january2014february
contents 10
parenting
15
tech
16
therapy
- A focus on success - Growing pains - Dos and don’ts
- Master in multiuse
- A San Antonio curse? - Fear not! - Faith & physicians
28
fitness
30
safety
36
education
38
child development
44
fur family
48
faith
50
events
52
arts
54
profile
56
sports
58
special issues
- Live fit
- Be strong
- Good communication leads to good education
- Ambassadors for inclusion - From the heart - You can have it all
- Yappy New Year - Making plans for Fido
- What a mess!
- Moms for maroon
- Being alive
- The power of a dream
Manny Diotte and The Ferrari Kid
32
- Compassion, conviction and courage
- Our Christian duty - Saving grace?
This local businessman, philanthropist and cancer survivor makes his mark on the world through this heartfelt organization, which is dedicated to making young cancer patients feel like superstars.
nfamily magazine 5
november/december 2013 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 ElioT GaRza
CEO / NSIDE Media Productions
liz whiTTakER ELIOT GARZA
CEO / NSIDEPublisher Media Productions
LIZ WHITTAKER Editorial Director Publisher Shana Hamid
Executive Editor Erin O’Brien
Editorial Director Creative Director Kelly Hamilton Elisa Giordano
Executive Editor Senior Graphic Designer Erin O’Brien Cristina Villa Hazar
Creative Director international Marketing account Sales Javier Hinojosa Anabelle Rodriguez
Graphic Designers Contributing writers
Luis Hoyos Genevieve Allen Jhonny Valencia Richard Amiss Olivia Bakke Accounting Manager Jenny Breuer Michelle Duau Claudia Castillo Candace Disler Contributing Writers Bre’anna Emmitt Genevieve Allen Dr. Erika Gonzalez-Reyes Olivia Bakke Ashley Holifield Laura Baumgartner Maura Horton Dr. Sandra Carrell Tremblay Rosanne Bre’annaHughes Emmitt Lenore Kaiser Chris Emmitt Sr. Rose Kruppa Dr. Erika Gonzalez-Reyes Katherine Lozano Kelly Hamilton Heather Magarian Christopher Hernandez Susie Monday Ashley Holifield Lisa Munter Kirsten Hurley Elizabeth Lozano Nickel Katherine Amanda Petter ElizabethA. Nickell Alex Portillo Amanda Petter Victoria Raquepaw Pamela Ramsey Deborah D. Salas Dr. Sandra Tremblay JudgeCarrell Peter Sakai Casey Weed Laura Michelle Wolfe Clarissa Zamora
Photography
With your family of the way.
every step
Liz Whittaker 210.621.7301 liz@nfitsa.com ● ● ● ●
6 nfamily magazine
Memory Magic Photography Photography Memory Magic Photography
Editorial intern Katrina Torres
For advertising information, please call 210.373.2599 or email eliot@getnside.com. For editorial comments and suggestions, please email kelly@getnside.com.
www.getnside.com 18402 U.S. Highway 281 N, Ste. 201 San Antonio, Texas 78259 Phone: 210.298.1761 Copyright © NSIDE Media Productions. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited.
Where Hearts and Minds Heal
from the from the ceo of st. pj’s Over the past year Or sO,
The Ecumenical Center is an interfaith organization dedicated to alleviating suffering and facilitating spiritual, physical and emotional healing and growth through the services of counseling, education and consultation.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: ■ Counseling for children, adults and families (including play therapy, testing and assessment, neurofeedback) ■ Training for clergy, religious workers and healthcare professionals. ■ Collaborative community based educational programs.
www.ECRH.org
Medical Center, 8310 Ewing Halsell Drive San Antonio, TX 78229
St. PJ’s has taken a number of monumental steps toward improving how we heal children from the trauma effects of abuse and neglect. For years, we’ve been providing excellent case management and counseling services, and facilitating access to psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists and of course, medical care. Yet statistics indicate that while we keep children safe and nurtured in our care, once they leave our beautiful campus, children from the foster care system have the highest rates of becoming drug/alcohol abusers, committing crimes and incarceration, frequent homelessness, prostitution, chronic unemployment and becoming teen parents. And worst of all, they have rates of continuing thefor cycle of abuse neglect is St. the PJ’shighest improved response to caring children whoand enter the by becoming abusers of children themselves. foster care system. Similar to a hospital emergency room’s sense recognized our agood workwhere needsall to of bethe better. So how of We urgency, we’ve that created process necessary could we be better? First, wepsychological determined we must treat the professional medical, social, and other therapeutic trauma issues of the child with the same sense of urgency as the disciplines provide input and evaluation related to the traumatic physical the child. The14 toxic stress of abuse and impact ofprotection abuse andofneglect within days of admissions. neglect the rapidly developing brain an infant, All ofon this information is gathered by of a member of toddler, the clinical preschooler youth can permanent team and is or inserted into have an online matrixand toolprolonged that helpsnegative identify developmental implications when notbeen adequately addressed. which areas of the child’s brain have negatively impacted by have escalated our response of new admissions theTherefore, abuse andwe neglect. When informed with this accurate analysis, into the foster care system with the same purposeful St. PJ’s is able to target exactly the interventions required to heal determination you would experience in a hospital emergency the child. room. We have createdroom the 14-Day Toward Healing. Like an emergency process,Model once an accurate diagnosis This model is specific not implemented in isolation, We areand is achieved, the prescription of care canthough. be developed changing how we interact and communicate with Child Protective implemented. This information is then shared with all members Services, the family courts, ad litem attorneys, foster of the clinical treatment team, to include Child caregivers, Protective Services families, community mental health providers, biological families workers, direct care personnel and primary caregivers such as and whoever else can and shouldand participate in the of the foster families, kinship families eventually the healing biological child. family, we hope. Our short-for and long-term simpleit’s enough: All children However, true success goals to be are achieved, important that must be healed of their trauma issues in order for them primary caregivers are accurately educated and trained to in truly the have a successful transition into adulthood. OnceSo wewe allare begin enrichment activities and specific interventions. nowto address healing children of their trauma issues with the same engaged in creating this process, too – this is the second phase sense urgencythe as children. their physical safety, we will begin to achieve towardofhealing another significant goal: ending the cycle of abuse and neglect. We are very excited about 2014 and what it promises to bring tuned: time, how we’re strategically theStay children weNext serve. St. I’ll PJ’saddress is committed to this improved utilizing training andvery interventions to heal children. process –education, our response has been positive with all of the Please includeinvolved us in your gift giving holiday season. We are stakeholders with the child this welfare system. Please grateful for the support you give – it all goes to the cause of “where consider joining us this year as we transform and revolutionize the hope lives and where healing begins.” healing of children.
THE FIRST 14 DAYS OF HEALING
JAMES jaMES CASTRO CaSTRo 210.533.1203
P: 210.616.0885 / F: 210.616.0845 / E: mail@ecrh.org ● ● ● ●
8 nfamily magazine
919 Mission Rd. San Antonio, TX 78210
parenting
A Focus on Success
Brain Balance Achievement Centers of San Antonio offers some practical advice for setting New Year’s resolutions and getting your kids focused on and involved in a successful 2014. BY AMANDA PETTER
T
he beginning of a new year can be a great time for all of us to revisit our commitments and goals, especially for children with learning and behavioral disorders. Brain Balance Achievement Centers of San Antonio, a nationwide supplemental achievement center that takes a drug-free approach to the treatment of neurological disorders, recommends the following tips to help kids get focused and involved in their own success: 10 nfamily magazine
Write down goals. Writing things
down on paper will help your child focus their energy on the target. Putting New Year’s resolutions in writing and hanging them in a prominent place, like on the refrigerator or on a family organization board, can help remind you and your child to stay focused on the goals. Have school-aged children write a short sentence describing their goals, and get the whole family involved in supporting their effort and progress.
Establish broad goals. For some
children with special needs, New Year’s resolutions may include improving reading skills or a specific grade on their report card. For others, however, goals may focus on physical accomplishments like riding a
bike or playing a team sport. Whatever the goal, avoid making it too specific. If your child wants to become a better reader, make that the initial goal. For example, have your child write, “I resolve to improve my reading skills,” instead of “I resolve to read five books per week.” Once your child has set a goal, discuss concrete ways to make it happen. After the child has seen some progress and gained confidence, it may be time to set more specific goals, but keep it simple in the beginning so your child doesn’t feel overwhelmed or disappointed.
Make it a family activity. The best
way to teach your children the importance of New Year’s resolutions is to make resolutions part of the family tradition. Sit down each
December and reflect on the past year, discussing your accomplishments and goals as individuals and as a family. Working together with another person provides that extra motivation, support and focus. In your resolution conversation, you can each talk about what worked this year and what didn’t.
Praise your child’s effort. As
we all know, sometimes despite admirable effort, we can fall short of our goals. Teach your children to reset a goal and keep going. Invite them to discuss what they’ve learned through the process. Reward and acknowledge their effort with a favorite family activity or outing, and let them know you support them no matter what. Children with extra needs and learning differences often experience self-esteem issues and can benefit from constant support, and this is a great time to let children know you will help them accomplish their goals. Helping our children identify and accomplish New Year’s resolutions can be a rewarding opportunity to teach life skills to the whole family. To help children achieve success during the second half of the school year, it is important that parents enforce specific rules, establish a routine and create healthy habits for their child. By setting rules and motivating the child to stick to them, they will be able to stay focused on their academic and social goals. The following guidelines will help alleviate a child’s anxiety and ultimately, accomplish their goals:
at their new limit of one-and-a-half hours a day during the week and two hours a day on weekends. Any extra screen time must be
rule.
Rewarding hard work: Children
with learning and behavioral disorders who accomplish their goals should expect to earn privileges. Whether it is extra weekend television time, a night out with friends or a family dinner at their favorite restaurant, children want to know that parents recognize their hard work and accomplishments. When possible, make the reward a family affair to let children know that the whole family is proud of them and invested in their success.
The best way to teach your children the importance of New Year’s resolutions is to make resolutions part of the family tradition.
Homework time: An adult should
always be present to oversee homework time, particularly if the child has ADHD. Children should complete homework as soon as they get home from school. If both parents work outside the home, it may be beneficial to push homework time to after dinner. Offer children a healthy snack, and then have them change into “homework clothes.” Just as pajamas indicate to a child that it is time for sleep and play clothes indicate that it is OK for a child to get dirty, homework clothes can help children transition to homework mode so they can be comfortable, complete their work more efficiently and earn free time.
Television time: At the beginning of
the new year, start to limit screen time so children can adjust to their new limit early on. A good rule of thumb is to decrease screen time by 15 minutes each day until they are
earned. Starting this process before school begins gives kids time to adjust to the new
Brain Balance Achievement Centers of San Antonio is located at 1742 N. Loop 1604 E., Ste. 121, in San Antonio, Texas. For more information, please call 210-620-7378 or visit www.brainbalancesatx.com.
About Brain Balance Achievement Centers Brain Balance Achievement Centers of San Antonio helps children reach their academic, behavioral and social potential through a unique drug-free, whole-child approach. The Brain Balance program utilizes customized sensory motor and cognitive activity plans, coupled with nutrition guidelines to address the root cause of most learning and developmental disorders.
nfamily magazine 11
parenting
Growing Pains Handling the changes and challenges associated with launching our newborns from the cradle to the classroom and into the world BY KATHERINE LOZANO
Children need the balance of security and exploration to succeed in life.
