RENOWNED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON IS DRIVEN BY A PASSION TO HELP OTHERS
Back and neck pain happen for a number of reasons. Muscular weakness, herniated discs, damaged vertebrae or more severe spinal conditions can all make pain severe and debilitating.
At Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound, our dedicated team of spinal physicians, therapists and practitioners are skilled at treating back and neck pain and spinal disorders.
Advanced technology and minimally invasive techniques are used to e ciently and e ectively treat conditions, address pain and get you back to doing what you love.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call 469-929-9497 or visit the Program’s website at https://www.texashealthflowermound.com/back-neck-and-spine-center/
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound is a joint venture owned by Texas Health Resources and physicians dedicated to the community and meets the definition under federal law of a physician-owned hospital. Doctors on the medical sta practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital. Model in photo is not an actual patient.
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We’re not sure why it took us so long to get around to featuring Jason Bateman. In the over 14 years of LIVING WELL Mag azine’s existence, we’ve covered dozens of celebrities over 40, yet Bateman never crossed our minds. On the eve (we hope) of the fourth season of Bateman’s hit Netflix drama Ozark, we’ve finally rectified the egregious error.
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Comically gifted and often overlooked, Bateman graced us with his presence way back when. In an era of must-see TV (the 1980s, of course!), he was everywhere. Little House on the Prairie, Silver Spoons, The Hogan Family—turn the dial (remote controls were just catching on—does that date us?) and voila, there was Jason Bateman with his impish grin and funny retorts.
He was white hot and then suddenly not. As the ’80s turned into the 1990s, Bateman seemed destined to be forgotten, like so many prolific childhood actors. Fate had different ideas. Turns out, Bateman’s talent was just too good to be relegated to dusty history.
A role in the show Arrested Development paved the way for Bateman’s comeback starting in 2003. It was what happened before and after his comeback that is where the fun really happened. Turn to page 8 to read about some lesser know facts about this talented actor and to find out what he plans to do post Ozark.
No issue would be complete without a host of other engaging content from our knowledgeable contributors. Check out our other articles on a range of topics including legal, medical, and cultural—all crafted to help you navigate life.
Be well!
SAM AND SPRING HOUSTON
TEXAS: Denton County, Dallas County, Collin County
TEXAS & OKLAHOMA: Texoma Area
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LIVING WELL MAGAZINE is a source for quality educational articles on living a healthy, vibrant life. Our focus is on connecting our readers with the latest information on a host of topics relevant to their evolving life. From cutting edge medical news and procedures to top-tier financial, legal and lifestyle information. Connecting readers to leading medical and business professionals in their community in Texas and Oklahoma.
When it comes to care for your joints, look no further than the board-certified, fellowship-trained joint specialists of Texas Health Physicians Group. Our joint specialists are here to diagnose and treat all your orthopedic disorders. Whether you need a full joint replacement or require non-invasive treatments such as oral medication, injections, or physical therapy, we can create a personalized care plan for you. You shouldn’t deal with joint pain; that’s our specialty. And, as always, we have protocols in place designed around your safety.
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Dr. Jason Tinley, MD is a minimally invasive, board certified, orthopedic spine surgeon. He specializes in spine surgery, including spinal stenosis, cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy, minimally invasive cervical and lumbar spine surgery, cervical artificial disc replacement, and microdiscectomy.
Dr. Jason C. Tinley is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality spine care possible. Along with the treatment of immediate or chronic problems, he strives to integrate the doctrine of prevention in all treatment plans with the goal of alleviating possible future difficulties. Dr. Tinley has become a leader in instruction and research in disc replacement and has a passion for optimizing spine surgery outcomes through development and utilization of new techniques, research and materials.
“Dr Tinley is a leader in the field of spinal surgery. His technique is excellent, but he does not rush to pursue surgery. Very good at explaining your condition and allowing you to decide a course of treatment.”
—RANDALL W.“My experience with DFW Center for Spinal Disorders was excellent. Dr. Tinley and his staff are attentive and compassionate. My surgery went better than I could have ever expected, and I am now pain free!”
—BARBARA K.Generation X runs deep with the talents of many notable actors—Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, the list goes on. However, one name is glaringly absent from the various “Best Actors of Gen X” lists—Jason Bateman.
