Unbelieveable.

Our powers that be have done it again. We are losing Cardiologist Brad Lemay and Jackson Heart Clinic. Why?

What do I mean by “again”? We have been letting our recreation center slip through our hands for some 20 years and our county fire protection for the past several years. Now, we are letting Dr. Lemay and Jackson Heart Clinic slip away.

Let me tell you the type of doctor and man we are losing. He cares about his patients and proves it. Dr. Lemay treats you as a patient and like a friend. As one of Dr. Lemay’s heart patients I have a 24/7 connection with Dr. Lemay. Of course, I have his office number. In addition, I was given his home phone and personal cell phone number with instructions to call him if there was any change in my situation. An appointment with Dr. Lemay includes a thorough coverage of your health situation with no haste involved. I know of one of his patients where Dr. Lemay sat on the floor and talked with the patient. This was done in an effort to relax the patient.

Dr. Lemay gave me, and all his patients, a direct and immediate connection to Jackson Heart Clinic. Now we will have to travel the 100 miles to Jackson. This involves an entire day and expenses such as fuel, food and, during a several-day hospital stay, lodging for family members. Many of these procedures Dr. Lemay has been accomplishing in Natchez.

Dr. Lemay was offered less time off and less money than when he came to Natchez some three years ago. This is going backwards. How can a doctor of this credibility expect to accept less?

It seems the heart patients of our city and county were not included in the decision making that let Dr. Lemay go.

Does Dr.Lemay HAVE to stay in Natchez? The answer is no. He already has three job offers. As Dr. Lemay stated so well in Sunday’s Democrat, “I am leaving a city and people which I love dearly.”

Yes, as a life-long citizen of Natchez and Adams County and a heart patient, I feel the right thing for our city and county government and hospital board to do is make every effort between now and May 31 to keep Dr. Lemay.

Jerry McDaniel