Professionals not immune to problems

I have some thoughts I'd like to share regarding last week's front-page article about Dr. Morris Patteson or "Dr. Morris" as he's known at our house.

My first emotional thought was "Why did Jim Lowe have to print that story?" I've known Jim a long time and believe him to be a fair man. After thinking about it, my thoughts evolved to: "If the story had to be written, I'm glad Jim wrote the story and didn't let one of his staff writers take the heat for this article." This is a newspaper, and obviously not all news is good. Some of this information was a matter of public record, so other sources likely will carry the story.

If you've lived here very long, you know the rumor mill in Lampasas is rampant and not always accurate. After reading the article, I think Jim tried to give the readers a more complete story than some papers may give. He made certain the readers understood that Dr. Morris voluntarily sought help and entered a treatment program. He also clearly stated that only one test showed traces of anything, and that even part of that was being contested.

In our society, people often expect doctors, preachers, lawyers and teachers to be immune to the problems the rest of society faces. When Dr. Morris sought help, I'm certain he and his family knew the potential for this to become public information. It's unfortunate that such a private matter has to be aired in such a public forum.

When someone is asking for help and trying to make something better, they certainly don't need our judgment or condemnation. Dr. Morris and his family need our love and support. My family and I want to go on record that we plan to continue to use Dr. Morris. He's taken good care of us for 30 years, and I know he will continue to do so. The problem now is getting in to see him since he has to cut back on his hours.

Jani Edwards