School’s (almost) out for summer!
Most of you are too young to appreciate the musical reference, but certainly not too young to be looking forward to summer vacation with friends and family! Now we just need a little sunshine…
May I ask for a little sunshine favor? Our friends at Nextdoor have opened their voting for their 2023 Neighborhood Fave businesses selection. We hope The Village Doctor is your favorite medical practice – may I ask you to take a moment to give us your vote of approval and appreciation? You may cast your Nextdoor vote here. Thank you.
How did it get to be June already? “June” reminds me, and I wish to remind you, of “Juneteenth”. Juneteenth, or June 19th, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States and marks the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas were told they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation – enacted two years earlier. You can read more about Juneteenth here and here.
Also important to The Village Doctor is that June is “Pride Month”. Pride Month is dedicated to celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride. Pride Month began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969, and has since spread outside of the United States. Modern-day Pride Month both honors the movement for LGBT rights and celebrates LGBT culture, and we are joining in the acknowledgement and celebration by holding our LBGT+ brothers, sisters, and everyone close in our hearts (and yes, by wearing our “TVD Pride” shirts!). Please learn more about Pride month here!
Now on to this month’s newsletter! Please read below for Dr. Sky Pittson’s tips on how to prepare for your kid’s summer well care visit / check up (and camp forms marathon!) as well as some thoughts from Dr. Milt McColl on unlocking optimal brain health. Lastly, please see my remembrance of Jackie Weiss, who died last month in Southern California.
Eric Weiss, MD, May 19, 2023.
TIPS FOR WELL CARE VISITS / CHECK UPS
Summer is here! And it brings forms, lots of camp and sports forms . . . And check ups! Get Dr. Pittson’s tips to prepare for, and to help make your child most comfortable during your next check u.
UNLOCKING OPTIMAL BRAIN HEALTH: EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCED COGNITIVE FUNCTION
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining optimal brain health is crucial for leading a fulfilling and productive life. In this article, we will explore some of these strategies and discuss how they can positively impact brain health.
CHRONIC SINUSITIS
All of us have had the uncomfortable experience of a sinus infection. The symptoms of facial pain and pressure, headache, congestion, cough, and fatigue are hallmark signs. Luckily, these events only occur 1 to 2 times a year on the average, and resolve in 5 to 7 days.
This section of our newsletter is generally full of uplifting news and a place where I can give a shout out to the many friends and patients of The Village Doctor who are contributing to our health, wellbeing, and/or community.
However, this month I’d like to share some difficult news. Those of you who have been with the practice since the early days will know that The Village Doctor was founded in 2004 by me and my then wife, Jackie Weiss. Over the next years, Jackie began to struggle with her drinking, and her alcoholism ultimately led to our separation and subsequent divorce, years ago. Sadly, Jackie’s drinking caught up with her, as it can with all serious alcoholics, and she died last month in the town of Ojai, near where she was born, 58 years ago.
Jackie herself wrote just a few weeks before she died, commenting on a friend’s post about her son, struggling with addiction, “Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for acknowledging that shame doesn’t have to play a part in addiction. My thoughts are with Jack and your family. ”
Another friend posted a blog piece and wrote about her wishes for our grief:
That their grief can be, for a while anyway, like a caged dove, that for a time, beats its wings against the cage, causing all kinds of disturbance and pain. But that one day, the door will open and that trapped being will spread its wings and fly away. While they remain here, feet firmly planted on Tierra Firma, watching as the caged dove struggles no more. And even with their grief and wishes for a different ending, they are content to watch her soar, flying higher and higher away from all that bound her during her time here on earth.
In closing, I’d like to give a very special shoutout to my wife, Dany Kelly, and my three amazing adult children, Max, Oliver, and Lucy, who have surrounded me with love and support, during this past month. I love you all (and all of you), very much.
May we all be well and free of suffering… and thank you, Jackie, for sharing in the inspiration for this practice that is today so special for so many of us.
Eric.
Again, TVD Newsletter is a labor of love. If you enjoy reading this, please share widely! Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Please subscribe here.
*****
Yours, in health and resilience,
Eric and the TVD MD team…
