A Shreveport kid’s view on health and hometown stories

people. The kind of people you might grew up reading Teddy Allen in “The Shreveport Times” — usually with a bowl of cereal before school, often before my dad had even finished the sports section. His columns weren’t just about football or box scores; they were about

I grew up reading Teddy Allen in “The Shreveport Times” — usually with a bowl of cereal before school, often before my dad had even finished the sports section. His columns weren’t just about football or box scores; they were about people. The kind of people you might run into at the grocery store or church or sitting two rows behind you at Lee Hedges during a Friday night game. Teddy had a way of making stories feel like conversations, like you were sitting across from him at a kitchen table. That stuck with me.

I didn’t realize then how much that would shape me years later. I’m not a writer by trade. I’m a surgeon. My job now involves artificial joints, not punchlines or sports metaphors. But here I am, writing this column in “318 Forum,” hoping that maybe a few words on health can help someone feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more in control. Patients don’t come to my clinic looking for a lecture. They come looking for clarity. And to be honest, they want the same thing I did when I read the paper growing up: a voice that feels familiar.

That’s why I write these articles — to try to explain things in plain English. Whether it’s knee pain that keeps you from walking to the mailbox or trying to make sense of Medicare paperwork, it’s all less scary when someone takes the time to walk you through it.

There’s something special about living and working in the town that raised you. The same streets I drove down on my way to Eden Gardens and Byrd High School are now the roads I take to work each morning. I run into my old teachers at the grocery store, my JV football coach at local fundraisers, and my lacrosse coach at Great Raft Brewery. I see patients at the same restaurants where my parents used to take us after church. There’s a rhythm to life here. And it feels good to be part of it again.

What Teddy Allen did with his stories was more than just tell you who won the game. He showed you the heart behind it.

He wrote about community and character and the funny little truths that make northwest Louisiana what it is. In my own way, I’m trying to do the same — just with knees, hips, and shoulders. My stories aren’t about touchdowns, but they are about victories: the woman who gets to dance at her granddaughter’s wedding after a hip replacement or the man who can finally walk into Rhino Coffee without wincing every step.

Writing for “318 Forum” feels different than writing in a medical journal or giving a presentation. This is personal. This is local. This is for my neighbors. It’s not about impressing anyone; it’s about connecting. Whether you live in Pierremont, Provenance, or just past the city limits, we all share this patch of Louisiana. And we all want to feel heard and understood.

So if you’re reading this and something I write makes you feel a little more confident about your next appointment, or helps you understand what’s going on in your shoulder, or even reminds you of an old coach or favorite columnist — well, then I’d say it’s worth it.

I may wear a white coat now, but I’ll always be that kid with a newspaper in one hand and a bowl of cereal in the other. And if I can offer a little help or humor along the way, I’ll consider that a win.

Thanks for reading.

Jeffrey Pearson, M.D. is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in anterior total hip and robotic knee replacement. To schedule an appointment, visit orthopedicspecialistsla.com or call 318-635-3052.