Walt Larimore - Bryson City Seasons: More Tales of a Doctors Practice in the Smoky Mountains

PRAISE FOR
BRYSON CITY SEASONS

As I read Walt Larimores Bryson City Seasons, I was transported to that Smoky Mountain community. The folks he loved and served, the colleagues he worked with, the situations he dealt withsome funny, some sadwere all so real. The whole book is delightful and very readable. My only criticism: there wasnt enough of it!

Margaret Brand, M.D., co-laborer with
Dr. Paul Brand in leprosy work in India

I love to hear Walts stories. Hes kept me entertained for years with tales from his life in the Smokies. Some of them are even true. I learn something from all of them.

Bill Peel, bestselling author of
What God Does When Men Pray

Another charming winner. At times medically messy (do you really want to follow the coroner into the woods?), at times soaring and suspenseful, this second-year sequel exposes the triumphs and tragedies of medical practice in the Smoky Mountains. Hide yourself in the medical bag of this Carolina physician for a bumpy roller-coaster ride to see why small-town medicine is so full of unexpected risks and rewards.

Richard A. Swenson, M.D., bestselling author of Margin

The Doc knows exactly what we needan easy and enjoyable yet empowering memoir. Walt takes us to that Smoky Mountain hideaway town in our heartsto teach us, bless us, and entertain us. Get yourself a good cup of dark roast, ease back into your favorite rocker or Lazy Boy, and start reading!

Dr. Dennis The Swan Swanberg, speaker,
author, TV host, humorist

I feel strongly that life is too short for me to read books that fail to move me deeply or take me to places Ive never been. Bryson City Seasons succeeds wonderfully on both counts.

Joe L. Wheeler, Ph.D., editor of the bestselling
Christmas in My Heart series

Resources by Walt Larimore, M.D.

Bryson City Seasons

Bryson City Tales

Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook
(coauthored with Dnal OMathna)

10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People
(with Traci Mullins)

The Highly Healthy Child
(with Stephen and Amanda Sorenson)

The Highly Healthy Teen
(with Mike Yorkey)

Why ADHD Doesnt Mean Disaster
(coauthored with Dennis Swanberg and Diane Passno)

Lintball Leos Not-So-Stupid Questions About Your Body
(with John Riddle, illustrated by Mike Phillips)

Going Public with Your Faith: Becoming a Spiritual
Influence at Work
(coauthored with William Carr Peel)

Going Public with Your Faith: Becoming a Spiritual
Influence at Work audio
(coauthored with William Carr Peel)

Going Public with Your Faith: Becoming a Spiritual
Influence at Work ZondervanGroupware curriculum
(coauthored with William Carr Peel,
with Stephen and Amanda Sorenson)

ZONDERVAN

BRYSON CITY Seasons
Copyright 2004 by Walt Larimore

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition June 2009 ISBN: 0-310-86122-5

This title is also available as a Zondervan audio product.
Visit www.zondervan.com/audiopages for more information.

Requests for information should be addressed to:
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Larimore, Walter L.
Bryson City seasons : more tales of a doctors practice in the Smoky Mountains / Walt Larimore.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-310-25287-3
1. Larimore, Walter L. 2. PhysiciansNorth CarolinaBryson CityBiography. 3. Medicine, RuralNorth CarolinaBryson City. I. Title.
R154.L267A3 2004
610'.92dc22

2004012811

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.

Map by Terry Workman

04 05 06 07 08 09 10 /DC/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Maxine Larimore and Inez Shaw
both of you have been incredible examples to me
of what it means to be a woman, a wife, a mother, and a friend.
Im in awe of how youve each encouraged,
equipped, and empowered me.
I love you both very much.

CONTENTS

It was one of those sweltering summer afternoons in the Smoky Mountains that are unknown to outsiders and a distinct surprise to first-time visitorshumid, sticky, and unyielding. The heavy air lay over us as though it didnt want us to even move.

You didnt tell me, Walt, my bride of nine years complained. We were heading toward our tenth wedding anniversary that fall, and I had already begun scheming, behind her back, with the help of our friend Sally Jenkins, to give Barb a bedroom makeover and a special trip out of town.

About what? I asked, trying to feign innocence but suspecting she had somehow found out about my shenanigans. One thing that was almost impossible in Bryson City, North Carolina, was having a secret remain a secret. Somehow news wafted through our town as easily as mountain breezes.

About this heat! Barb exclaimed. If I had known it was going to be this hot in the mountains, I might have just stayed in Durham and let you come up here by yourself!

Barb turned to smile at meone of those you know Im kidding smiles I loved. She turned back to face the mountains. At least I would have asked the hospital to put an air conditioner in the house!

We were sitting on the park bench we had placed in our backyard when we moved to Bryson City, North Carolina, over a year ago. It looked out over an exquisite view across Swain County Recreational Park, then up and into Deep Creek Valley, and finally over nearly endless ridges all the way to the most distant mountain ridgesdeep in Great Smoky Mountains National Parkthat separated North Carolina from Tennessee.

Maybe I could call down to the Bryson City icehouse and have them send over a block or two for us to sit on.

You mean that old building down by Shulers Produce next to the river? It doesnt look like its been open for years. How about you go get us a glass of ice water?