Polish immigrant's bosses pay for high-tech surgery to give him sight
By Joan Cary
Review by Elizabeth Phillips
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/west/chi-health-sight-w-zone-06-jan06,0,2866555.story
Summary:
Andrew Turowski, who speaks no English, was born in Poland and immigrated to Chicago to find work so that way he could make money for him family he left behind in Poland. Although, when he came here, he had terrible vision and could only faintly see while wearing glasses that were "as thick as coke bottles". At home, doctors told him that nothing would be able to fix this problem, for his eyesight was just too bad. When he got a job for Donna Para and boyfriend Casey Zubek, taking care of horses, they realized that his eyesight was preventing him from getting day to day tasks done. They told their friend, Dr. Bruce Larson, who is a an eye surgeon , he looked into what could be done. When he told them about this surgery, which normally costs $8,000, they decided to give it to him as a gift. After the surgery, he was so thankful for their kind gift that he was crying happy tears. With the new implants in his eyes, he should have to trouble seeing any time later in his life.
Pertaining to Class:
This article relates to class because in the book we are reading Rose and her family are immigrants, just like Andrew Turowski. When he came here he was looking for the "American Dream". He needed to make money to help support his family back home. But when he came here he found more than just work, he found that America had a surgery that could help his eyesight. The industrial revolution was what started all this. It advanced technologies that would later advance into the advanced things we can do today.
Questions:
1. What would your reaction be to this surgery, now that you could see again?
2. Why did they give this as a gift to him?
3. Would you have paid this money to give someone a 'gift'? Explain Why.
My Answers:
1. I would be so thankful for the gift of sight if I had grown up my entire life not seeing anything clearly. Also, for coming to America and then getting a job and as a gift to be able to see, when all you wanted was for other people to be happy and well taken care of (his family). And realizing that the American Dream is so true!
2. They gave him this gift because they thought that it was giving him such difficulty and he had become their friend. Also, back in Poland, they said that they could not do anything about his problem and then they found the cure in America.
3. I think that I would have given a gift like this to someone who was really special to me or i had a very close relation with. I would have done this because not being able to see would make my entire world different and if I thought about all of the things that I needed my sight for, i would feel so bad that this person didn't have that.
Comments (5)
Hannah B said
at 8:53 pm on Jan 7, 2010
1.) I would be really grateful that someone was kind enough to change my life in that way. I would be so happy that the United States still is a land of opportunity today and that good things really can happen.
2.) He had trouble doing everyday activities and his job properly. More than that, giving him better sight was a generous thing to do because he had become friends with people who knew a doctor.
3.) I think giving a gift to a deserving person can really change their world, especially in Andrew’s case. What Dr. Bruce Larson did was worth so much, and I can only hope that I could even have the slightest amount of impact on someone that he did to Andrew Turowski.
Taylor T said
at 5:05 pm on Jan 8, 2010
1) If someone paid for a surgery that would allow me to see again, I would be overwhelmed with joy. Knowing how much money the surgery costs and the current economic state our country is in, I would be more than appreciative of the kind act. I would also think of how lucky I was to have a true friend that was willing to pay for the surgery to make my life easier.
2) I think Dr. Bruce Larson gave the eye surgery as a gift because he knew Andrew had come all the way to America from Poland only to not be able to do work due to his poor eye sight. Andrew had to support his family and needed the money to survive, so he wouldn't have enough money for the surgery. By Dr. Bruce Larson giving the surgery as a gift, Andrew would be able to get a good job and accomplish what was needed without the problem of seeing.
3) I would definitely give people money so they can experience things or get necessities such as a home, hospital bills, food, school, a camp, and clothing. I would be more than willing to do this because I know that I will have made a difference in someone's life where it was needed.
Britney S. said
at 8:56 pm on Jan 8, 2010
1) If I knew that I may never be able to see again I would be extreamly greatfull. Someone was willing to pay the expencive cost of the sergery so that I (Andrew Turowski) could see again. I think its great that immigrants can still come here and hope for a new life and get just that plus more.
2) The reason the couple gave the gift of sight to this man was because it was extreamly expensive, so he couldn't afford it himself, and he was already stuggling with the daily lifeskills that are necasary. Also the couple, who he came to know, knew a doctor who could perform this treatment.
3) Personaly I would probably not give such a special gift to someone I kind of knew. It would have to be a person who I have known for a while and have come to love or a person who has touched my heart and that I care about. But thats not to say that if a person needs food or shelter I won't be there to help.
Lauren S said
at 1:34 pm on Jan 10, 2010
1. I would be forever greatful if someone were able to pay for my surgery. Coming to America was a great thing too but now that I (Andrew Turowski) am able to see, it makes it all better. It is great to know that there are still many opportunities today for immigrants and people that make them happen.
2. The couple gave the surgery as a gift because Turowski's eyesight was affecting the smallest tasks and the couple wanted to fix that. Also, I don't think that Turowski would have found this surgery on his own. He was new to America, for the most part, and I don't think he knew that there was a cure to his problem.
3. I probably would have given the money as a gift because the man could barely and he had a family at home. It would be nice to return to your home country and be able to see your family with these new lenses. Also, from a business perspective, I wouldn't want an employee that isn't able to complete some job because of a problem that can be fixed. Overall, I would pay for the gift because it would be a nice thing to do.
Zalman G said
at 10:17 am on Jan 13, 2010
1. I would have feelings beyond description. I don't 100% know how I would feel because I don't have relatively good eyesight. I would thank the doctors and do whatever they wanted from me once I had the money to do so.
2. I think they gave him the surgery as a gift because of a few reasons. One of them is that he couldn't afford it. Another reason is that all he wanted to do was achieve the American Dream, but he couldn't get to that point because of his poor eyesight.
3. I think the doctors really felt bad for him. Although it's a lot of money, it's not that much compared to how much the practice makes. It was truly a good thing, and the doctors are now someone I look up to.
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