W
hy is it that just when you get the hang of something, it changes? Parenting has such a learning curve. You figure it out as you go along. You watch other parents, read books, ask for advice, do what mom and dad did – or maybe you try the complete opposite because you don’t want history to repeat itself. Each and every stage had its own particular challenges. One minute after you figure out how to get the sweet baby to sleep at night, she turns into a rambunctious toddler who could put the Tasmanian Devil out of business. Somehow we survive the sleepless nights, the potty training and getting them to sleep in their own beds. It seemed like we had forever to love and teach them. I remember when my son was the same size as a 36-inch penguin silhouette painted on the wall of the San Antonio Zoo. He held my hand and pointed at the penguins – he was just their size. Now he is a 6-foot-2-inch man. Where did all the sunny afternoons go, while he was growing from a toddler into a teen? I remember sitting on his bed and crying when he left for college. He 12 nfamily magazine
was only 90 miles away, but my heart ached like I might never see him again. It is hard to watch your child cross the street without you after so many times of holding their hand so tight. Helping them face all of the challenges and choices growing up requires takes a lot of strength and courage for parents. As my daughter grew and left home for an out-of-state college, I listened with a bit of sadness as she described her new life 1,000 miles away from me. Our bond was not weakened by her widening circle of friends. I was still her home base. Yet, I felt a little lonely and wistful for the times she would stand on a chair beside me to help me wash the dishes. I remember the songs I would sing to her after her bath, cuddling her in a warm towel. Children need the balance of security and exploration to succeed in life. It is like helping your child learn to ride a bicycle. You run along holding up that bicycle so many times – then you hold your breath and let go when you think they may be ready to ride solo. There will be tears and scraped knees sometimes. But they will learn to ride that
bike and we, as parents, will learn to watch. There will be many milestones and many “separations” as our children grow, but the connections will grow ever stronger. What we build in the early years of life, when children look to us as the source of all love and knowledge, is not diminished by time. Their hearts will make room for new experiences and new relationships, but none will take the place of mom and dad. If I had a “do over” in parenting, it would be to play more and stress less. More days at the park, more hours pushing them on the swings and more bedtime stories would fill my days. Someday I may get to do these special things with grandchildren and I know I will treasure every moment, just as I treasured these moments with my children. With undying love and devotion, we launch our newborns from the cradle to the classroom to the world. Time is gone before you know it. Make the most of today! For information on free parenting classes, contact Katherine Lozano of the Parents’ Academy at 210-532-0894.
parenting
How I See It
DOS AND DON’TS How to avoid embarrassing your kids in public By Olivia Bakke
D
o you ever wonder if you are embarrassing your kids? Well, I am here to help you with the dos and don’ts when you are out in public with your kids. So let’s get started. First, at school: - When you are dropping us off, giving us a big hug is better than kissing us goodbye. For some reason, now that we are fifth graders, kissing is embarrassing. - It is better if you save our nicknames for when we aren’t at school. Avoid things like “Pumpkin Bear” and “Sugar Bear” – but things like “goodbye, love” and “goodbye, sweetie” are just fine. When you call us by our nickname, sometimes other kids are mean and start to tease us about it. Getting teased makes us feel stressed and sad.
and call us by our nicknames … at home in private. Please don’t do it at school. Now on to dinner topics. You are probably wondering what there could possibly be about dinner, but I will tell you a few things to remember when you’re out at a restaurant with friends: - If we have to go to the bathroom, please don’t say, “Oh, we will be right back; I am going to the bathroom with my little girl or boy.” It’s much better if you say, “Excuse us; we will be right back.” I am 10 years old, and we older kids try to avoid using the word, “bathroom,” whenever possible. - When we come back from the bathroom,
top secret. - If we are eating with our mouth open, rather than saying, “shut your mouth,” which does not make us feel very good about ourselves, it would be better if you said our name or gave us a secret signal that reminds us to close our mouth when we chew. We really do want to have good table manners; we just forget sometimes. If you have guests at home, please remember to apply these same rules. When it is just us at home, though, give all the hugs and kisses you want; share embarrassing photos with each other; tell secrets, funny stories and scary stories; and dance silly and make funny faces with us. Most of all, give us lots of love – a whole lot of love – because we love you and need you! We appreciate that you understand we are at the age where we get embarrassed easily, and it makes us feel better knowing you are cool with that and are willing to help us avoid getting teased when we are out in public. Growing up can be tricky sometimes. Thanks for helping us! That’s all – I appreciate you reading my column!
It makes us feel better to know that you are willing to help us avoid getting teased when we are out in public.
- Also, it’s really important that you don’t tell our friends private or embarrassing things or show them embarrassing photos of us. Those things make us blush, and then kids laugh at us – that’s not fun at all. Please understand that we love our parents and we love it when you kiss us, hug us
please avoid asking us if we washed our hands – and please don’t try to smell our hands to see if we did, which is even worse. Forming some sort of small signal between us so that we can communicate to you that we remembered to wash our hands would be great – just make sure the signal is double
For more information, contact Lisa Bakke at design.lisa@yahoo.com or 210-861-7798. nfamily magazine 13
Sisters
nds e i r F
& Brot
hers
tes
e athl
Sons
daughters
We are just like you. We have hopes. We have dreams. Believe in our abilities. Support Brighton. Brighton Center Supporting Children with Delays or Disabilities
BecauSe every child MatterS.
Therapy ServiceS • early childhood educaTion • parenT Training • advocacy
WWW.BrightonSa.org
210.826.4492
tech
Master in Multiuse
The versatile Mr. Beams Stick Anywhere Night Light detects motion and improves safety in dark rooms, in hallways and on stairs, no outlet required. BY LAURA BAUMGARTNER
W
hether a power outage strikes or the sun dips below the horizon for the day and your family is fast asleep, there are times when using overhead lights or task lamps is not an option. Mr. Beams Stick Anywhere Night Lights are the most versatile LED lighting solution available for use in areas where an outlet is not accessible. Featuring built-in motion and light sensors, Mr. Beams Stick Anywhere Night Lights can be used to light stairways, hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms and other areas of the home that need to be safely navigated in low lighting situations.
burn out, and one set of batteries can provide up to 80 hours of light. After 30 seconds of no motion, the light will automatically shut off to conserve battery power. In addition to lighting hallways, stairs and rooms, the Stick Anywhere Night Light can also function as an ideal lighting solution for under cabinets in the kitchen or garage. Tight seals and UVresistant material allow the light to work in all weather conditions, so these lights can also be used in outdoor applications on decks or stair railings.
The light’s energy-efficient LEDs will never burn out, and one set of batteries can provide up to 80 hours of light.
Powered by four AA alkaline batteries, the Mr. Beams Stick Anywhere Night Light provides 10 square feet of lighting coverage and can be installed in less than five minutes, no electrician required. The light instantly turns on when it detects motion from up to 15 feet away. Its energy-efficient LEDs will never
The Mr. Beams Stick Anywhere Night Light can be installed using the included mounting bracket and two small screws or double-sided tape. Available in neutral white, the nightlight is 3.75 inches by 3.25 inches and has a 1.2-inch profile. Available in three-packs and six-packs, the light’s pricing is $39.99 or $54.99, respectively.
For more information and purchasing, visit www.mrbeams.com.
About Wireless Environment LLC Wireless Environment LLC, the maker of the Mr. Beams brand, is a successful, fast-growing company based in Solon, Ohio. Since Michael Recker and David Levine founded the company in 2006, Wireless Environment has expanded to a staff of eight employees. Wireless Environment is the design leader in the wireless LED lighting space. The company’s mission is to design lights that operate fully off-grid or shift between wired and wireless. Sixteen wireless lights have been launched to date, and the company will soon launch hybrid light fixtures that – like laptops – are on the grid when needed and off the grid when convenient.
nfamily magazine 15
therapy
A San Antonio Curse? What you can do to help control the symptoms associated with mountain cedar fever this winter BY DR. ERIKA GONZALEZ-REYES
E
very winter in South Central Texas, mountain cedar begins to make itself known. The abundant amount of pollen powder it produces can result in cedar fever for many San Antonio natives. Cedar fever is the common name for the allergy symptoms caused by the pollen of the mountain cedar tree. Allergies do not actually cause a fever, but these symptoms can be so severe that sufferers feel as if they have a flu-like illness.
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Mountain cedar is unique to this part of the country, and it is very prominent in the Alamo City. It is extensive in the Texas Hill Country, and it can distribute pollen for many miles. It is one of the most potent pollens in the United States, right up there with ragweed and cats as a cause of allergy misery. Mountain cedar’s pollinating season typically starts in late November and continues through February, with peak levels in December and January. During this time, it is usually the only pollen in the air and allergy sufferers can safely assume that most allergy symptoms during the winter months are due to this tree alone.
The specialist will take a good history, perform a physical examination and help diagnose your specific allergic sensitivities through the use of a simple skin test. Once these have been determined, the allergist will be prepared to advise you as to the best way to control your allergies and get you started on the right treatment plan. With proper education on how to avoid your allergy triggers and the use of prescription medications, the majority of people will achieve good symptom control. Other treatment options could include allergy shots, which help improve your tolerance to the things that normally trigger your symptoms. These injections offer a significant and long-lasting improvement in your allergy symptoms, and in children, they have been shown to reduce the chances of developing asthma, as well as additional allergies.
Mountain cedar pollen is one of the most potent pollens in the United States.
This pollen may worsen other medical problems such as asthma and atopic dermatitis (eczema), and in some cases, severe nasal symptoms may predispose to the development of a sinus infection. Uncontrolled allergy symptoms typically lead to poor sleep, chronic tiredness, irritability and decreased performance at work or at school. The treatment for a patient with mountain cedar allergy is similar to the treatment for most allergies. The best option is always to avoid the pollen, so staying indoors as much as possible is helpful. Make sure to keep your doors and windows closed and to run the air conditioner, which acts as a filtering device. Keep the filters for your unit clean. If you have been outside, taking a shower and changing your clothes can reduce the amount of pollen that may have stuck to you while you were outdoors. If symptoms are severe or uncontrolled, it is a good idea to see a board-certified allergist to explore other treatment options.
Texas may be cursed with the mountain cedar tree and the severe allergy symptoms it causes, but there are things you can do to help. Your allergist can help you determine the most effective plan specifically for you.
Dr. Erika Gonzalez-Reyes is a double board-certified allergist/ immunologist specialist and pediatrician. For further information or to contact Gonzalez-Reyes, please email txallergydoc@gmail. com.
nfamily magazine 17
therapy
Fear
Not!
When it comes to sports, accidents happen. But when they do, the super doctors at the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center are there to help. BY ASHLEY HOLIFIELD
F
ootball season is here, and basketball season isn’t far behind. We all know sports can be dangerous and cause accidents. But do not be afraid: Captain Osteon and his team at the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center are there to help. No one wants their child to get hurt, but sometimes accidents happen, and with children back on the school playground and back to their sport activities, accidents become 18 nfamily magazine
common. Many times, children will break a leg or fracture their wrist. Having your child get hurt can be a very scary thing for both you and your child, and that’s why the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center considers it a high priority to make your scary situation much easier. At the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center, children will be better at ease when they feel more at home and are distracted from their pain. Most children are scared of the doctor, but with a state-of-the-art museum-design waiting room, your child won’t
feel as if they are at the doctor’s office. They will be wowed and intrigued by the life-sized superheroes and the comic book walls. While this might also be interesting for a parent to see, it doesn’t necessarily ease the mind of a concerned parent. However, nothing is more comforting to a parent with a hurt child than to have a doctor they can trust. At the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center, there are only the best of the best doctors. With surgeons trained by the nation’s top institutions, their team will ensure high-quality care for each patient and make sure each child receives the most accurate diagnosis. Whether your child has a broken arm, another other sports-related injury or a more complex condition, the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center is committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care. The Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center has a dynamic duo of super doctors. One of those doctors is board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Eric R. Ritchie. He joined the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center in 2013 after a distinguished 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force Medical Service. Ritchie earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. As he was a standout athlete on the Falcons football team, he knows all about sports injuries firsthand. Ritchie then attended medical school on a military scholarship at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda,
Md. After medical school, he served three assignments as an Air Force flight surgeon. Following his time as a flight surgeon, he was accepted to the only Air Force orthopedic residency in the country at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He was then hand picked to lead the Air Force’s pediatric orthopedic department. He obtained his sub-specialty training in pediatric orthopedic surgery and scoliosis at the prestigious University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Ritchie served as the chief of pediatric orthopedic surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center and as consultant to the surgeon general for pediatric scoliosis and orthopedics. While assigned to Wilford Hall Medical Center, he was also the vice chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery, and he held a teaching position at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences as an assistant professor of surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery, the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, the Society of Military Orthopedic Surgeons and the Bexar County Medical Society. The other half of the dynamic duo is Dr. Hongbo Liu, a pediatric and adult orthopedic spine surgeon who received extensive training to specialize in the delicate science of spine surgery, with fellowship training in both pediatric orthopedics and spinal disorders. He completed his training at the prestigious Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. Liu earned his medical degree from Harbin Medical University in Harbin, China, and graduated with three outstanding student awards. After completing his
orthopedic surgery residency at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (one of the best medical centers in China), Liu accomplished three clinical fellowships in the United States and received wellrounded and extensive training in spine surgery and pediatric orthopedics. Liu’s first fellowship was in pediatric orthopedic surgery at the CCHMC, and his second fellowship was focused on pediatric spine deformity and minimally invasive spine surgery at the CCHMC, University of Cincinnati Hospital and Christ Hospital. He then completed his third fellowship training in adult spine surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Liu’s clinical interests include pediatric spinal deformity, degenerative spine disorders, minimally invasive spine surgeries, osteoporosis-related vertebral compression fracture and spinal trauma. He is also specialized in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic disorders, especially pediatric hip disorders, lower limb deformities and deficiencies and fractures. So parents – fear not! While your child may be comforted by the superheroes, you will be comforted by the super doctors at the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center! For more information on the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center or to make an appointment, please visit www.sachildrensorthopaedics.com or call Janivee Trevino at 210-487-7463.
The Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center is committed to providing
comprehensive and compassionate care. nfamily magazine 19
therapy
20 nfamily magazine
&
Faith Physicians Beating cancer with the dream team at UT Medicine Special to NFamily
Photography by Memory Magic Photography
A
few days before Christmas in 2011, Cathy Raba Wolfe received a critical call that would make most people freeze and shudder. She remembers it vividly. She was grocery shopping with her husband for an upcoming Christmas party. In the middle of the sugar baking ingredients aisle, her cell phone rang; it was her ophthalmologist, Dr. Carlos Rosende, the physician she had seen only a few hours earlier at San Antonio’s Medical Arts Research Facility Center (MARC) for her chronic headaches. In a very conscientious and professional way, Rosende gave Wolfe an update: There was a large mass behind her eyes and the bridge of her nose. He wasn’t sure what it was or if it was dangerous, but he needed her back at MARC as soon as possible. Her tenacity responded: I’m ready. What’s even more striking is what had been accomplished during that holiday period and within the few hours Wolfe had first been seen up to the time her phone rang. While most people were Christmas shopping, the physicians at UT Medical Center were busy at work, and they were completely at her service. In mid-2011, Wolfe started experiencing a series of painful, sharp headaches. She visited several of her physicians, and each assured her there was nothing 22 nfamily magazine
to be concerned about. Ultimately, she was referred to Rosende at UT Medical Center, where he serves as chairman of the department of ophthalmology. She saw Rosende a few days before Christmas, and his first impression astounded her. “Literally within minutes of meeting him, he said, ‘let me see your driver’s license,’” Wolfe says. He wanted to look at her eyes relative to an old photograph. He told her that her right eye appeared irritated when compared to the photo. “Most people don’t recognize it when things happen gradually, but there was a change,” Rosende says. “Her right eye was more prominent, and I suspected there was something going on behind or around her eyes. This was not normal for her.” Something was back there. Rosende conducted a regular eye exam and had his staff schedule her for an immediate CAT scan. The image was processed during that same visit. Even so close to the holiday, the different departments were in full operating mode. Wolfe resumed her day of preparing for Christmas. Radiology notified Rosende that Wolfe had an abnormality. He enlisted a second pair of eyes in Dr. Randal Otto, an ear, nose and throat specialist and chairman of the department of otolaryngology. Together, the two doctors assessed her images. “We have the capability of connecting with other departments via our special computer portal, and I have everyone’s home
phone and cell number,” Rosende says. “So I got on the phone with Otto, and together, we looked at the images.” “There was no ‘we’ll-get-to-it-tomorrow,’” Wolfe says. “They have the capacity to share files so the specialists who need to see them can instantaneously view images and assessments over the network.” Wolfe’s CT scan detected a large mass behind the bridge of her nose that seemed to be in her sinuses and in her skull cavity, and her bone appeared partially consumed by the growth. Hours after meeting Wolfe, Rosende was calling her to schedule her with specialists. As a kid, Wolfe disliked even the surprise of a wrapped Christmas present. “I wanted to know,” she says. “I told them I’m going to be fine with hearing whatever they were going to tell me. I wanted to participate.” A week after Christmas, she returned to meet with Rosende and Otto, who was able to evaluate how the growth was affecting her sinuses and the bone within. Otto recruited Dr. John Floyd, a neurosurgeon who serves as assistant professor for the department of neurosurgery. He assessed how the mass posed a threat to her brain. The growth, or tumor, was in the bone of her anterior skull base at the interface of where the eyes and nose begin. It was extending back, affecting her optic nerve and causing irritation and pain in her right eye. “What we were really worried about was blindness,” Floyd says. “Her tumor was putting pressure on her optic nerve.” All agreed they needed to take a biopsy to determine what exactly what it was and ultimately how it would be removed. Although the size of her tumor was of concern, the doctors felt it was likely the biopsy would prove the tumor to be a precancerous nasal polyp. In her pre-op room early on the morning of the biopsy, Wolfe took notice of the clock; she thought she’d wake up in a matter of hours. Wolfe told her family and Otto that when she woke up groggy, the signal they needed to give her was the “gig ‘em Aggies” thumbs up that all was well. The next thing Wolfe remembers is waking up post-op and the clock showing 12:30 in the afternoon. She wondered why she had been out for so long. Her entire family and Otto stood around her. She looked at everyone, laughed and asked where her thumbs up were. At that moment, about 18 hands touched her; there were no smiles or thumbs up – only family and a physician holding back tears. She recalls the sounds of bells and whistles ringing from the
equipment monitoring her vitals. “I’ll never forget that moment,” she says. “Dr. Otto said, ‘it’s not what we wanted it to be.’” The biopsies confirmed the presence of blue cells – the sign of cancer. The distressing diagnosis was that Wolfe had an exceedingly rare cancer type: esthesioneuroblastoma. Some 10 people a year are diagnosed with it worldwide. “I always knew I was special – I never knew how special,” Wolfe jokes. Esthesioneuroblastoma begins in the part of the brain skull in a structure called the olfactory bulb and can cause confusion, headaches, sinusitis and the loss of smell and sight. Though it is exceedingly rare, the reported causes are well documented, but Wolfe had not experienced been exposed to any of them. Adding to the complexity was the way her the tumor had thickened her bone. “I haven’t seen any other esthesioneuroblastoma that caused bone changes like hers,” Otto says. The five-year survival rate is about 80 percent, and if it penetrates the brain, the survival rate lessens. The news took an emotional toll. Wolfe was physically, mentally and emotionally drained. “It was physically sickening,” she says. After the biopsy, her family stood at the foot of her bed and reassured her everything was going to turn out OK. That evening, Otto called Wolfe’s home and personally promised that the team would figure this out. Wolfe recalled that in “the first 24 hours of diagnosis, I have never felt so sick, hollow or empty. I was mad. I was afraid. I kept looking across the room at my son, thinking, ‘he’s just a teenager.’” But the feeling-sorry syndrome was brief. The very next morning, Wolfe looked at her husband and said, “You know what? That felt awful for 24 hours, but that didn’t get me anywhere. I’m glad I had my sulking time, but that’s over. We have got to go forward because I need to participate in my treatment and recovery. I want to be a participant.” Her doctors reached out to facilities nationwide and around the world for any and every bit of information on the rare cancer. “All the doctors were incredibly hands-on,” Wolfe says. “None of them backed down. Everyone put forth their 110 percent in communicating so well with me and my family. They provided me with documentation, and they recommended I seek second opinions and talk to other
doctors. They told me we’ll never know why I have this rare form of cancer, but the only thing to do now is move forward with treatment.” On Valentine’s Day in 2012, Floyd and Otto met with Wolfe’s entire family on the seventh floor of the MARC building. In a conference room, they spent close to three hours with her family. They explained
recover, and that this was not the end of the world.” Even more touching was the gesture Otto extended to Wolfe’s 17-year-old son, Chase. Prior to surgery, Otto met with Chase to personally explain his mother’s surgery and assure him she was in good hands. “He knew his mom wasn’t going to be with strangers,” Wolfe says. “I know a physician can’t say they guarantee 100 percent that you will walk away from this, but I tell you my doctors told me they were there 110 percent to help me walk away from this. They took care of all of us.” Ten days later, the surgery to remove the tumor occurred. The skull specialists Floyd and Otto teamed up to remove her tumor. Floyd would work inside her skull cavity through her forehead, while Otto went in through her sinus passages. Her tumor was attached to both bone and tissue, and their goal was to de-anchor it from where it had attached and remove it entirely. The surgery was delicate, but the doctors worked in concert, relying on each other to analyze and assess the other’s contribution. “Otto and I have a nice cohesive bond,
Patients do better when they have doctors who complement each other. everything, educating her family on what the biopsies showed, what the next surgery entailed and what her recovery phase would be like. After three hours of counsel, her family simply wanted to know when she was going to get started. Her surgeons had already booked an operating room for her in just 10 days. “What the doctors in this system provided me and my entire family was a depth of knowledge, expertise and skill and caring unlike any others – hope and encouragement that I was going to wake up,
nfamily magazine 23
and we complement each other,” Floyd says. “Patients do better when they have doctors who complement each other.” “It’s a dance of sorts,” Otto adds. “It’s a combination of what we both do best.” During surgery, the surgical staff repeatedly conducted something called a freeze slide, where in about 10 minutes, a small biopsy sample is frozen. The technique allows the surgeons to identify the presence or absence of cancer in the tissue on a real time basis. The process is repeated until the slides reveal the absence of cancer or an acceptable margin of healthy tissue. This technique was critical in determining the extent of tissue removal in Wolfe’s skull and nasal passage. During surgery, OR nurses phoned the family from the operating room to report on progress. Each time they had an opportunity, one of the doctors would walk out and personally talk to her family. Eighteen hours later, they had completely removed her tumor and sutured her back up. Wolfe was kept in an intentional semicomatose state for several days to avoid swelling in her head. Her brain consciousness 24 nfamily magazine
returned and she recovered from the trauma, and even in her twilight moments, she remembers opening her eyes and her doctors or their staff being there. “Every morning and every evening, one or both would check on me,” Wolfe says. “One morning, I remember hearing a news program in the background. When I opened my eyes, one of the surgeons was standing there, watching the news, waiting for me to wake up.” Wolfe was under the initial impression that San Antonio didn’t have the expertise, the facility or the equipment to provide for her treatment needs. She reached out to other reputable facilities and sent them her files. She described her doctors’ proposed treatment plan. “We quickly came to understand what incredible hands we were already in,” Wolfe says. “Sometimes you don’t really appreciate what you have until you go elsewhere and see what they can offer you. Doctors and facilities knew my team of surgeons, if not personally, then professionally. Everyone was complimentary of my San Antonio team and assured me I was in great hands. I agreed.”
