Mount Airy has its own superhero … and his name is Carpenter.   Dean Carpenter. As Manager of the bustling Northern Wellness & Fitness Center, a division of Northern Hospital of Surry County, Carpenter oversees the day-to-day operations of a facility that offers 42 different fitness-related classes a week and scores of opportunities for members to […]

No doubt about it – it’s highly contagious … and it’s affected every nook and cranny of the hospital!   Yes, holiday cheer abounds at Northern Hospital of Surry County – from festive Christmas decorations to homemade cookie platters to warm holiday wishes being extended to one another among hospital staff, patients, and visitors.  “We do […]

Take a Bite Out of “Food Obstruction” Uncle Dave is at it again.  For about the fifth time in the past few months, he’s had to excuse himself from the Sunday family dinner and retreat to the bathroom to privately ‘cough up’ a piece of food that’s stuck in his throat.  For Uncle Dave, it’s become […]

Christmas time is upon us — along with all the extra parties and special occasions that make the season so special.   As we move from one event to the next, our senses are overwhelmed with the wondrous sights, sounds and scents of the magical season — from festive decorations to freshly-cut pine trees to the […]

Jenny Triplett, RN, BSN, runs a tight ship on the Skilled Nursing Unit at Northern Hospital of Surry County – which serves as the temporary residence for 33 eligible individuals who require long-term care and/or special rehabilitation services.   Like a mother eagle, the 56-year-old nursing director ensures that she and her staff meet the needs […]

When Michael Leonard began his career in healthcare administration some 40 years ago, he already understood the value of using X-rays machines and CT scanners to “see” inside the human body.   These days, as Director of Imaging Services at Northern Hospital of Surry County, he manages the daily operations of the most advanced imaging equipment […]

Come on, confess – you’ve been there, too!   You go to your doctor, register your complaints, listen to the doctor’s explanation and instructions, then go back home and say, “What just happened?” It’s a fact: healthcare is complicated … and with a constant infusion of newer, faster, non-invasive and robotic technologies and techniques, it’s no wonder […]

A Breast Cancer Survivor’s “Call to Action” Deborah Moser remembers the moment quite clearly.   Having just stepped in the shower after completing a rigorous bike ride, she gingerly stretched her left arm over her head – as she’d done countless times before to better enjoy the full force of the cool shower stream.  “This time, […]

The death of a child is a particularly excruciating torment …and losing a baby for no apparent medical reason makes the heartache that much more wrenching.   Today, more than 3,500 infants in America under the age of 1 are lost each year to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) – the cause of death when babies […]