to talk with the coaches before the game and tell them, ‘Hey, we’re human, and we may make some errors, and you have the right to an official timeout, and I’ll be glad to come to you and explain the deci sion.’” “But I have to come to the coach. No matter how right he is, he’s wrong if he steps out onto that football field. Once we got that straightened out, there were no problems." According to King, one of the best aspects of working as an official in Clinton is the inter-action with other officials in town. “I think Clinton is blessed with the finest officials in the state,” he declares. “In Sam and Truman Owens, Jimmy Braswell, Gene Simmons, Mike Cannon and, gosh, there’s so many others, I 've learned more from them than any rule book." “When Sam or Truman says this is right, you never doubt it. It’s a shame CHS can’t use their own officials, because they’re the best in the business.” And, King says, officiating excellence is present throughout the state. Looking ahead to the upcoming fall sea son, King adfnits it won’t be the same any more. "As long as I coached, I was so tied up emotionally that nothing else really mat tered to me," he notes. “Now it’s very hard for me to get emotionally involved in a foot ball game.” "I love to go and watch Clinton High school play, but I don't watch with anything like the enthusiasm I had when I was coaching.” “In South Carolina, you’ve got good offi cials and good coaches, and I'm going to miss the fellowship with both of them.” Sonny King