Comically gifted and glaringly underrated, Bateman has graced us with his presence since the early 1980s with roles on Little House on the Prairie, Silver Spoons, and The Hogan Family. In an era of must-see TV, Bateman was a shining star. His cherubic face peering out from the glossy pages of Tiger Beat, Super Teen, and Bop magazines before being painstaking cut out and plastered to the inside of 13-year-old girls’ locker doors across the country.
He was white hot and then suddenly not, seemingly pre-destined to travel the lonely path into obscurity like so many child actors before him. Booze, drugs, hard partying, Bateman succumbed to typical Hollywood temptations in the ’90s before an epic comeback in the show Arrested Development in 2003. The ideal showcase for his dry wit, the role as the strait-laced, well-balanced Michael Bluth revived a spark in Bateman and reignited his career.
It’s a made-for-TV Hollywood reversal of fortune that Bateman is incredibly grateful for and one he doesn’t intend to squander the second time around.
“I had all the money a 21-year-old could ever want, and I’d moved out when I was 18. It was as if my parents went out often and they left me the keys to the car and the bank-account numbers and I didn’t know when they were coming home. I spent 10 or 15 years having so much fun with all of my buddies and obviously losing my place in the business,” Bateman explained to GQ’s Brendan Vaughan in 2013.
“By the time I regained an appreciation for a career and a work ethic and all those types of things, I had a lot of catching up. It wasn’t necessarily there for me when I wanted it, and that was difficult and frustrating and extremely humbling. I just kind of had to start over—rebuild an ego and self-esteem and an identity.”
Redirecting his bad habits took effort, especially for a self described hedonist who follows an all or nothing mantra. “If my fun level is like a six when I’m out, why not take it to a 10? That’s how I was with drinking. If I’m buzzed, let’s get drunk. And if I’m drunk, let’s black out. I mean, why not? I didn’t understand why you’d stop,” he told writer Michael Muller for Men’s Health of his hard-partying days.
“If I’m enjoying something, I’d like to be able to just have it all. Frankly, that’s the way I’m approaching my career now. I’m a total workaholic.”
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IF I’M ENJOYING SOMETHING, I’D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE IT ALL. FRANKLY, THAT’S THE WAY I’M APPROACHING MY CAREER NOW. I’M A TOTAL WORKAHOLIC.
”
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” I SPENT 10 OR 15 YEARS HAVING SO MUCH FUN WITH ALL OF MY BUDDIES
As Muller points out in his article, Arrested Development may have given Bateman a do-over, but he had to make good on it. Bateman did just that. He quit the booze, started running, and redirected his addictive personality in a new direction. Behold, Jason Bateman 2.0.
With Ron Howard, the renowned child star turned adult actor turned producer-director, as inspiration, Bateman has re-written the script to the second act of his life to great effect and much acclaim.
“I remember somewhere in there seeing some interview with Ron Howard, and I remember watching him be that famous, kind, affable, engaging, almost eager persona, and I remember thinking, ‘Boy,’ you know, ‘there’s no way anybody would ever misinterpret that kindness for weakness.’ And I thought to myself, ‘If I’m ever lucky enough to find some relevance again and some access and some success, that’s going to be the best part of it, that I’m going to be able to be as nice as I want to be and not be nervous that that’s going to be misinterpreted for desperate.’”
It’s not lost on Bateman that fate saw to it for Howard to be the narrator of Arrested Development and one of its executive producers. “So the fact that I’ve been able to say that to Ron—I’ve literally walked him through this long-winded story—it was just really, really nice to be able to do that and to have him be a mentor and a friend and then obviously such a huge part of what was a career-defining job for me on Arrested Development,” Bateman told Vaughan.
With his fire once again burning bright, Bateman was careful to take solid roles that played to his deadpan sarcasm and expressive face. Movies like Juno, Couples Retreat, and Horrible Bosses followed.
Jennifer Aniston, who starred with him in Bad Bosses, among others, had this to say as Bateman was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017: “He looks 12. He acts 100. A head of hair that women envy. He works hard. He’s tired. Even in his most restful state, he’s one of the loveliest men to be around.”
“He always gives you deep connection, full attention, authenticity, and some of the deepest belly laughs that I can remember,” said Aniston.
When he started racking up the producer credits in the last decade was when Bateman realized he’d finally made good on his goal for lasting staying power. He has over 14 producer credits to his name, including HBO’s The Outsider and the original Netflix series Ozark. The latter being the incredibly successful 2017 binge-worth drama that earned him an Emmy for directing and a SAG award for acting.