“I’ve consulted with other experts in other places, and they’re absolutely great people – very skilled and capable,” Otto says. “But I think we have the same things here. We’re not so big that patients get lost. There’s a bit of a potential elsewhere that sometimes you might become just a number. That’s what differentiates us.” Wolfe breathed a sigh of relief that the best of the best was already on her team. “At the end of the day, my needs were met better here in San Antonio than anywhere else,” she says. “I had been diagnosed with a cancer that any one of these facilities would be capable of treating. However, the UT Medical Center was ready for me right here at home with ample ability to handle it.” On her home turf, Wolfe was ready for the next step in her treatment: postoperative therapy. Strategic radiation would follow six weeks after surgery at the Cancer Therapy Treatment and Research Center (CTRC), and again, the doctors would thoroughly collaborate. Wolfe underwent daily radiation that was tactically mapped out for her body in advance. Traditional radiation therapy can cause substantial peripheral damage, burning the outer and inner skin before hitting the target it’s intended supposed to reach. Wolfe received a conformal technique called external beam radiation. This technique produces minimal damage and can penetrate the skin and bone at a very minimal intensity. When the intended target is reached, the radiation treats at 100 percent. As it travels beyond the target, the radiation dissipates, minimizing radiation exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue and bone. UT Medicine radiation specialist Dr. Tony Eng directed Wolfe’s radiation plan with help from Floyd on mapping out her tumor bed, and together, they helped identify and isolate the radiation target and dosage. After six weeks of radiation therapy, Wolfe began weekly chemotherapy treatments with chemotherapy specialist Dr. Andrew Brenner, who also worked collaboratively with what radiation had accomplished. Her entire team was sharing statuses and updates. But radiation and chemotherapy both devascularize tissue and suppress the immune system, leaving the body prone to infection. Again Wolfe faced a challenge: A few months after surgery, while undergoing her first round of chemotherapy, she developed an infection in her forehead bone. Reconstruction specialist Dr. Howard Wang joined her team in October, and with Floyd, they addressed the infection and
rebuilt her sinus passages – particularly a protective flap between her sinuses in the interior of her skull. “I’ve become a big fan of hats in the last year!” Wolfe jokes. That holiday season, she underwent radiation and chemotherapy again. She admits, “If it was part of my treatment plan, I was more than happy to do it.” Over the course of a year of healing, Wolfe continued to see one or more of her doctors at least four times a month. She continued to undergo MRIs and CT and PET scans. They made sure she was clear of any new growth or recurrence. She maintained stellar health, and her images continued to look good. An avid golfer, Wolfe was liberated to go golfing again. She power-walked. She hiked. She acquired and wore numerous hats. Her journey back to normalcy was definitely pitted with emotional exhaustion, but she chinned up the entire way. “There were days I would give my husband the look that I can’t take this anymore,” she says. “We’d be invited to a Christmas party or other function, and as excited as I was to go, inevitably I would have to look in my closet for a hat that goes with black silk. I said, ‘the heck with it: I’m wearing my golf hats wherever I go!’ There were days I didn’t want to go to the medical center anymore. And that’s when I said, ‘Wait – who’s whining? That’s where my life is going to be saved. The car is on autopilot!’” In September and October 2013, Wolfe went in for her final two reconstructive two reconstructive surgeries, which included implanting a titanium plate on her skull. Wang (the reconstructive specialist) teamed again teamed with Floyd. Wolfe previously made a deal with her doctors that there’d be no more hats by Thanksgiving, and they delivered a month ahead of schedule. She’s finally at the end of a long path of confronting and tackling cancer, a soldier in the process. “Here we are this year, and we’re not battling attacking cancer anymore,” Wolfe says. “We’re not removing it. It’s purely reconstructive now.” Wolfe is humbled by her experience. She’s grateful for what she’s learned over the past two years, and she’s thankful it was a hometown process. “It would have been a difficult process had I been in any other city without my husband and family,” Wolfe says. “I would have been just another patient. I would not have had
the daily doctor visits. Here I was personally cared for.” The service at the UT Medical Center was the blessing in the backyard for Wolfe and her family. The expertise and technology are here at your fingertips. For those who think they can endure troubling symptoms or have to be away from home to receive topnotch care, Wolfe affirms that we have it all in San Antonio. “MARC is incredibly unique – complete health care and staffed with specialists should you need one,” Wolfe says. “San Antonio is blessed to have the UT Medical Center. It’s one-stop treatment. You, too, have access to the dream team.” Floyd agrees: “We are a group of 700-plus physicians all under the same umbrella, the same system and with the same mission of patient care. We’re very patient-centered. We treat patients like members of our own family.” The UT Medical Center became a second home for Wolfe and a place she went to see physicians who became her friends. “If he could, my dad would adopt my two surgeons!”
been 100 years old or 2 years old,” she says. “Don’t let the statistics fool you until you find out what they really mean or don’t mean.” And have faith. Wolfe’s faith steered her attitude from grim to grateful. She stopped sweating the small stuff and focused on her husband, son and stepchildren. Today, she’s just having fun watching her son complete his last year of high school. “If this is the walk that God has me on, as much as I might not like it, there’s a reason,” Wolfe says. “And at the other end of this walk, I’m going to be a better person. And every day, I have to wake up and thank God for another glorious day. I feel like I’ve been given an opportunity – the opportunity of diagnosis.” As rare as her cancer was, it was no match for her character and the care provided at UT Medical Center. Two years after Wolfe went in to get her headaches checked out, she’s changed the statistics on one of the rarest forms of cancer, and she deeply credits her doctors. “I take this job very seriously,” Otto says. “But I’m just the technician – I give God the credit. And Cathy is an incredible patient. Much of her success should be attributed to her and her family. I can be a great surgeon, but this is a community event. It takes a good scrub-in nurse, a good recovery team – everyone – to make it a success.” “We call each other almost every day to make sure we’re all on the same page,” Floyd adds. “And the little extra things really go a long way. There’s almost nothing we can’t take care of here. If you can get your care near home, you should.” Wolfe has embraced the challenge knowing she walked into it in good hands and walks away from it hat-free. “To this day, I tell everyone I never would have made it through this were it not for my faith, my family, my friends and – work with me on this last ‘F’ – my physicians.”
My needs were met better in San Antonio than anywhere else. Wolfe jokes. Otto even gave his personal cell number to Wolfe and her husband, as he does with all of his patients. “I want them to feel comfortable at the end of the day,” Otto says. “I tell them to call me if they need to.” Wolfe, her husband and Otto made a pact that after her last surgery, no more medical calls – only calls as friends. Wolfe encourages people to be in control of whatever health condition or treatment phase they find themselves in. She advises to personally participate. “The more you participate, the less fearsome it becomes and the better you feel. It empowers you.” She recommends you check your gut feelings and take time to take care of yourself – for you and your family. Ask your doctors to speak in laymen’s terms and research what your statistics really mean. The odds were against Wolfe until she discovered that existing statistics for her cancer revealed people could have already been in poor health or diagnosed after it was too late. “Those people could have
For more information on UT Medicine, visit www.utmedicine.org. Note: The staff of NFamily magazine deeply regrets the publication of an unapproved version of this article in the November/December 2013 issue. We sincerely apologize for the error and to all of those who were affected by the oversight. nfamily magazine 25
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fitness
Live Fit Movements we all need to master to enjoy fitness for life By Dr. Sandra Carrell Tremblay
T
here are a few basic movements that form the essence of our body’s strength, flexibility and balance. These three elements must work 28 nfamily magazine
well so that we, in turn, can work well throughout our lives. When our bodies move well, all of our systems work more efficiently. Try each maneuver to check your skills – and get to work!
1. Strength Plank: To build core back strength, lie
on your stomach with your elbows under you. Push up from your toes into a straight line. Rock your pelvis under and hold for one minute. If this is difficult, start from your knees. Only hold as long as you can keep your form. If you shake or arch your back, drop down to the floor for a few seconds and push up again.
Back march: To build core back
strength and control, lie on your back with bent knees, legs up. Flatten your back into the ground and hold. Lower only one heel to the ground and back up to the slow count of three, up and down. Repeat on the opposite leg. Do this 10 times with each leg. If you get tired, take a brief break and resume.
Door squat: Stand facing and holding
the doorframe with your legs shoulder-width apart. Sit back in a squat, keeping your toes in view (so you don’t strain your knees). Squat as far as you can without creating a strain and repeat 10 times.
Rotator cuff: Lie on
buttocks as close to the wall as possible while keeping your legs straight. You should feel a mild stretch. Scoot closer to the wall when you no longer feel the stretch. Once you feel it again, hold for several minutes. The goal is to reach 90 degrees with no sensation of
until you feel the hip stretch again and hold. Repeat on the opposite side.
Shoulders: Hold a mop handle with
a wide hand placement in front of you and lift the “bar” over your head. The goal is to make a smooth movement from front to back to front again. Practice until you can.
When our bodies move well, all of our systems work more efficiently.
your side, top elbow at the waist, with a 1-pound weight in your hand resting on the ground. Place the hand of the lower arm on your top shoulder to keep it stable during the exercise. Slowly lift the weight up, keeping your top shoulder stable and your elbow in contact with your waist. Repeat eight to 10 times. Repeat on the opposite shoulder.
3. Balance One leg bent knee standing: Stand on one leg, lift the opposite knee up as high as you can and hold for one minute. Repeat on the opposite side. If you need more stability, touch your fingertips against the wall for light assistance.
Standing leg circles: Stand on
strain. When you are able to do this, you may sit against the wall feet outstretched and start bending forward. Correct sitting posture demands 95-degree hip flexion, so get to work!
one leg and begin making small circles with the opposite leg. Slowly enlarge the circle. Repeat in the opposite direction, and then repeat on the opposite side. Touch the wall if you need support, but work to stand on your own.
Hips: While on the floor, place one
2. Flexibility Hamstrings: Lie on your back on
the floor with your feet on the wall and your
straight let against the wall and cross the other foot above the knee of the outstretched leg. Place your hand on the bent knee to keep it in position. Slowly bend the straight leg until your foot is flat on the wall. Continue to lower the leg on the wall until you feel a stretch in the opposite hip and hold until you feel it relax. Lower your foot on the wall
Dr. Sandra Carrell Tremblay is the clinic director of Alamo Heights Chiropractic Health Center, located at 4501 McCullough Ave., No. 107, in San Antonio, Texas. For more information, call 210-828-9211 or visit www.ahchc.com. nfamily magazine 29
safety
BE STRONG Teach your kids how to protect themselves and respond to dangerous scenarios by sharing with them the radKIDS top 10 safety hints.
By Clarissa Zamora
A
t the beginning of the New Year, we set new goals for ourselves. Whether the goal is to get fit and healthy or to scratch something off our bucket list, it’s a time of renewal and optimism.
Now is an opportune time to set new resolutions to ensure your children are safe. It can be difficult to speak with your children about safety at home and in your community, but children are easy lures for predators. As parents, caregivers and concerned adults, it is our responsibility to teach our children how to be safe in dangerous situations.
National program radKIDS aims to train children, in a multi-sensory, fun and interactive environment, to respond to danger scenarios. Children are taught safety education – everything from out-and-about safety and home safety to defense against abduction – by doing simulated activities. Once they’ve actually done it and practiced it, the necessary skills will likely come naturally and instinctively in a dangerous situation. Be strong for your children, and talk with them about how to protect themselves in dangerous situations. Here are the radKIDS top 10 safety hints to share with kids:
Never leave school with someone you don’t know for any reason.
1 If someone knocks on your door:
Never open the door without looking to see who’s there first. If it’s someone you don’t know or trust, don’t open the door without your parents – even if they say they are with the police department or the water or electric company, or that they have a delivery for you.
3
If someone you don’t know asks you to play a game:
Don’t let people you don’t know or trust join in with you while you are playing unless you have permission from your parents or sitter.
someone you don’t know trust asks you to help 5 Iforthem find something or come see something or offers you something to go with them:
Say “NO” in a loud voice. These are tricks. Move away quickly, and tell a trusted adult.
7
Keep a safe distance. If you are with a trusted adult, go to them or call to them. Tell a stranger you can’t talk, and move away quickly.
4
If someone you don’t know shows up at school and tells you there is an emergency at home and you need to go with them:
It could be a trick. Never leave school with someone you don’t know for any reason. Tell a trusted adult.
6
If anyone touches your body in a way that you don’t want:
Move away; say “NO,” “STOP” or “DON’T DO THAT TO ME”; and tell a trusted adult right away.
someone you don’t know you in a car and 8 Ifapproaches asks you for help or directions:
If a person touches you, then asks you to keep it a secret or tells you something bad will happen to you or someone you love if you tell:
Stay three giant steps back from the car. Tell them you can’t help them, and that you will get a grownup to help.
If a stranger tries to get you into their car with them:
Yell loudly, “NO,” “HELP” or “This is not my mom/ dad!” Make other people notice – knock things off a shelf or scatter books. Do whatever it takes to break away. Then run to a safe place or to a phone and dial 9-1-1.
It’s a trick. Tell a trusted grownup what happened.
9
someone you don’t know or comes up and tries to talk 2 Iftrust to you:
Never get into a stranger’s car without your parents’ permission, no matter how nicely the person acts or what the person offers you.
These are safety hints from radKIDS training, helping children become empowered, replacing the fear, confusion and panic of dangerous situations with confidence, personal safety skills and selfesteem.
