Traditions, Innovations, and Legacies: Presidential Address of the 21st Annual Scientific Assembly of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma

Abstract

Thank you Ernie, for that introduction. And thank you for your friendship and your support during the past several years. I would also like to thank you, the members of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), for entrusting me with the Presidency of this wonderful organization for the past year (Fig. 1). I am truly honored to be presiding at our 21st Annual Scientific Assembly. I think that EAST has now officially grown up into its own as a National Trauma Organization. Please indulge me now, as I condense EAST’s infancy, childhood, adolescence, and coming-of-age in the time allotted to me. I think that, although not old by organizational standards, EAST is already rich with Traditions, has had its share of Innovations, and is providing Legacies of its own. Before we embark on our journey into Organizational Adulthood, I would like to reflect a little on where we have been. Some of you may know that I am an amateur genealogist and something of a history buff. I think that our ancestors have a part in making us who we are today. I like to think that I have a little of some of my ancestors in me—to start with, there was Richard Ormesby, who settled in the wilds of Maine in 1640, and his great-great-grandson, Nathaniel Ormsby who died in 1777 while fighting for our freedom. My 9th great-grandmother was Mary Parsons, an outspoken woman who was not afraid to stand up for what she thought. This was not well accepted in 1676 resulting in accusations of witchcraft. Luckily she was acquitted at trial. Closer to the present day was my great-grandma Jane Hill, whose spunk helped her survive as a single mother in the early 1900s by running a boarding house and bootlegging. She would not take “No” for an answer. Of course, I owe a lot to my parents. My father, Donald Ormsby firmly thought that I could do anything that I wanted with my life. I’m only sorry that he is not around to see where I ended up. My mother Ruth is still alive, although she was unable to travel to be with us today, she is looking forward to a full report when I get home. She has been a source of support and encouragement for me, as have my brother Larry and my sister Robin. Why am I telling you about my own personal ancestry? Because I think that our ancestors contribute to who we are now. Let me briefly acknowledge my professional ancestors as well. First, I would like to acknowledge Lloyd M. Nyhus. Dr. Nyhus was the Warren Cole Professor and Chairman of Surgery at the University of Illinois when I started my residency. He was like our grandfather—always encouraging us residents to do better, yet showing pride in our accomplishments. Although not clinically active anymore, he is still From the Department of Trauma, Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois. Presented as the Presidential Address at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, January 15–19, 2008, Jacksonville, Florida. Copyright © 2008 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Address for Reprints: Kimberly Ormsby Nagy, MD, FACS, 1900 W. Polk Street, Suite #1300, Chicago, IL 60612; email: knagy@cookcountytrauma.org.