In addition to directing several episodes, Bateman also stars in Ozark Playing Marty Byrde, a financial adviser forced by the drug cartel to relocate to the Lake of the Ozark to launder $500 million in five years to save himself and his family, the juicy role positions Bateman as the antihero you can’t help but root for.
It’s a character that’s so “close to the middle” that he can go either way that appeals to Bateman. “That’s who we all are,” he told Steven MacKenzie for The Big Issue. “Just a couple of steps left or right and you could be doing something embarrassingly funny or tragically dramatic. We’re all just trying to stay in the middle of the road and function in society but when the wheels start to wobble a little bit you can get into something that’s interesting.”
As fans eagerly await the fourth and final season of the hit drama, Bateman has his eyes set on the third act of his life with his family by his side. Married to Amanda Anka since 2001, the pair have two daughters, Francesca Nora and Maple Sylvie.
Of his relationship to Anka, Bateman told Sirius XM Satellite Radio: “There’s always going to be a hotter girl. There’s always going to be a different girl. And eventually if you want to be a husband, if you want to be a father, you’ve got to pick one.”
“And, for me, I looked around at relationships in my life that did last and those were friendships,” says Bateman. “And I wasn’t sexually attracted to buddies, so I found a female buddy that I was sexually attracted to and asked her if she wanted to give it a go and that’s why it’s lasted so long.”
“ ” WE’RE ALL JUST TRYING TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND FUNCTION IN SOCIETY BUT WHEN THE WHEELS START TO WOBBLE A LITTLE BIT YOU CAN GET INTO SOMETHING THAT’S INTERESTING.
Pain
Spine Surgery • Orthopedic Surgery • Neurosurgery
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery • Total Joint Surgery
Foot & Ankle Surgery • Hand Surgery
Gynecological Surgery • Plastic Surgery
Dr. Birenbaum founded the Arlington Cancer Treatment Center in 1981. He founded the Texas Hematology/Oncology Center, PA in 1997. He is the founder, Medical Director, and CEO. Dr. Birenbaum trained at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute for 5 years, 3 years as a Hematology/Oncology fellow and 2 years as a facility professor. His private practice in Hematology/Oncology has been in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since 1979. Dr. Birenbaum is available by cell phone 24/7 and participates in many support groups and radio programs.
AREAS OF CLINICAL INTEREST:
• Gastrointestinal Tumors
• Melanoma, Sarcoma
• Breast Cancer
• Lymphoma
• Kidney Cancer
EDUCATION AND TRAINING CREDENTIALS:
• Southern Methodist University
• Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara/University of Michigan
• Straight Medical Internship - Henry Ford Hospital/University of Michigan
• Straight Medicine Residency - Tulane University Medical Center/Ochsner Clinic
• Fellowship Hematology/Oncology - University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute
• Private Practice 1979 to Present
PERSONAL INTERESTS:
• Born and raised in Dallas, TX
• Father of 2 sons
• Owns six dogs
• Loves traveling and golf
• Avid collector of arts and antiques
Dennis Birenbaum, MD and Dr. Wyszynski, MD, DO are M.D. Anderson trained hematologists/oncologists.
Dr. Wyszynski, MD, DO also trained at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Wyszynski joins the Texas Hematology and Oncology Centers after many years of successful private medical practice in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Dr. Wyszynski completed his internship and residency at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Stanford, New Jersey. He followed these with a number of Fellowships including one in Hematology/Oncology at the prestigious M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, and two years at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Wysznski is well known for his quality of care and the personal interest he takes in his patients. He is very active in many professional societies and investigative trials.
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS:
• American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine: Hematology/
• Oncology-Certified: 8/24/2007
• American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:
• American Osteopathic Association
• ASCO
• Texas Medical Association
• Dallas County Medical Association
CLINICAL CANCER INVESTIGATIVE TRIALS:
• Central Pennsylvania Oncology Group Protocal
• Eastern Cooperative Group
• Southwest Oncology Group
PERSONAL INTERESTS:
• Married and father of 2 children
• Enjoys traveling and spending time with family
• Active in many hobbies
You may find that your 2nd or 3rd opinion should have been your first.
Recognized by U.S. News and World Report as Best Nursing Home and Short-Term Rehabilitation Facility.
Amenities:
Cantex Continuing Care Network has been performing the highest standards of transitional healthcare and long-term residential services for more than 30 years. Ask anyone who knows. Cantex stands for quality.