10 take you away:
If someone grabs you or tries to
Clarissa Zamora is the director of education and outreach at ChildSafe, a provider of radKIDS classes that is concerned about the safety of our children. For more information, please contact her at clarissaz@childsafe-sa.org or visit ChildSafe online at www.childsafe-sa.org. nfamily magazine 31
cover story
Making it
Count
“Cancer sucks, but the ride to the hospital doesn’t have to.” Local cancer survivor Manny Diotte brings a ray of sunshine into the lives of young cancer patients and their families with The Ferrari Kid. By Kelly Hamilton
O
nce in a while, you come across another human who leaves an indelible impression on your heart and mind. Maybe something they said or did for you left an effect impossible to forget. In unique circumstances, we encounter the person who leaves us with the fingerprint of a feeling and emotion never to be erased. Not long ago, I had the opportunity to share time with a local businessman, philanthropist and cancer survivor. The outpouring of positive energy, upward outlook and unbreakable faith left me yearning to do more for those around me. When Manny Diotte was 18 years old, he teetered dangerously at wit’s end. Dozens of surgeries, almost a lifetime of treatments and ultimately the threat of losing a leg rendered him close to despondent. A doctor’s final attempt to save Diotte’s spirit – and his leg – resulted in a trip to Los Angeles and the beginning of a legacy. Upon exiting LAX, young Manny found himself up close and personal with a red Ferrari. Eyes wide, spirits soaring and intent for the trip completely forgotten, he met the car owner and was left with the feeling of a lifetime after having a photo with the sports car. Decades later, as Diotte sat in his office, a quote by Maya Angelou came to mind about how people will forget what you say or do, but not how you made them feel. It was at that moment The Ferrari Kid was born. What started as a hobby has turned into a fulltime job. Countless doctors, hospitals and parents call him requesting his services to provide a ray of sunshine to kids and their families for an afternoon. Diotte is thankful that the Lord opened the floodgate and has given him such an opportunity to serve those in need. Now he feels his job is to figure out how to handle
the influx of requests. Some of the kids are too fragile for the entire experience, so the Ferrari kid will simply drive them to a doctor’s appointment or take them for a quiet ride through the city. The plan for 2014 is to continue to have the full-blown red carpet, paparazziladen experience for a number of kids and to provide transportation service for a number of others. Diotte’s motto is, “Cancer sucks, but the ride to the hospital doesn’t have to. It is The Ferrari Kid’s mission to make these kids feel like the superstar that they are.” Recalling a story from the beginning of his professional speaking career, Diotte shared with me a conversation between himself and renowned speaker Les Brown, during which Brown told him, “The richest places in the world are graveyards. They are full of unwritten books, un-composed music, movies not produced – all due to fear (false evidence appearing real).” Diotte believed his words and took them to heart. “I believe we were all born for greatness and have a responsibility to make the world better for those around us. Everyone is not cut out to be a CEO or have a high-profile position. Maybe their perfect place in life is that of a caring mother or a schoolteacher … the point is, perfect your lot in life and carry the task with joy and honor.” Sometimes in life it takes being vulnerable and accepting rejection to be successful. Diotte conveys that we have to have faith in our ability to produce even when failure is staring us flatly in the face. Diotte’s parents are still alive, and they are very proud of all he has accomplished. Making every day count is a skill he has finely honed. As the first in his family to graduate from college (with a master’s, no less), Diotte is no stranger to persistence. “The truth is, I do have my moments of pain and frustration. I have a family and other nfamily magazine 33
responsibilities to take care of, though, so I’m here to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime because the stake are high.” The fact that Diotte lives his aspirations and is such a witness to those around him is quite profound and does not go without notice in his home. The father of two daughters, ages 11 and 21, both of who are adopted, strives to be a living example for them. Teaching them to not give up and to have faith in the right things, he shows them that regardless of what happens, you can still have love for humanity and do things for other people. “The days are long, but the years fly by,” Diotte says. “I learn from them, too, how to see things from a child’s perspective – how to get lost in their joy.” Diotte reminds me that if you could put all of the problems in the world in a fishbowl and you could pick the ones you want, you’d probably just take your own
“
back. “Best way to get out of a personal funk is to go do something for someone else. You realize how fortunate you are.” This premise is the foundation upon which he and his wife, Kristi, have raised their girls. “My children are like teachers to me. I teach them to be loving and compassionate, but when I see them doing it on their own, even at a different level than I could do it, I realize there is always a different perspective for everything.” Beyond words, Diotte and his wife love integrating their children in The Ferrari Kid experience, and it thrills them to see how compassionate their girls are. “It heightens my sensitivity to the needs of the children we serve through the charity. Integrating them into the foundation has heightened my awareness of the needs in our city.” Diotte’s daughters were at the Children’s Shelter before he and his wife adopted them, and it thrills him to no end
that when they have to donate clothes and toys, they know exactly where they want to take them. More than once, the Rainbow Room at the CPS center and the Children’s Shelter (from which the girls came) have been the recipients. It is Diotte’s heartfelt wish that one day after he is long gone, they will continue to do something in the humanitarian vein to demonstrate the love and compassion they have for others and their city. Through word, deed and character, Diotte encourages everyone in his wake to leave their mark on this world. “I firmly believe that if we do not fully utilize our talents, then we deny the world our genius. It’s important that I don’t just exist, but that I make a footprint.”
For more information on The Ferrari Kid, visit www.theferrarikid.org.
I believe we were all born for greatness and have a responsibility to make the world better for those around us.
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Through word, deed and character, Diotte encourages everyone in his wake to leave their mark on this world.
nfamily magazine 35
education
Good Communication
Leads to Good Education
Effective communication between parent, teacher and child creates a better educational report card. BY PAMELA RAMSEY
G
ood communication between parents, teachers and children is absolutely essential for a positive and productive school year. Parents need to be constantly aware of what’s going on in their children’s classrooms and the teacher’s expectations. At the same time, teachers are better able to meet the needs of each student if they understand each student’s personality, and this is best understood with the child’s perspective contributing to the
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conversations about educational experiences at home and in the classroom. It’s important to remember that your child will be in school for a long time 2,340 days from kindergarten to 12th grade, to be exact. It can be considered their “job” for the first couple of decades of their life, if not longer. And just like any other job, setting them up for success is important. This happens through hard work from their first and most important teachers: their parents. What do children need to learn to be successful in their education and beyond?
Organization Time management How to behave in public How to improve and overcome challenges How to socialize And how to effectively communicate Many of these skills can be practiced if children are involved in or aware of parent-teacher
Positives are important, and they need the same attention as challenges. conferences and other decision-making situations in their academic careers. Most schools in San Antonio have parentteacher conferences twice a year, but if conferences aren’t required at least twice a year, parents should make time for at least a couple of conferences with their child’s teacher. Your child will benefit from the information you gain, and that which you provide. Here are some tips for making the most of your conference:
Go in with a positive attitude Your child’s teacher and you are working toward the same goal: your child’s academic success. Go into the conference with that in mind. Both of you have valuable experiences with your child, and together, you can create a holistic picture. Asking your child about some of their thoughts and
experiences prior to the conference will also help to create a full picture.
Do your part There is a lot of information that goes out to parents via emails, phone messages and their child’s backpack. Make sure you are staying on top of all of the news that is going on at the school and classroom level. When you meet with the teacher, if you are current with happenings, it will leave more time for the important things: your children.
Be prepared for your conference This is like any other appointment – you have many questions and little time. Make sure you prepare with questions and concerns you may have ahead of time so that the time is used most effectively and you go home feeling clear about issues. Some questions may include: Is my child performing at grade level? Are there areas of concern? How can I help at home with homework or concerns? What skills is my child working toward mastering for this grade level? Look through the lens of opportunity
Even if your conference is scheduled due to a perceived challenge, look at it as a chance to grow as a parent or to help your child’s teacher broaden their understanding
of your child. Even if you feel like your child has been treated unfairly or that the teacher hasn’t made all of the right choices, these situations may help everyone grow. It takes time to work seamlessly with someone, and good communication goes a long way.
Always do your homework Once your conference is over, take the time to review your notes at home. If there are some changes that need to be made, discuss them with your family and work on a routine to encourage academic success. If there is nothing but positive news, celebrate as a family. Positives are important, and they need the same attention as challenges. Finally, discuss the conference with your child. Talk about the things they’re doing well and the things they need to work on.
Pamela Ramsey, M.A., is the parent programs director for the Brighton Center. The Brighton Center Parent Program provides holistic services to families with children who have a mental, cognitive, physical or developmental disability through education, support and advocacy. The Parent Program offers nurturing classes, individual ARD support, special education law workshops and more. For more information, please contact the Brighton Center at 826-4492 or visit www.brightonsa.org. nfamily magazine 37
child development
Ambassadors for Inclusion Rescued dogs Stinger and Wonder further emphasize the fundamental focus of Morgan’s Wonderland as goodwill animal ambassadors for the unique theme park and for the San Antonio Scorpions. SPECIAL TO NFAMILY
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wo rescued female dogs – an 18-week-old terrier mix with special needs named Stinger and a 2-and-a-half-year-old rat terrier without physical challenges named Wonder – have been introduced as goodwill animal ambassadors for the unique Morgan’s Wonderland theme park and for the San Antonio Scorpions pro soccer team. “Our tail-wagging ambassadors will help us further emphasize the fundamental focus of Morgan’s Wonderland: inclusion,” said philanthropist Gordon Hartman, chairman of the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation. “Morgan’s Wonderland enables those with and without special needs to come together in a safe, colorful, affordable environment for fun and understanding.” Hartman introduced the dogs at a morning news conference and indicated their first official appearances would take place during “A Wonderland Christmas” special holiday entertainment for the entire family at Morgan’s Wonderland in December. Stinger and Wonder greeted guests and posed for photos 38 nfamily magazine
from 6 to 7 each evening of “A Wonderland Christmas,” noted Hartman, who also recognized the dogs’ adoptive “parents” (his brother, Gene Hartman, and his sister-in-law, Sherral) and the dogs’ veterinarians, Drs. Pete and Maria Hey of Deerfield Veterinary Hospital. “Big-hearted Gene and Sherral decided to adopt Stinger after learning of her plight in a TV news story,” Hartman said. “Stinger was born with deformed front legs and was thrown into a dumpster, along with other pups in the litter. However, a conscientious young man, Raymond Martinez, rescued Stinger and company and involved Debi Silva, director of A Vision of Hope Canine Community, which seeks to find homes for dogs with special needs. Subsequently, Carrie Brister of the San Antonio Guardian Angels Rescue and Haven facilitated the adoption of Wonder to underscore inclusion, enabling those with and without special needs to live, play and share life together.” Stinger and Wonder will make appearances at Morgan’s Wonderland and at Scorpions matches. “As our animal ambassadors, they’ll be performing a very valuable service, so
Northeast San Antonio just west of IH 35 at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive, Morgan’s Wonderland has become the anchor for a family fun destination known as Wonderland, Texas. The former Longhorn Quarry also is home to Toyota Field, home of the Scorpions; the South Texas Area Regional (STAR) Soccer Complex, with 13 first-class fields for
“Stinger and Wonder will be performing a very valuable service, so we consider them to be service dogs.”
we consider them to be service dogs,” Hartman said. “We already admit service animals trained to assist individuals with special needs; however, we’re simply not equipped to accommodate guests’ pets.” Morgan’s Wonderland began its second year of hosting A Wonderland Christmas on Friday, Nov. 29. In addition to the park’s regular rides and attractions, A Wonderland Christmas featured a new twinkling lights-and-music show at Sanctuary Garden, plus Santa Claus visits, musical entertainment, a petting zoo and Christmas decorations galore. “Our inaugural A Wonderland Christmas a year ago began a new holiday tradition for families and individuals wanting to become immersed in the Christmas spirit,” Hartman said. “Our guests took countless pictures of the beautiful holiday decorations, activities and musical performances.” The 2014 season begins on Feb. 28. Located at 5223 David Edwards Drive in
tournament and league play; and Monarch Academy, a school for students with special needs next to Morgan’s Wonderland. Net profits from the Scorpions, Toyota Field and STAR Soccer help nonprofit Morgan’s Wonderland meet its financial obligations, as well as expand services and programs for the special-needs community. A Vision of Hope Canine Community began six years ago when Silva fostered a blind puppy named Maverick. “At first, I thought it would be difficult to raise a blind dog, but Maverick soon proved me wrong,” Silva said. “He did everything my dogs with vision did and more. So many times I see blind or blind/deaf dogs go unadopted because they’re perceived as hard to work with. This is where A Vision of Hope Canine Community comes in. We want to be a resource for those that are considering giving these amazing canines a chance.” And according to Brister, San Antonio Guardian Angels Rescue and Haven gives shelter to expectant canine moms, moms with puppies and puppies without moms. The rescue efforts began in 2011.
