Letter From Mayo Clinic about Tom Doggett death

DOGGETT, MCCOY, MANKIN, DANIELSON, MONTGOMERY

Posted By: Nancy Doggett Tate (email)
Date: 6/7/2008 at 13:30:03

Letter from Harold T. Mankin, M.D.,
Mayo Clinic,
Department of Medicine
Division of cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine
Rochester, Minnesota

July 17, 1970

Mrs. Ralph Doggett
231 South Riverside
Ames, Iowa 50010

Dear Mrs. Doggett

I am absolutely shattered with the news of Tom. His recheck examination here in March was unbelievably satisfactory with such a dramatic decrease in heart size and other signs pointing toward a most superior operative result. Naturally, I was disappointed about some of the situational problems which had caused him some depression. I was encouraged these would pass with time as he became more active.

The headache symptoms may be a real clue to the final difficulty. As Doctor Danielson has suggested, we will be most grateful for any information Dr. George Montgomery can provide.

Tom was such an exceedingly fine young man and I know it will be some time before a satisfactory adjustment can be made to his loss. I do take some considerable solace in the fact that he was improved and seemed personally encouraged by his progress. At least we can say that his final year was one of some real triumph after having suffered so long with his congenital heart disease. It was a privilege to have participated in his care and I hope you will realize how earnest our feelings of sympathy are for you at this time. You were most gracious to write us and we do appreciate the information you provided, very much.

Sincerely yours,
Harold T Mankin, M.D.