• Private and semi-private studios, some with kitchen elements and/or Frenchdoor courtyard patios
• Flat-Screen televisions
• 32 channels of satellite television service
• Wi-Fi internet access
• Electric beds for easy comfort adjustments
• Living room with fireplace and player piano
• Library with computer stations and complimentary internet access
• Chapel
• Neighborhood cafes with complimentary premium beverages and snacks
• Restaurant-Style dining room
• Beauty/barber shop with full-time beautician
• Activity program with community outings
• Sedan and van for resident transportation
• Around-the-clock skilled nursing
• Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapies
• Wound Management
• Intravenous Therapy
• Tracheotomy Care
• Physician Services
• Medication Administration
• Enteral/Parenteral Therapy
• X-Ray Services
• Laboratory Services
By RICK ALLEN
In today’s economy it pays to shop around. When we went to purchase our youngest daughter a car, we were working on a very limited budget. We found a great deal in the most unlikely place. A luxury import dealer in an upscale area of Dallas had a late model domestic car they had taken in on a trade. They did not have much in the car in the way of investment and were looking to move it off their lot. As a result, we found an unbelievably good price on a quality automobile. We had looked at cheaper cars, but when weighing our daughter’s safety and well-being against a little more cost for the better car, the decision was easy. If we would have simply searched out the cheapest price, I am confident we would have had regrets later for one reason or another.
Believe it or not, many people will choose a cremation provider based solely upon who will offer the lowest price. While the theory exists, “Who cares, you are gone and won’t know anything about it.” Something can be said for respecting the dignity of an individual after they have died. I am not going to cast accusations against low cost providers. I will simply base my opinion on what I know to be fact and tell you that the phrase “buyer beware” applies totally when doing business with these type of firms. There are two major things to be cautious of. First, the bait and switch operator; this is the one who attracts you with a low price advertisement in the newspaper or on a billboard. Once you have committed to doing business with them, then the low cost “hook” has add-on’s that increase the cost. This can be confusing and extremely frustrating. Secondly, and this one is even worse in my opinion, is the get-what-you-pay-for guys. This is where dignity goes out the window. Because low cost has to be offset with high volume in order for an operator to be profitable, these types of operations remind me of a processing plant more than they do of a funeral establishment. Human remains are stored in cramped areas while the firm completes the necessary paperwork and then the remains are shipped off, several at a time in a cargo van, to be cremated several miles away from the funeral establishment the family originally contracted with. The end result
is a far cry from anything resembling dignified and on top of that, the family is left waiting, often times as long as ten days to get their loved one’s ashes back.
The media has trained funeral consumers to use the word “simple” when describing to their funeral director what their wishes are. Unfortunately, funeral directors have trained themselves to hear the word “cheap” when a consumer says “simple”. I believe when consumers say “simple” they are really saying, “I want something dignified and appropriate, but I don’t want you to overcharge me for what you do”. A woman recently came to me after her husband had died. She told me she wanted “simple” cremation. After we visited for a while she started describing to me the type service she wanted at their church, and then asked about the possibility of family and friends coming together for a time of reflection and remembrance the evening before the funeral service. We then composed a beautiful obituary for our website, created a video tribute and selected an urn. When we finished she was relieved that the cost for all the things she wanted were so reasonable and that she felt totally comfortable with our firm and knew that her husband’s wishes would be carried out exactly as he described to her prior to his passing. Afterwards, I learned that when she originally told me of her desire for a “simple” cremation, she meant that she did not want to bury her husband in the cemetery and have an elaborate memorial marking his grave. She did save a tidy sum of money by not having to purchase those items, but in my opinion, the service we provided to her was anything but “simple”. This just proves that one person’s definition of “simple” may not always match up to that of another. Cremation is growing in popularity in our particular geographic area. Some may see this as a positive and some may view it as a negative. I see it as nothing more than one way, out of several, to accomplish final disposition of one’s body. No matter what you choose, please do not make your decision solely on who will give you the lowest price. Cost should be one of your considerations, but not your only concern.
Timothy C. Pringle, MD, R.V.T., R.P.V.I.