For more information, contact Bob McCullough, APR, at 210-637-3418 or bmccullough@morganswonderland.com, or Preston Petri at 210-637-342 or ppetri@sascorpions.com. A Vision of Hope 210-528-0933 Morgan’s Wonderland 210-495-5888
www.morganswonderland.com
San Antonio Scorpions www.sascorpions.com
avisionofhopecanine@gmail.com
San Antonio Guardian Angels Rescue and Haven 210-379-9034 www.sanantonioguardianangels.com
nfamily magazine 39
child development
From the Heart The Kinetic Kids organization thanks the Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center for helping raise more money than ever to help physically limited children conquer movement at the Hootenanny event. BY ASHLEY HOLIFIELD
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he Children’s Orthopaedic & Spine Center (COSC) is happy to announce that the Hootenanny event raised the most money it ever has for the Kinetic Kids organization. COSC is a lead sponsor of the Kinetic Kids. They helped put on the Hootenanny event in order to raise money for the Kinetic Kids programs.
COSC was more than happy to support the Kinetic Kids Hootenanny event. It was an amazing event that had an even more amazing outcome. COSC and Dr. Steven and Le Ann Cyr, founders of COSC, were glad to help such an amazing cause and organization that helps children with physical disabilities. The event turned out to be a huge success.
About Kinetic Kids Kinetic Kids are children from all walks of life who experience the daily struggles of lifelong challenges, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, autism, Asperger syndrome, brain tumors, cancers and other neurological disorders. These children have the desire to perform age-appropriate sports and recreational activities like their peers. They are children who may use wheelchairs as their primary mobility or who may use a walker or crutches. They may also be independent with mobility, but for other reasons, are limited in their participation in recreational activities with their peer group. The Kinetic Kids organization was established to provide health, recreational and educational services to these children and their families. Their mission is to provide unique experiences through physical and creative activities in a supportive environment to children with special needs who may otherwise be excluded. COSC became a sponsor of this amazing organization because some of their main goals are similar to those of Kinetic Kids. COSC wants to help all children with disabilities to be able to be physically active. That is why the Cyrs expanded the
Kinetic Kids provides health, recreational and educational services to children with special needs and their families. Orthopaedic & Spine Institute and opened COSC in order to also be able to help children. COSC and Kinetic Kids have joined together in order to help physically limited children conquer movement. COSC knows the importance of rehabilitation before and after surgery for disabled children, and Kinetic Kids is the perfect organization that helps children with the same spinal conditions that COSC works with. Therefore, COSC made it a goal to raise as much money as they could to continue to support the Kinetic Kids organization in order to continue to help as many children as possible. Catherine Dial Easley, development director of Kinetic Kids Inc., sends her gracious thanks to COSC and the Cyrs: “Thank you for your generous support of our Hootenanny evening, both financially and from the heart!
From the moment you said yes as our presenting sponsor, you jumped in with both feet and helped us make this event the highest-grossing evening in the history of Hootenanny. To say that we couldn’t have done it without you is an understatement. “The Acapulco house, which brought in $8,500, was because of your friendship with Lorena. I know that many other silent and live auction items were brought in by Cedar and LeAnn. Dr. Cyr, your speech was spot on, and you were so gracious to mention the other orthopedics in the audience. We are very grateful for your support. Thank you again for all you have done for our Kinetic Kids!”
For more information on the Children’s Orthopedic & Spine Center or to make an appointment, please visit www. sachildrensorthopaedics.com or call Cedar Joiner at 210-487-7463.
nfamily magazine 41
child development
The Rear Gear Ultra Absorbent Diapers encompass all of the qualities that shoppers look for in a disposable diaper.
You Can Have it All
BabyGanics’ Rear Gear Ultra Absorbent Diapers: babyfriendly, parent-friendly and eco-friendly BY KIRSTEN HURLEY hen it comes to shopping for diapers, it seems nearly impossible to have it all. Eco-friendly diapers that also provide comfort? Those cost a small fortune. How about diapers that are both affordable and safe for the environment? You might as well call them stiff and scratchy. And what about diapers that are as comfortable for your baby as they are easy on your wallet? Not exactly good for Mother
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Earth. Now, thanks to BabyGanics, you really can have it all. The launch of Rear Gear Ultra Absorbent Diapers offers consumers the first diapers to truly be baby-friendly, parent-friendly and eco-friendly. BabyGanics’ Rear Gear Ultra Absorbent Diapers encompass all of the qualities that shoppers look for in a disposable diaper. Made with an exclusive blend of superior seed oils known as the NeoNourish Complex, babies’ skin will be nourished and moisturized by a diaper that provides
a premium comfort and fit, as well as effective leak control. Pair this with the fact that the diapers are made from biobased materials and contain no harsh chemicals, chlorine, latex, petroleum-based lotions or fragrance, and you are left with a product that offers more than any other diaper on the market today. The Rear Gear Ultra Absorbent Diapers are available at all Babies “R” Us and Target locations nationwide, with prices starting at $11.99. BabyGanics is committed to providing families with the saf-
est and most effective household products for all children. BabyGanics prides itself on being earth safe, people safe and “picky mother-in-law” safe in the bathroom, kitchen, nursery and other baby-friendly rooms.
For more information, contact Kirsten Hurley at kirsten@prrevolution.com or 973-369-7440.
A child needs you Become A foster or foster-to-Adopt pArent boystown.org/texas | 210-271-1010 1304-079
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fur family
z w Pa
in the City Yappy New Year Start 2014 with a bang while keeping it safe and fun for your fur babies. BY ELIZABETH NICKELL AND DEBORAH D. SALAS
Happy 2014, my two- and four-legged friends! No matter where you were when the clock struck midnight and the ball in Times Square dropped, we hope everyone had fun! Now, before we get into a new year of pet safety tips and information, we’ll start with saying that we wish 2014 to be a year of new (and amazing) beginnings for you and yours – furry ones included.
Feel the Burn With the New Year comes – you guessed it – New Year’s resolutions. And we all know the most common change we want to make and/or improve upon: our health/ weight. But before you go running out on Jan. 1 to sign up at the nearest gym or start searching online for a workout partner, why don’t you try pairing up with Spot rather than a spotter? ● ● ● ●
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You and Spot can hit the roads and sidewalks together to get in your exercise and bonding time! If that isn’t enough reason to grab your tennis shoes and leash, remember this little nugget of obviousness: Sidewalks are free and don’t require a contract. So boom: You’re both saving money and getting yourself and Spot into shape.
Whether you foster temporarily or give a pet a forever home, you
are literally saving that pet’s life.
Tip: When walking/running with your pet(s) please keep in mind that they are essentially running barefoot. So before you put these workout plans into action, be sure to stop by your local pet store or the pet section in your grocery store and look for a balm/wax for their paws. This will help with asphalt cracking and should, in turn, prevent bleeding.
“Yappy” Valentine’s Day! February: a month full of chocolates, flowers and proposals. The only thing missing in this list is a furry friend. This February, take your home’s cuteness to a whole new level by looking into your local pet adopting and/or fostering organization. We have so many great places here in San Antonio that work diligently to rescue millions of homeless pets and need your help. Whether it’s fostering temporarily or giving a forever home, you are literally saving that pet’s life. So go be a hero today and enjoy the unconditional love that pet will bring to you and your family.
That’s it for now, friends! For more information, please visit www.pamprdpawz.com or call 210-320-6403.
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fur family
Making Plans
»for Fido
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he holidays are over, and spring is coming! When making your spring and summer vacation plans, don’t forget Fido and Fifi! Deciding what to do with your beloved pet when you are away can be tough. Should you hire a pet sitter? Should your dog board at your veterinarian’s office? What about independent boarding facilities? There are many things to consider when making this choice. Before booking your stay, get educated! All boarding facilities and kennels should be more than happy to show you the boarding kennels without an appointment. When viewing the kennels, be sure to look for cleanliness, happy animals, organization and good attitudes. Inquire who will be caring for your pet, how often your pet will be cleaned and walked and where your pet will be kept. Ask to see the outdoor area to 46 nfamily magazine
Going on vacation? Board now or forever cross your paws! BY GENEVIEVE ALLEN
make sure it is spotless. Be sure the indoor and outdoor areas are secure. Are you paying for your dog to be in a run or in a cage? A run is a large enclosed area with a gated front door. A cage is much smaller. If you have multiple animals, can they be housed together? Get your pets up-to-date on vaccinations. All reputable boarding facilities require pets to be current on vaccinations. If you are boarding your pet at a facility with a veterinarian on staff, you can get these updated while boarding. This protects your pets from getting sick. If no medical paperwork is requested, do not board your pet there. Do your pets have medical needs? Medicating your animal costs extra at boarding facilities, as do play times, extra walks and grooming before going home.
With high-anxiety or older dogs, sometimes a pet sitter is the way to go. Some cats and dogs do not tolerate boarding and would be much better off at their own home. It is important to think about what is best for your pet’s happiness and health. If you are considering an in-home pet sitter, you should do your homework. Don’t hesitate to invite your potential sitter over to the house or interview them over the phone. Your sit-
ter should be insured and bonded. This protects you and your pet. Get a feel for their animal care knowledge and training. What are their plans if your pet gets sick or an emergency occurs? What time and how often will your pet be walked, fed and cleaned? Pet sitters do offer one-on-one attention in their own home. When you’ve made up your mind, book it! It’s always a good idea to bring your pet’s favorite toys, bedding, treats and food. This will help your fur baby feel more comfortable and at home. Label your items with a permanent marker. Don’t send anything you can’t live without – some things just disappear in kennels. Inform the facility of any behavioral is-
sues your pet may have. The staff needs to know if Fido is a biter or a fence jumper. By making the staff aware of possible issues, you are ensuring a safe and happy stay. Remember to not make a big deal when saying goodbye. This is a vacation for the whole family, and there’s no need to get sappy. Don’t apologize for leaving. Your pet is smart and can pick up on changes and your anxiety. If you have a puppy or a highenergy dog, run or walk your dog before dropping them off. This can reduce stress and anxiety. Provide your contact information and your veterinarian’s contact information, as well as someone in town you can rely on to help if a problem arises.
For more information, visit www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_ boarding_your_dog.
The staff needs to know if your pet has any behavioral issues.
nfamily magazine 47
faith
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What a
Mess!
We may see a mess in our lives, but God sees a masterpiece. BY CHRIS AND BRE’ANNA EMMITT
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he other day, we cleaned our house spotless – all of the kids’ toys were tucked away, the dishes were done and the floors were shining. Within an hour, it looked like a wreck. What happened? Kids. Kids happened. You see, we love our three kids dearly, 48 nfamily magazine
but at the ages of 6, 4 and 2, they have not yet learned to appreciate the value of a neat, clean house. Over the years, we have found everything from permanent marker on the walls and bottles of baby powder dusted over entire rooms to – the worst of all – sippy cups of milk left in the SUV for a week. We try to stay on top of things, but as much as we clean and pick up, we sometimes feel like we live in a constant mess.
It’s easy to feel like our lives are a mess, too. Our work, marriage, family, parenting, finances and relationships – how often they feel unorganized and dysfunctional. Even when it seems like things are going well, all it takes is one conversation, one look or one decision to turn the entire thing into a mess. Now, some of us had incredible families and friends growing up, but some of us would call those relationships dysfunctional at best.
FREE FITNESS CLASSES NOW ONGOING
I
Chris Emmitt is a pastor at Community Bible Church, and Bre’anna Emmitt is a freelance writer and a stay-at-home mom to their three kids. You can usually find them ministering together at Chris’ services on Sundays at 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. You can view Chris’ sermons at www.communitybible.com and keep up with Bre’anna’s blog at www. sozowomen.com. You can also check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Masterpieces are valued, cherished and of high worth.
Those of us in the latter group are trying to be the best parents, siblings, children or spouses, but it feels like the past haunts us daily. I want to encourage you with an old verse from the Bible: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT 2nd Ed.).
What an incredible truth. God considers us his masterpiece! Think about it. Masterpieces are valued, cherished and of high worth. They are something the owner takes pride in and proudly displays for all to see. God thinks the same way about his children. We see a mess, but God sees a masterpiece. For us as parents, we have many masterpieces in our house – but they’re not what you may be thinking. They are made of popsicle sticks, construction paper, cotton balls and crayons. If you have kids, you probably have similar masterpieces. They are extremely valuable to us – not because of what they look like, but because of who made them. It is the same way between you and your heavenly father. He finds extreme value and high worth in you – not because of what you have done, but because of who you are. Next time you find yourself looking at your marriage, finances, parenting skills, relationships or life in general and thinking, ‘what a mess,’ remember: We may see a mess, but God sees a masterpiece.
