Sheriff goes under Gamma Knife - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Sheriff goes under Gamma Knife

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June 18, 2003

Thomasville - The Sheriff of Grady County was recently told the horrible news that he has a cancerous brain tumor. On Wednesday morning he got zapped by beams of radiation to get rid of the tumor. There's only three Gamma Knives in Georgia, and one just arrived in Thomasville this year.

Brain surgery usually takes months to recover, but the Grady County Sheriff Snooks Green was talking and smiling only three hours after a non-invasive brain procedure. His son, Larry Green, says, "What amazes me is that you can have brain surgery and to home the same day."

The 79-year-old sheriff was recently diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. He had a lot of family and friends anxiously waiting for answers from the doctors. His son says, "After the report from the doctor a few minutes ago, the tumor is smaller than anticipated."

The sheriff went under the Gamma Knife machine. It has only been at Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville for five months. Larry Green explains, "We are very fortunate in Thomas County to have an instrument of this caliber."

Sheriff Green wore a helmet like this. Hundreds of beams of Radiation focused on a specific problem spot to zap the tumor. The sheriff's brother, Floyd Green says, "I just talked to him five minutes ago and he's doing great. We are so happy it's turned out good as it had, a lot better than we expected."

The procedure started at nine Wednesday morning, by 12:45 in the afternoon the Sheriff was taken to the main hospital. He was released to go home by four o'clock. Doctors say Gamma Knife patients can go back to work the next day. His son says, "If it were up to him it would be today, but we'll have to wait and see, but he's ready to go back now."

The Gamma Knife was a four million dollar project, but Green family says it's worth every penny.

Sheriff Green has been the Grady County sheriff for more than six years. He has more than a year left to his term.

The two other Gamma Knives in Georgia are in Atlanta and Augusta.

posted at 6:20PM by kathryn.simmons@walb.com