Dr. Timothy Pringle is a board-certified endovascular surgeon. He specializes in minimally invasive techniques to address all aspects of vascular disease. He is knowledgeable and experienced with management of venous insufficiency and peripheral arterial disease. Dr. Pringle predominately treats venous insufficiency in his office with laser procedures. His philosophy is, “Interventions improve quality of life, but lifestyle change improves lifespan.” Dr. Pringle understands true healing comes from an integrative approach to vascular disease. He provides in-office surveillance through ultrasound testing. Dr. Pringle is the rare combination of a caring, kind, and compassionate physician who loves God, family, and his patients.
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If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis (low bone density) and have also tried treatments like rest and oral medication for more than a few days and still have sharp back pain, you may have a spinal fracture, also known as a vertebral compression fracture (VCF).
Balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) is a treatment for spinal fractures due to osteoporosis, non-cancerous tumors, and cancer. BKP has been shown in clinical studies to alleviate pain and reduce prescription opioids, compared to patients treated with non-surgical management, such as bracing and bed rest.1-3
While not all treatments have the same benefits for everyone, talk to your doctor about your options and whether BKP may be an option for you.
Although the complication rate for balloon kyphoplasty is low, as with most surgical procedures, serious adverse events, some of which can be fatal, can occur, including heart attack, cardiac arrest (heart stops beating), stroke, and embolism (blood, fat, or cement that migrates to the lungs or heart). Other risks include infection; leakage of bone cement into the muscle and tissue surrounding the spinal cord, and nerve injury that can, in rare instances, cause paralysis; leakage of bone cement into the blood vessels resulting in damage to the blood vessels, lungs, and/or heart.
of
2011;26(7):1627-1637.
with non-surgical care for vertebral
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fracture (FREE): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2009;373(9668):1016-1024.
. 2013;38(12):971–983.
Sharon first noticed the pain in her back one day. “I thought I had a sprain, you know, ‘It’ll go away,’” says the 72 year old grandmother from Fort Worth. Then one night she rolled over in bed and felt a pop. “I waited a while. I just thought the pain would go away, and it didn’t.”
Sharon eventually went to the emergency room at Harris Methodist Hospital, and doctors did some tests that found the cause of her pain: multiple myeloma, a type cancer that attacks the bone marrow. She had pathological fractures in two of the vertebral bodies of her spine—in other words, a broken back. Sharon was treated for her cancer with chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, and she took opiod pain medication for the lingering pain in her back.
“I still had the pain. It just didn’t go away,” she recalls. “There was a lot I couldn’t do. Just bending or rolling over in bed was a major ordeal.” Once Sharon was in remission, doctors referred Sharon to Dr. Irfan Ali in Flower Mound. Ali recommended a minimally invasive surgical procedure called Balloon Kyphoplasty to repair her damaged spine and relieve her pain.
Balloon Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of spinal fractures due to osteoporosis, cancer, or non-cancerous tumors. Guided by live imaging, Ali created two tiny openings in Sharon’s back at each fractured level and used a needle to insert a tiny balloon into the damaged vertebra. He then inflated the balloon to restore the original height of the vertebrae. Finally, he injected acrylic bone cement into the cavity left by the balloon, creating an internal cast to repair the fractures.
After the procedure, which takes typically less than an hour, Sharon was able to leave the hospital and go home the same day. “She’s doing great,” Ali says. Sharon says she no longer takes pain medication for her back. “By the next day, where the fracture was, I could tell a difference there. It was just a true blessing.” She was even able to attend her grandson’s junior high football game the night of the procedure.
“I asked Dr. Ali, and he said if I felt like it, I could,” Sharon says. “So I went home and changed my clothes and went to the football game that night. As a matter of fact, I usually would try to find a place down low in the stadium so I wouldn’t have to climb steps, but this time I went all the way up and sat halfway up in the bleachers, so that was really nice!”
Medtronic developed balloon kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that reduces and stabilizes VCF related to osteoporosis, cancer or non-cancerous tumors. Since the initial technology launched in 1998, Medtronic has developed better balloons, an improved cement delivery system and added access tools shown to reduce hand radiation exposure for the surgeon. Over the years, studies comparing balloon kyphoplasty to non-surgical management have shown balloon kyphop lasty produced better pain relief and quality of life for patients with acute VCF compared to patients treated with non-surgical management.
Although the complication rate for BKP is low, as with most surgical procedures, seri ous adverse events, some of which can be fatal, can occur, including heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke, and embolism. Other risks include infection; leakage of bone cement into the muscle and tissue surrounding the spinal cord and nerve injury that can, in rare instances, cause paralysis; leakage of bone cement into the blood vessels resulting in damage to the blood vessels, lungs, and/or heart.