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nfamily magazine 49
events
Moms for Maroon
The San Antonio Aggie Moms’ Club: raising Aggies, raising funds and raising the bar SPECIAL TO NFAMILY
I
f you happen to drive by Aggie Park at Loop 410 and West Avenue on the first Tuesday of the month at around 6:30 p.m., you might be hard pressed to find a parking space. That’s because anywhere from 125 to 175 maroon-clad, loud and proud Aggie ● ● ● ●
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moms are gathered to experience the warm and welcoming reach of the Aggie family. They gather to learn all they can about the traditions that make Texas A&M so unique; to share the successes and setbacks of their Aggie sons’ and daughters’ college careers with others who have had the same experiences; to develop lasting friendships; and to organize their time and talents for
the purpose of supporting all Aggie students who call Bexar County home. It all started 87 years ago on April 11, 1926, when Claudia Krueger, “believing that there was a great need for a closer affiliation between home and the college and that mutual benefit would be derived there from, organized the Texas A&M University Mothers’ Club of San Antonio for the
is making plans now for its major fundraising event: the Second Annual Texas Freedom Scholarship Gala, to be held on Saturday, March 1, 2014, at the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club. This fun-filled evening will include dinner, live music, dancing and a silent auction.
purpose of encouraging the students in their work, expressing solicitude in their mental, moral and physical welfare and aiding them in any way that might be deemed acceptable.” Today, at 235 members strong, the San Antonio Aggie Moms’ Club continues to uphold the vision and mission established by Krueger. A member of the Federation of Texas A&M University Mothers’ Clubs, the San Antonio Aggie Moms’ Club is one of 119 member clubs from across Texas and the nation. The club provides financial and moral support for Bexar County Aggies attending both the College Station and Galveston campuses through nine endowed scholarships, monthly book scholarship, a finals goody bag program and annual contributions to numerous campus student organizations. At the club’s most recent meeting on Dec. 4, local Aggie moms were treated to a festive holiday celebration featuring a delicious meal, “reindeer games,” Aggie carols, a gift exchange and a special visit by Santa, whose suit was definitely maroon! The San Antonio Aggie Moms’ Club
The moms gather to organize their time and talents in order to support all Aggie students who call Bexar County home.
For ticket information or to sponsor the Texas Freedom Scholarship Gala, visit www.sanantoniomoms.aggienetwork.com
nfamily magazine 51
● ● ● ●
arts
Being
Alive By Laura Michelle Wolfe
The sum and substance of “Company� at The Playhouse 52 nfamily magazine
COMPANY I
t’s 1970s New York, and a desirable bachelor turns 35. It could be anyone. It could be anywhere. It could be any decade or era. An inevitable anniversary brings the reflection: What am I doing? Where am I going? What do I want? Making a birthday wish is quite the struggle when you’ve got a menagerie of married friends ready to make one for you. So it is for Robert, a man almost perfectly happy with his freedom … and his assortment of beautiful and exciting no-stringsattached options. Is it really worth it to narrow them down? To commit?
entertaining to categorically uncomfortable, a vicarious escapade of others’ trial-and-error with none of the consequence. The couple embarking on a new marriage fraught with more than their fair share of cold feet; the couple trying to strengthen their marriage bond through shared activities, but keeping secrets on the side; the couple comfortable with a healthy balance of small sacrifices for the other’s happiness; the couple in a not-so-healthy pattern of sacrifice
yourself, but maybe not by yourself. The birthday candles are blown out. “Company” is that moment we stood at the edge of the diving board with the knowledge that an infinite number of possibilities – joys and pains – could be waiting if we could only shake the invisible hands of the unknown pulling us back to dry land. It is simultaneously the moment we hit the water, exhilarated to know that it does not end there – we can dive back into life as many times as we dare. Our relationships are what we make of them.
Living is experiencing the misery and bliss for yourself, but maybe not by yourself.
Sondheim’s poignant, yet playful score ties together the meat of 11 one-act vignettes by George Furth with characters who might seem too colorful if we weren’t so intimately familiar with them in our own circles of loved ones – truly, in ourselves. Nature vs. nurture aside, we are all impacted by the examples set for us, and Robert is no exception. We watch him, conflicted with the gravity of weighing his comfortable and carefree carousel of companions against what could be. He is offered advice (some solicited, some not) and granted exclusive glances into the worlds of each relationship ranging from
for the other’s sake; the “perfect” couple … calling it quits (only to realize they have “too many responsibilities” to live apart) – there’s no shortage of fuel for the apprehensive bachelor to imagine what destinies might await him in marriage. Yet in each of their trials, the possibility of comfort and contentedness is evident, and Robert realizes that equally distressing fates could await him alone. He ultimately decides that being fully alive cannot be achieved by observation of others’ experiences. Living is experiencing the misery and bliss for
“Company,” unlike so many other great American musicals, does not paint the fairytale for us. It does not give us a happily ever after or the notion that love will conquer all, but a refreshingly realistic, yet hopeful picture of life and love and the opportunities it provides for us to create that happiness. And who cannot relate to that? Come dive back into life at the theater! There is no better place to connect to yourself, to your companions or to the world at large. “Company” runs from Feb. 7 through March 2. For more information about this production or The Playhouse, visit www. theplayhousesa.org. nfamily magazine 53
profile
The Power of a
Dream
ERIC CASTILLO: Not your typical college football player
SPECIAL TO NFAMILY
Castillo trained hard and learned fast in his pursuit to play college football, and his ability to work with a team coherently and efficiently has paid dividends for him in football – but it is what he has done off the field that has really begun to change lives forever in the San Antonio community. Every great story begins with a dream, and every great dream can only be shared through a great story. Castillo has shared his story at four Boys & Girls Clubs and around the South Texas area, and now he shares his story with NFamily. In his own words, here is the powerful story and testimony of Eric Castillo:
E
ERIC CASTILLO, a personal trainer and student athlete at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), is not your typical college football player. At age 28, he made his dream of playing collegiate football at UIW a reality, despite the fact that he had no previous high school football experience. As a 30-year-old senior and defensive back, Castillo (No. 38) was one of only 95 guys who received an invitation to UIW’s first Division 1 football camp this year. He may have been the oldest and the least experienced, but he achieved his dream through hard work and dedication. 54 nfamily magazine
My name is Eric Castillo. When I was growing up, as a kid, I was always surrounded by sports and fitness and always loved to play sports. My dad grew up here in San Antonio playing basketball, football and baseball at Lanier High School. He was fortunate to receive a scholarship to play football at the University of Missouri as a quarterback. His footsteps as an athlete were followed by me and my brother up until the high school level. In high school, I played basketball for four years. I graduated in 2001 from John Marshall High School. After high school, I took a different road than what I expected. At a young age, I started a landscape company from mowing residential yards, tree trimming, irrigation and concrete to full-out landscape jobs. At 19 years old, I had my first big commercial landscape contract with a local homebuilder. By 22, I was running two crews and was working with a few different homebuilders and real estate brokers. At 23 years old, I got married to the mother of my two children, Eric and Ethan. At the same time, I was privileged to obtain a fulltime job at a local real estate company that paid for my real estate classes and a position as an assistant property manager. While working for this company, I was still able to run my successful landscape company. With all of this work and money that I was chasing, I lost focus of the most important things in my life. I started drinking in excess, I said whatever came to my mind and I was doing what I wanted to please me. That was my life: an incredible banquet of all the things the world had to offer, but just never getting full, never being satisfied, never being able to push away and say, “that’s enough” – and suddenly, I was lost. I was happy, but unfulfilled. Something was missing. The lifestyle I was trying to live at such a young age took a toll on my family and me. The three things that I really knew in life (my wife and my two sons) were taking away from me at the same time. So I had to find something that made me feel comfortable. I went down a path of destruction. I lost my job and my landscape company that I built in six years overnight. It wasn’t because of anybody else, but because the way I was living – the choices I was making. Everything in my life up until this point, I could do on my own. I didn’t need help from anyone. But the drinking I couldn’t stop. I wanted more and more. I had an accident one night to my right hand that almost took my life. I remember waking up the next day in a hospital with a cast on my right hand. The doctors told me I would never be able to use my hand again. My identity was gone. I felt like a rug just got yanked out from underneath me. I think God put a road-
block in my life: He had removed all of my distractions. Eventually, I was released from the hospital and I started to go to the gym to rehabilitate my hand. It started with baby steps. Things got harder after that. The hand started to get better. It was not an overnight transformation, but slowly, things started to change in my life. I understood I was a screw-up. I took my talents and abilities, and I spit on them. I took for granted the body that was giving to me. Six weeks out of the hospital, I ran my first 5K. The feeling I got from finishing that first run became an instant inspiration to me, and I wanted more of that. The path that I fell off of after high school was placed right back in my face. Fitness became my road to recovery spiritually, mentally and physically. I wanted to show people that I could overcome this injury and addiction. I started working for a small gym doing sales. After a few months at the gym, I was asked to take personal training classes. I still remember my first client: a 15-year-old overweight boy. I couldn’t believe his mom was about to pay me to try to change this little boy’s body health and life. I was optimistic about what I could do. I asked myself, ‘Am I changed? Is this path that I was meant to be on?’ I ended up building a client base of 20 clients until one day when I moved weights and machines into a friend’s garage, where we made a makeshift gym that we called a training studio. I trained out of the garage for six months until I saved up enough money and built up a total of 40 clients. I then moved into a shopping center and had my own commercial studio. I trained out of my studio for two years. I still remem-
ber sitting in the studio with some close friends and talking about adversity, life, dreams and goals. My dream and goal was to play college football. It was a dream that seemed so far because I never played high school football. In November of 2010, at 27 years old, I closed my gym down to chase the dream I had envisioned for two years. I was willing to lose it all for an attempt, but I had to try. I hired a personal trainer by the name of Nathaniel Dilworth, who had a background with track athletes. We trained for speed three days a week, as I found a little time to train a few clients at local high school football fields to keep my dream alive financially. I remember applying at the University of Incarnate Word in December of 2010. A few days after I applied, I met a man by the name of Ed Garza – he was a former mayor of San Antonio. I contacted him and we chatted about life, goals and dreams. A few days later, I drove to UIW and I still remember the admissions lady closing the door behind her. I knew it wasn’t good news: “You have not been accepted to UIW.” My heart dropped, and when I left, I was in tears of confusion. Later that night, Mr. Garza and I wrote an appeal letter. The next day at 9 a.m., I got a call from admissions saying I was accepted into the spring semester at UIW. I will never forget the feeling after I hung up with her. I was getting a second chance in life and a chance to chase my dream. I went to talk to the coach immediately and was able to walk on and start spring training with the UIW Cardinals, where I had an opportunity to play in their annual spring game. The players and coaches at UIW keep
“I MAY NOT BE A STARTER OR AN ALL-STAR FOOTBALL PLAYER, BUT EVERY TIME I STEP ON THE FIELD, I WORK HARD.” me grounded and inspired. I am surrounded by a great group of guys – high school all-star athletes and college transfers. I am playing a sport I never played in high school, and I take every day as an opportunity to learn the game and the position from a great group of teammates and coaching staff at UIW. Every time I step on the field, I work hard. I know I may not be a starter or an all-star football player, but I do know I give it all I’ve got to help and inspire others around me. I have learned values like accountability, determination and teamwork. People always ask me, “What made you want to play a sport at a college level? You never played before and you’re 28 years old.” The only answer I have for them is that I do it for my sons, Eric and Ethan. I figured if they couldn’t be a part of my life now, I would do something in honor of them, and that just happened to be the path of football at UIW. Being on the team at UIW fills the hole in my heart that needed filling. Sometimes a man must follow a dream even if it seems impossible. Sometimes courage must overcome doubt and determination must overcome adversity, and in the moment of truth, inner strength must be found. Every great story begins with a dream, and every great dream can only be told through a story. I am now on my last season. I am a 30-year-old senior and Division 1 college athlete today, and I am living my dream through a powerful testimony. Never give up. For more information, contact Eric Castillo at
nfamily magazine 55
Sports
Compassion, Conviction and Courage
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was looking to put my son on a football team, so we went out on our quest in fall 2007. When we got to the league’s open house, we found ourselves with seven other players who had been turned away because all of the teams had been filled. As I looked at all of the disappointed faces, I knew I just had to do something. I made a phone call to my husband, Bill Hunt. Here is how the conversation went – I said, “Hey, honey. Guess what? You are now the head coach of the Razorbacks, and you only have seven players.” Of course, he nearly passed out, but he was a good sport. He went on that season and led his team to win the championship with only nine players who had a lot of
56 nfamily magazine
Meet the coaches and the team members at the San Antonio Razorbacks Youth Football Organization. SPECIAL TO NFAMILY
heart. This was just the beginning of what is now the San Antonio Razorbacks Youth Football Organization, owned and operated by Bill Hunt. – Michele Hunt The San Antonio Razorbacks Youth Football Organization was created in fall 2007. We have won and lost championships, but we stand proud no matter how our season ends, knowing that everybody gave it their all. The coaches in our organization have the same goal, and that is to teach the fundamentals and the correct techniques of football to the young men on the teams. We always say that if you’re doing the fundamentals correctly, championships will
be won as a byproduct. With three different age groups, we expect the older kids to mentor the younger ones and to be good role models for them. We have three teams in the fall: peewees (8U), midgets (10U) and minors (12U). In the spring, we add a majors team (14U). The coaches on our teams have a passion for serving our community and teaching their players sportsmanship and to be team players. Still, it is much more than that. Compassion, conviction and courage are what drive the organization. The players learn that winning is not everything; it is the effort they give. This transfers into life lessons that they will take with them throughout their lives. – Head Coach Bill Hunt
THE COACHES Bill Hunt
Bill Hunt is currently a store manager with Sprint who has been with the company for 12 years. He graduated in 1987 from Andress High School and joined the Air Force in 1988. He was in the Air Force for four years when he decided to get out and rejoin civilian life. He has been in retail since, and he really enjoys interacting with customers and employees. Hunt’s true passion in life started about six years ago when he decided to put his 6-yearold son in football. He was asked to help coach his son’s football team that season, and that started a sixyear journey into what has become a great organization. His passion is to teach kids good sportsmanship and the basics of football. He has always felt that winning was not the absolute goal, but that win or lose, if the kids can walk off the field knowing they gave it everything, it is a win in his book. He has led many teams to championships and some to losing seasons, but he has always been about making sure the game stays fun.
