Mailbag - January 2025

SOFA TIME Grandsons Eli and Faires Weber help pass the time as Cindy Gabriel counts the days until surgery. (Photo: Julia Weber)

Recognized symptoms from Cindy’s story 

I am so grateful for Cindy Gabriel’s article A Diagnosis: Can be a Good Thing [Nov. 2024], and then the follow-up article on her recovery from surgery to remove an enlarged parathyroid [Life After Surgery: Cindy Gabriel gives an update, Dec. 2024]. I read the first article and thought, “this is interesting, but it has nothing to do with me.” But then I found myself in the doctor's office hearing I needed the same surgery with the same doctor, Helmi Khadra. I didn’t even know what a parathyroid was before reading the article. It was actually my husband Jeff, who noticed the diagnosis, hyperparathyroidism, was the same as Cindy’s. The story about her positive experience made us both feel so much better. I have recently spoken with Cindy about the pending surgery and promise to keep her updated on the outcome. 

Shellie Lewis 

Editor’s note: Shellie, we are so thankful to hear that Cindy’s article resulted in you recognizing your own symptoms and getting checked out. A diagnosis can be a good thing. We wish you the very best with your upcoming surgery and recovery! 

A sweet experience

What a thrill to have my homemade cookies get a professional photo shoot [Magic and Christmas Cookies: Baking up memories together by Andria Dilling, Dec. 2024]! And what fun to have a chance to bake early this Christmas season with my nieces and serve my father our cookies (even though he prefers Oreos!). Thank you, The Buzz Magazines, for talking cookies and recipes with me. I have loved hearing from many friends about Andria’s wonderful story. 

Kathryn Wilson

A good story 

Ms. Cheryl Ursin’s article [Doing Good: Being a Good Samaritan, Dec. 2024] is very well written, especially the part explaining that the New York newspapers greatly overstated at first the 40 “do not want to get involved” neighbors in the 1964 Kitty Genovese murder; the part educating on Texas’ Good Samaritan Law, etc. 

Unfortunately, we live in different times these days. Although the percentage is very, very small; there are Good Samaritans who stop to assist, and are attacked (assaulted, robbed). Either the accident was faked, or if not faked the victim was a criminal not hurt badly enough to somehow take advantage of his/her savior. So Good Samaritans should therefore be cautious in those few cases in which the situation is not obvious.

Bennett Fisher 

Good reminders

Great write, Cheryl! The Good Samaritan Law is always discussed and explained when we have CPR/EAD training. Also, they teach us to never say “someone call 911” but always point at a person and say “you, call 911.” Life is hard enough, be a good person and help each other. 

Barbara Lauren Schmeitz

Editor’s note: Thanks for your comment, Barbara! The notion of designating a person to call 911 in the case of an emergency is referenced in Cheryl Ursin’s feature story this month, Stayin’ Alive: CPR saves lives. The topic was inspired by her research on Good Samaritan laws from our December issue.

From the chef

Dai, so many people have been coming in [to the restaurant, Japanese Ramen Gachi] since your article [Chef’s Corner: Japanese Ramen: Elevated Soup Cuisine by Dai Huynh, Dec. 2024] came out! I was too busy to write to you. Your readers are really good people that we wanted to come. Thank you so much. 

Also, I appreciate your article! Thank you for understanding me and my restaurant and introducing us so nicely. 

Chef Jesse Ando, Japanese Ramen Gachi

Email us at [email protected]. Or send to Mailbag, The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet St., Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters or emails addressed to The Buzz Magazines become the property of the magazine, and it owns all rights to their use for publication. Addresses, phone numbers and email addresses will not be published. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.