Talk to your doctor about both benefits and risks of this procedure. A prescription is required. Results may vary. For more information, please call Medtronic at 763-505-5000 and/or consult Medtronic’s website at www.medtronic.com or spine-facts.com.
The following testimonial contains the opinions of and personal surgical techniques practiced by Irfan Ali, M.D. The opinions and techniques presented herein are for information purposes only and the decision of which techniques to use in a particular surgical application should be made by the surgeon based on the individual facts and circumstances of the patient and previous surgical experience.
Dr. Courtney is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon located in Plano, Texas. A Louisiana native, he attended Louisiana State University for medical school, and completed residency at Texas A&M followed by a fellowship at the Florida Neck and Back Institute.
SPECIALTIES:
• Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Spine Pain
• Disc Replacement
• Microdiscectomy
• Spinal Fusion
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Steroid Injections
• Physical Therapy
“I
We have all been a teenager and come from the pressures and influence of culture. Not all cultural influence has a negative bend. However, as a therapist who counsels teenagers in today’s culture, I have strong concerns. The past year and half Covid 19 has heightened the negative cultural influences that already existed with our teens. I call them “our teens” because it takes a village to raise a child. Children will be influenced by the world around them. We all have a part to play, directly or indirectly, in the lives and characters of tomorrow’s leaders. Present times have been challenging and our teens have exhibited more fear, anxiety, suicidal ideation, isolation, depression, vaping, and pornography to name a few issues. Of course, teens want more than anything to be accepted and connect with friends at school, on sports teams, or church events. The opportunity for those normal connections were severely altered by Covid 19. That is not news to any of us, but the severe impact on our teenagers has fostered so much concern. In my profession, I am seeing all the above issues heightened. I want to offer hope, encouragement and tools for those parents who are raising a teen at home.
First, if your own life and homelife has been filled with any of the above issues, get some help for yourself. Our children of all ages need to see parents who are secure, and working towards positive growth for themselves. Our teenagers in particular understand and sense far more than they might tell you and parents are their role models.
Second, connect with your teen on their level and engage the family to do things together. Find out what gifts, talents and desires your teen has and do what you can to get them involved with those things they find enjoyment, fulfillment and can identify with in a positive way.
They need direction and focus on activities that promote confidence and positive growth. Remember, boredom leaves room for the mind to gravitate to areas that may compromise their character.
Third, if you see your teenager struggling, pulling away, or isolating get some help for them. Also, know who your teenager is friends with as best you can. The influence of others their age or older will impact them for the rest of their lives. Pay attention to their phones and the influence of social media. Social media today has strongly and severely influenced our children/teens in negative ways. As a parent, will you stand by while your child has access to anything possible they want to see or will you guard and protect them from things they have no idea will harm them destructively? Social media is an epidemic dilemma and parents with teens are the only ones who can help change the social media dilemma that can harm teenager’s emotional development.
Fourth, teenagers and hard work are a great combination. Hard work builds character and teaches those who work hard that not everything is given to them. Being lazy and not caring, while someone gives you everything does not develop strong leadership or basic honorable character.
For those reading this article, I want to encourage you to continue the positive impact you have on our teens. For those who this article has highlighted some needed changes, I’m glad I could be a small influence through an article. I’m a mom and a grandmother, as well as a therapist. The most important job I ever had was raising my children and trying to direct their development in a positive way. To all parents…one of the most important jobs and opportunities you have is directing these young lives to be all they can become.
Georgia Smith-Lyle is a Mental Health Counselor in Dallas and surrounding area. Her main office is in McKinney, and her ranch office is in Petty, Texas where she utilizes Equine Assisted Psychotherapy with her horses. She is also an author and is passionate about writing. She and her husband, Jeff, have begun a retreat venue which will host all different occasions (www.whiteroseranch.com). To reach Georgia, email her at gpsmith7@aol.com, or call (469) 855-0256.
Dear Olivia,
A family member has recently had some health issues that have worsened; he sees a lot of specialists and is still receiving treatment for his condition. My doctor has recommended palliative care as part of his medical team, but I am not sure what this means. Can you help me understand?
