A New Southern Rite Of Passage

In 1990, Jimmie Nichols and Rayford Palmer were on a typical fishing trip when Jimmie snatched a Diamondback Watersnake from a branch and tossed it into the boat.

Just for fun, you see…

I understand that it was a "religious experience" for Rayford.  After his terror subsided Jimmie convinced Rayford that the serpent was NOT a "Cottonmouth", and was NOT poisonous.  Of course, it could bite the (OH-MY!) out of you.

One really great idea deserves another, so Rayford soon snatched a snake for his buddy in return, and a male-bonding ritual was born.  Nature took it's course and in no-time-a'tall fishing buddies Joey Mays, Joey Rigby and Shane Gibson were "practicing the art" and a movement was underway.  In just a few fishing seasons Brad Vincent and Brent Shorter ­­had joined the group and "GrabUOne Outfitters" was born.  They started showing up at events, doing some sponsorships, and word of their "sport" began to spread.  They had pretty much stopped catching snakes from the boat, now wading around up to their gizzards in the water - taking pictures and the occasional video of the fun.

One day they put a video of a grabbing trip on YouTube and sho-nuf, it went "viral".  Next thing ya know was the DVD, the TShirts, huggers, hats and swimsuits.

So now it's a business.  Whodathunkit???  Hey, it ain't work if you enjoy it…

From their website, www.grabuoneoutfitters.com:

We at Grabuone Outfitters hope you enjoy our movies, clothing, and novelty items.  There will be more to come.  Remember to take your children, show and teach them the world outside.

The true southern rights of passage: Respecting your elders, Saying "sir" and "m'am", Giving your seat to a lady, Treating children with honor, Cooking for the sick, Go to church on Sunday, and Respecting your family name.

Parents and grandparents teach your children about the outdoors.  They will remember it always….. Even if snake hunting is not for you, you can watch us!

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!!

• We do not recommend you do this on your own!

• There are snakes that can hurt you!

• Join us for an Event !

CLICK HERE to view photos of the event.

Remembering Heros

A Time To Remember - by Rainee Suzanne Scott

Thoughts of heros, and their dedication to all of us.

It was nearly ten years ago on a clear September morning that the United States faced one of its most trying moments.  As the smoke rose from the impact sites in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, many of us sat in stunned silence, wondering what this meant for the future of our nation.

But some of us did not have the luxury of wondering about the future that morning. The first responders -- the police, fire, ambulance and emergency personnel of those devastated cities -- leaped immediately to action.  Even aside from the normal risk to life that comes with these jobs, none was sure in the hours after whether more attacks would come.  Many of them did not return home to their families that night.

Flowood is the envy of Mississippi with the best-trained and most devoted police and fire departments in the state.  It's a fitting time to remember the sacrifices these brave individuals make every day, as "just a day's work".

Our city is clean, safe, and beautiful because of those who dedicate their lives to protecting us from crime, natural disasters and other emergencies.

Please remember our heros when you give thanks, and pray for their safety and for their continued dedication to us.

River Oaks Hospital is Taking Healthcare mobile

As with every other industry, healthcare is making information easily accessible through mobile devices.  River Oaks Hospital's ER Extra now offers several ways to view the current wait time at any given time.

ER wait times are tracked by a tool called ProMed.  They reflect the average wait time of the patients that were triaged during the previous hour.  The goal of ER Extra was to make this information accessible not only within the hospital, but to patients and visitors as well.

The concept came to fruition when the hospital posted ER wait times to its web site last summer.  From there digital billboards were developed and placed throughout the metro-Jackson area displaying a live feed of the wait time.

The next stage in the campaign was the creation of an iPhone app.  In addition to the wait time, the app provides a map, a link to the main web site and the phone number of River Oaks Hospital. It can be downloaded for free at the iTunes app store by searching "ER Extra", and can be used on the iPad as well.

Even though this app is dedicated solely to iPhone and iPad users, a mobile site was also created allowing similar features to be used on any smartphone.  Mobile sites are designed to recognize that the user is accessing a web site via their smartphone as opposed to a traditional computer.

The latest development is the addition of a texting option for ER Extra wait times. Simply text a zip code to ERTIME (378463) and receive the ER wait time at River Oaks Hospital.

Extra fast, extra easy, extra great care.

It's just that simple!

Woman's Now Offering DA Vinci®Robotic Surgery

Until the past several years, patient options for traditional surgery included large, open incisions or laparoscopy, which uses small incisions but is typically limited to very simple procedures.  Thanks to a break-through in surgical technology, there is a new category of surgery allowing surgeons to offer a minimally invasive option for complex surgical procedures.

Dr. Darden North, Jackson Healthcare for Women, was the first surgeon to utilize the newly installed da Vinci Robot at Woman's Hospital on December 23, 2010. The precision of the da Vinci made it ideal for his patient's total laparoscopic hysterectomy.  "The high definition vision and greater range of motion make robotic surgery more amendable to performing gynecologic procedures. It is truly beneficial to patients in minimizing post-operative discomfort and time away from family and work and aids surgeons by maximizing success in performing minimally-invasive procedures," said Dr. North.

Several gynecologic procedures, including hysterectomies, can be performed with the aid of the new equipment. Dr. John Baten, Women's Health Associates, performed Woman's first single port total laparoscopic hysterectomy, cystoscopy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy procedure on January 7, 2011.  A single port procedure involves performing the entire surgery through one small incision in the belly button that is only 2.5cm.  "The device allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures with unmatched precision, dexterity and control which dramatically reduces the patients' recovery times," said Dr. Baten.  The da Vinci hysterectomy offers numerous potential benefits over traditional approaches to vaginal, laparoscopic or open abdominal hysterectomy, particularly when performing more challenging procedures like radical hysterectomy for gynecologic cancer.

The da Vinci Si HD offers a number of benefits to patients, including:

• Requires just a few tiny incisions for minimal scarring

• Faster post-surgery recovery (days versus weeks)

• Significantly less pain and less blood loss

• Less risk of infection

• Shorter hospital stay

• Faster return to normal activities

• Overall increased satisfaction

Sherry Pitts, CEO of Woman's Hospital, said, "Obtaining the da Vinci system allowed us to bring state-of-the-art technology to our surgeons.  We are now able to offer a new level of surgical options to our patients due to this amazing technology coupled with our outstanding surgeons and medical staff.