Michael Garza
My name is Michael Garza. I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. I moved with my family to Helotes in 2009. I am the geographic information systems (GIS) manager for an engineering company in San Antonio. This was my first year being involved with the San Antonio Razorbacks football organization. Coach Joe asked me if I would be interested in serving as an assistant coach for the midget division, and I really liked the idea of being able to coach my son. The San Antonio Razorbacks has been a fantastic organization with a great coaching staff. They believe in the value of teaching the kids the correct and
Peewee
19: Barnett, Cale 5: Barnett, Noah 23: Bettelyoun, Carter 13: DeAnda, Karim 32: Dixon, Austin 44: Esparza, Alfred 4: Espino, Renzo 9: Godfrey, Anthony 1: Horvath, Zak 11: Martinez, Maddyx
best way to play the sport. They emphasize values and sportsmanship. We had a great year this year, and I was very proud of our young players when they won the Division II Championship.
Paul Lobre
Paul Lobre has been an avid football fan for most of his life. New Orleans is his hometown, so he started following the Saints at a very young age. His dad loved football, especially the Saints, so the saying, “like father, like son,” is appropriate here. Lobre started his football career at the peewee level, and he played for several years. Now he has his three boys playing, so it was a natural move for him to assist with coaching – it’s just an extension of what he does at home with them. Lobre is very passionate about football, and he thoroughly enjoys teaching. His greatest pleasure is working hard with the kids and watching the “light bulbs” come on when they finally get it. Lobre truly understands and appreciates the art and science that is football – this magical combination is what he hopes to share with kids.
Joe Deines
I am semi-retired, I have coached the 10U team with the Razorbacks for the past two seasons and I have no kids in the organization (too old). I coach because I believe I can be a positive influence to kids. Like the rest of the Razorbacks coaches, I coach that winning games or championships is not everything, but how you deal with the loss or win is everything. And you’re going to make mistakes. Everyone does, and it’s OK. You learn from your mistakes and move on. I have coached in other sports for more than 10 years, and I’ve always believed that kids are kids; not all of them will be superstars in the pros, so let them
50: Reagin, Ryan 53: Serna, Elijah 20: Soto, Roman 43: Vaishnani, Kaden 00: Vaishnani, Samir 17: Zumwalt, Mason
Midgets
52: Barnett, Luke 5: Bettelyoun, Kayler 20: Campos, Jacob
enjoy the game and the experience and learn life lessons and make friends throughout the season. I have a saying I tell the players: Believe in yourself, and you can reach your goals. Believe in your teammates, and goals can be reached.
Steven Porter
Steven Porter is the Razorbacks 8U head coach. He is a father of four and married to Mindy Porter, who serves as the team’s treasurer. He is the lead operator for the American Water/EMC Contract Services Group wastewater pre-treatment facility in San Antonio and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He began coaching as a result of one of his sons’ interest in football. Porter led his 8U team to K1’s division I championship with an overall 6-1-1 record while avenging the team’s loss and tie along the way.
Paul Lobre
Mike Barnett
By day (and night), Mike Barnett is an interventional cardiologist. But on Saturday, he is the offensive coach (ages 6 through 8) for the Division I Champion Razorbacks. What are the secrets to developing players? According to Barnett, “It’s a mental game, and those that are prepared do well whether they win or lose.” That means that sometimes, the team will spend up to 30 minutes talking about plays, mentally running plays and asking questions about how to handle specific circumstances they won’t see in practice. “My favorite times in practice are when we are gathered around talking about plays and how the plays work together in an overall strategy for success,” Barnett says. “There is so much to learn about life through football, and my goal is for our players to feel what it’s like to be part of a team that supports one another and lifts each other up in faith and body.”
THE TEAMS
55: Chapa, Gavin 40: DeLaRosa, Jared 33: Dixon, Andrew 14: Galindo, Seth 35: Garza, Matthew 7: Hunt, Troy 21: Martinez, Joshua 99: Porter, Dylan 18: Soto, Solomon 1: Sturdivant, Malachi 42: Valcin, Gavin
Bill Hunt
24: Wilhite, Aiden 22: Williams, Hawii 17: Woods, Langston
Minors
10: Anders, Ryan 36: Bettelyoun, Kyros 42: Campion, Luke 71: Campos, Jayden 11: Carson, Daniel 15: Castro, Carlos
9: Crawford, Seth 54: Czaja, Josh 23: Davis, Jonah 88: Dever, Gary 5: Domingue, Bailey 34: Escobar, Justin 55: Esparza, Ethan 4: Espino, Roman 3: Gregory, Corbin 2: Gutierrez, Jeremy 40: Gutierrez, Steven
Joe Deines
Steven Porter
Mike Barnett
13: Johnson, Michael 52: Knoblock, Payton 19: Noyes, Austin 12: Ramirez, Ethan 74: Ransleben, Zach 33: Rios, Mateo 20: Swadick, Ben 77: Wickizer, Brendan 4: Zumwalt, Dawson
nfamily magazine 57
special issues
OUR CHRISTIAN DUTY
Building and repairing our community by working to prevent child abuse and neglect in Bexar County BY JUDGE PETER SAKAI
“And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.� Isaiah 58:12 (KJV) 58 nfamily magazine
T
his Bible scripture has instructed all of us that it is our Christian duty that we must rebuild our communities; we must take care of all of our children; and we must protect our most vulnerable. I am proud that our community has come together in many ways for the children and families most in need.
Most importantly, we must provide hope and faith to those most in need. We can only do that by building and creating accountable programs that deal directly with the problems as I have stated. People have often asked me personally how I could have done my job as a judge hearing all of those cases for so many years. My secret was that I was able to witness so many miracles in the courtroom with parents who were reunited with their children after having successfully rehabilitated; relatives who adopted their relative’s children, providing them with permanent safe and nurturing homes; foster parents who gave so much of themselves to provide a safe haven for abused and neglected children; and the many caseworkers and community volunteers who came to court to protect children.
We have community and political leaders who have provided vision and commitment to create and maintain model programs such as Haven for Hope, the Battered Women’s Shelter, Bexar County Family Drug Court and many other invaluable nonprofit organizations that provide a safety net for our children and families.
We must provide hope and faith to those most in need.
As the judge of the 225th District Court and former Bexar County Children’s Court judge for nearly 20 years who has heard thousands and thousands of child abuse and neglect cases in Bexar County, I have a unique perspective on the needs of children and families in our community.
issues of child abuse and neglect are:
1
Drug and alcohol addiction of the parents
2
Lack of access to mental health services for those in need, including children
3
The culture of violence within our families (namely domestic and family violence)
I know the public in general has a very difficult time understanding the issues of child abuse and neglect. Most people, including myself, cannot conceive the idea or notion that anyone would hurt or harm their own children. But it happens, and it happens too frequently in Bexar County. All you have to do is watch the daily news or read the daily newspapers.
I have not ignored the devastating effects of teenage pregnancy, illiteracy, dropouts, homelessness, unemployment and criminal behavior, all of which create disaster and chaos for children and families.
In order to repair the breach in our community, we must first understand the problems, and then we must act to repair them. That is our Christian duty. Child abuse and neglect is not a monolithic issue, which means it is a complex set of issues much like a jigsaw puzzle. The top three
Having heard all of those cases for so many years, I came to realize that I could not prevent child abuse and neglect by myself. I then took it upon myself to ask for help, and I have gone to the community and helped raise awareness for the issue of child abuse and neglect.
I hope all of us in our community will recognize and join hands in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. We are all working hard to protect children, empower parents and improve the system of protecting children. Please join us. God bless all of the children and keep them safe.
JUDGE PETER SAKAI
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) nfamily magazine 59
special issues
Saving Grace? Payable on death accounts: more trouble than they’re worth? By Christopher Hernandez
P
ayable on death (POD) accounts can be either a great way to transfer money efficiently at a person’s death or a huge disruption to what would otherwise be a quick and inexpensive probate. A POD account automatically transfers the money in the account to a designated person at the owner’s death without the need for any estate proceedings. This happens whether or not the person has a will that would leave that money to another person, or if the intestacy laws would say someone else should receive the money.
release the money to them. The problems arise in a few ways. The most common way is when the owner names one beneficiary whom they intend to use the money to pay their outstanding debts. The problem here is that that person does not need to use the money for that purpose; it is the beneficiary’s money and they are not liable for the debts of the deceased person. Often, the beneficiary will just keep the money and the estate will be forced to sell property to pay debts because all of the liquid assets are gone, leaving less money for the heirs.
the time of their death, some accounts have been closed or the accounts now have far different balances. I don’t mean to discourage anyone from setting up a POD account; they have some very useful effects. However, they are not always the saving grace they might appear to be at first. Outside of spouses, business partners and sole heirs, it has been my experience that they can cause a tremendous disruption in the estate. However, by using some minor estate planning tools, you can avoid the potential problems these accounts can cause and still reap similar benefits. Some options are as simple as leaving a will or creating a trust. Furthermore, these options are far less expensive for your heirs than dealing with them after your death.
POD accounts are the quickest and least expensive way to transfer property at a person’s death.
POD accounts are normally set up when the account is opened. When customers open an account at a bank, they are given a signature card to give other people access to the account. However, there is also a box you can check on the card to make it a POD account. In my experience, bankers are quick to point out the benefits, but they do not explain the potential pitfalls well. The benefits of POD accounts are that they are the quickest and least expensive way to transfer property at a person’s death. To receive the money in the account, all the beneficiary needs to do is take a death certificate to the bank, and the bank will 60 nfamily magazine
Next is where the owner names a person as a beneficiary intending to leave the property to that person in a trust. This is by far the least common way, but it still happens. In this case, the owner has created a will that leaves the property to a person in trust, but then lists them as the beneficiary on a POD account. When they receive the money, they will receive it outright – not in a trust as the owner intended. Lastly, the owner has multiple accounts and lists different beneficiaries on the different accounts intending to leave equal amounts to the different people. However, at
Christopher Hernandez is an estate planning and probate attorney with the J. Guerra Law Firm. For more information, contact Hernandez at 210-366-4529 or chris@jguerralawfirm.com.
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