Dear Trying to Understand Palliative
Palliative care is a confusing concept for many but simply stated, palliative medicine is aimed at symptom management and quality of life for those with serious or complex medical conditions. Your doctor may refer you to a palliative clinic or
OLIVIA ROGERS
Olivia is a leading voice in health care and senior services and the Chief Nursing Officer of VNA Texas.
supportive palliative care program if he or she feels that you may benefit from a specialist in such symptom management and coordination of care. Often times, complex conditions require the input of not one, but a team of physicians, and to help you navigate this sometimes confusing and stressful journey, a palliative program can offer the expertise of a physician certified in hospice and palliative medicine, medical social worker, RN case manager, Nurse Practitioner, spiritual counselor and more. It is an interdisciplinary team approach to your individualized healthcare needs. Visiting Nurse Association’s supportive palliative program is here to help as you navigate this season in life.
~OliviaVNA Hospice Care focuses on living life to its fullest and treating you with the dignity and respect you deserve. As a nonprofit, our bottom line is patient support and care provided by our highly qualified staff.
Following the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, patients and their loved ones have many questions about the best course of action. VNA Care Choices provides supportive care services in the home while continuing treatment with your current physician.
vnatexas.org
DPM, FACFAS, FAENS, FACCWS, CWS-P
American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, and in Wound Management by the American Board of Wound Management, Dr. Dauphinée is esteemed as a trusted expert within the medical community. He lectures nationally and internationally, trains surgeons to treat a variety of peripheral nerve pathologies, and serves as faculty for multiple surgical workshops.
He has been the recipient of numerous fellowships and awards, which have gained him respect from his peers and have provided unique opportunities to further study and successfully perform innovative procedures. He is the author of Saving Limbs Saving Lives: Advanced Treatments to Prevent Amputations in Diabetic Populations.
Dr Hussain ascribes to the simple philosophy that each patient is unique and deserving of individualized, attentive, and personable care.
Dr. Hussain received his formal education and training from some of the nation’s most distinguished podiatric surgeons, and is a contributing author to clinical research and medical textbook publications Highly knowledgeable and skilled in advanced treatment options, he de monstrates exemplary expertise both in podiatric medicine and in his exceptional and compassionate care for patients.
* Certified - Board Foot Surgery, Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery
† Board - Wound Management
Dr. Chambers is an orthopaedic surgeon at Dallas Orthopaedic Joint Institute who specializes in joint replacement surgery. He received extensive training in joint replacement surgery during his fellowship at Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital, which was voted as the top hospital in the United States. Dr. Chambers has implemented the techniques learned at Harvard Medical School into his own practice and offers minimally invasive total hip / knee replacement, partial knee replacement, revision surgery for malfunctioning, loose, and infected joint replacements, arthroscopic surgery of the hip and knee, and revision of failed and recalled metal-on-metal total hip replacement implants. Dr. Chambers focuses special attention on surgical techniques for rapid recovery after total joint replacement which allow his patients a more predictable and earlier return to home and an active lifestyle.
Dr. Chambers is pleased to offer the MAKOplasty Robotic-Arm Assisted partial/total knee and hip replacement. The MAKOplasty procedure is changing the way joint replacement surgeries are performed by providing each patient with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and unique anatomy using a CT-based 3D modeling. The robotic arm technology allows for extremely precise placement of hip/knee components with potentially less soft tissue injury than traditional joint replacement.
Dr. Chambers is a Texas native and grew up in Houston, Texas. He attended medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and completed residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. He then completed a fellowship in joint replacement surgery at Harvard Medical School. In his free time, Dr. Chambers enjoys traveling with his wife, Christine, and spending time with friends and family. He is an avid sailor and enjoys participating in sailing races on the local lakes in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Dr. Chambers practices at Methodist Dallas, Charlton, and Richardson Hospitals. To schedule an appointment please call or text 469-747-0382.
METHODIST DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER
221 W. Colorado Blvd., Pav II, Suite 431
Dallas, Texas 75208
METHODIST CHARLTON MEDICAL CENTER
3430 W. Wheatland Rd., POB 1, Suite 216
Dallas, Texas 75237
469-747-0382
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RENOWNED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON IS DRIVEN BY A PASSION TO HELP OTHERS BY
SONDRA BARR
Charles Toulson, MD, MBA, is an orthopedic surgeon compelled to excel. From a young age, he realized that his aptitude for medicine could be laser focused to help people living with chronic pain.
His life is a superb example of a man with a plan—a targeted plan to become a pioneer in the field of orthopedic surgery. Board certified and fellowship trained, Dr. Toulson’s specialties and interests include adult hip and knee reconstruction, adult hip and knee revisions, and state-of-the-art robotic-assisted joint replacement. He’s regarded by his patients and peers as one of the leading orthopedic surgeons in the country.
