OTHER VOICES
Elective surgeries
Reading your editorial decrying repeat restaurant closures, I thought I was going to agree (The Capital, Dec. 13). It is very sad, and I wish that our local restaurant community didn’t have to suffer. Several of my favorites are barely hanging on, and I fear they may close this go-round. Agree, right?
As I read on, though, I found your counter-argument, that Gov. Larry Hogan should force all “elective” surgeries to pause, completely incorrect.
Who defines “elective?” Many orthopedic surgeries are not necessarily urgent/ emergent but are insurance-sanctioned procedures aimed at returning patients to the workforce and decreasing the chronic use of narcotic pain medications.
If one just focuses on cosmetic procedures instead, these are still not as easy of a target as you made out. These have nothing to do with hospital capacity, as the vast majority are outpatient, and many are not done at hospitals at all, but independent surgery centers. Reducing these has nothing to do with hospital capacity.
You insinuated thatwell-insured people flock to have surgery over the end-of-year holidays. This view is underinformed (not to mention judgmental), as the plastics/ cosmetics procedures you are vilifying don’t go through insurance and have nothing to do with deductibles being met.
Finally, your statement that hospitals and medical practices have proven able to withstand coronavirus closures is fairly bold. Physicians work to get paid and, if there is no work, there is no revenue with which to support families, pay staff, and stay open to provide care to future patients.
Please be careful who you malign. We are all trying to stay healthy, make a living, and keep afloat— I don’t judge your trade, so please don’t judge mine. None of us want to or deserve to close. May we all be able to withstand the latest coronavirusrelated challenges. Dr. ANGELA JONES Annapolis
Editor’s Note: Dr. Angela Jones is an orthopedic surgeon.
TwoTrees
The trees in West Annapolis not only provide shade but also have a job acting as interpreters of our natural and cultural history (The Capital, Dec. 10).
The Chestnut Oak at103 Annapolis St. is featured in two publications: “Meet the Oaks and Their Neighbors: A Natural HistoryWalk Along Annapolis Street, and Walk the Village of West Annapolis.” It is one of only two Chestnut Oaks within our business district.
Its role has been to bring the world of John Norwood, the first Sheriff of Anne Arundel County, to life. It connects us with the types of trees he would have found when he claimed this land. We ask the Annapolis Planning Commission to preserve this tree and to ensure that it is protected during the redevelopment of 103
Annapolis St.
Also, we recommend thatMREProperties consider their tree replanting as an opportunity to create an additional incentive to lure visitors from downtown to the shops and restaurants they hope to establish here. The natural history tree walk during our first Maryland Day celebration attracted participants from as far away as Gaithersburg and White Marsh.
People are interested in unique experiences. Thetreescape could beenhancedby working with the city and tree experts to replant a diversity of native trees that could become the basis of a first-class, self-guided natural history walking tour. We currently have an abundance ofwillow oaks (40 % of the district’s oaks) and pin oaks (30%). GINNY VROBLESKY Chair West AnnapolisHeritage Partnership Annapolis