Not only has Dr. Toulson performed more robotic-assisted joint replacement procedures than any other surgeon in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, he has the distinction of paving the path for two major hospitals in North Texas to achieve the elite status of being accredited as Joint Replacement Centers of Excellence.
Dr. Toulson’s impeccable educational pedigree includes a medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, extensive training from John Hopkins Hospital, and sub-speciality training at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, the number-one ranked orthopedic hospital in the country. Coupled with his MBA from Baylor University, Dr. Toulson’s education and training ensure positive outcomes.
Affiliated with several institutions in Texas including Methodist McKinney Hospital, Medical City McKinney, Medical City Frisco and Plano, Eminent Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center—McKinney, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center—Plano and Baylor Scott, White Surgical Hospital at Sherman & Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Allen, his esteemed reputation is one that has been hard earned and reflects his unwavering dedication to his craft.
As the founder of Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Dallas’ premier destination for hip and knee replacements, Dr. Toulson also puts his MBA from Baylor to good use. His practice has locations conveniently located in Sherman, Prosper, and in McKinney and provides care for a full range of musculoskeletal disorders, diseases, and injuries to the human body.
Instilled with a deep knowledge of the skeletal structure and its complicated movements, he was the first surgeon in the area to perform a direct anterior hip replacement with robotic assistance. Dr.
Toulson also completed the first ever, total knee replacement for both of a patient’s knees bilaterally (simultaneously) using the robotic-arm assisted technology.
The robotic arm assists Dr. Toulson in making precise surgeries. “What’s critical is the robot will not permit me to deviate outside of the plan that we have instituted in the very beginning of surgery,” details Dr. Toulson. “As the surgeon, I’m still doing the surgery, the robot is just allowing me to do it in a more precise manner.”
“This 3D technology allows me to see the orientation, alignment, rotation, and actual size of the implant that we will be using. So, I can actually see with 3D technology what the implant looks like and I can make adjustments in surgery to balance the ligaments inside of the knee,” Dr. Toulson continues.
Known for pioneering minimally invasive surgery techniques for hip and knee replacement, including the anterior supine hip replacement surgery. Dr. Toulson’s anterior approach allows patients to immediately bend their hip freely and bear full weight after surgery because he’s able to replace a hip joint without detaching muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery.
Resulting in rapid recovery times for patients, the anterior approach allows patients to walk without a cane or walker in just one to two days following surgery, according to Dr. Toulson.
Dr. Toulson details two patient outcomes that stand out as accomplishments, although he has a plethora of patients with positive outcomes eager to share their stories. In fact, all of his patients have confidence in Dr. Toulson’s experience and knowledge.
This includes treating patients like an allergy nurse in a busy ENT practice in McKinney. Working over 10 hours a day providing allergy skin testing and giving allergy shots, the constant daily up and down movement performing his job caused the nurse excruciating hip pain. Enter Dr. Toulson who performed a total hip replacement that eliminated the pain.
“My wife and I cannot begin to find words to express our gratitude for your quick diagnosis and subsequent surgery to put my life back on track,” the nurse wrote Dr. Toulson. “I’m proud to personally add my name to the list of the many positive reviews I initially read about describing your clinical and personal skills in action.”
Another patient was suffering with severe arthritis in her knees and also sought out Dr. Toulson for relief. “I was having severe pain in my
knees, I had difficulty going up and down stairs, steps, even the curb. It hurt so bad to walk, even short distances,” she says.
“When patients come in with arthritis, we often try non-operative means of treatment before we talk about surgery,” says Dr. Toulson. Once non-operative options for knee arthritis are exhausted, Dr. Toulson sits down with patients and details the benefits and the risks of total knee replacement.
The astounding results of this patient’s duel knee replacement surgery were life changing. “The surgery went wonderfully. I haven’t had any problems and every day it gets better and better. I can walk up the steps now getting into my home,” she says.
Highlights of Dr. Toulson’s countless other success stories and the joy his patients express at the outcome of their hip or knee replacement surgeries—and how it’s changed their lives—are documented on his website, drcharlestoulson.com, with videos and moving testimonials.
It’s no surprise that Dr. Toulson has been named among the Best Doc tors in Dallas for orthopedic surgery by among the Best Orthopedic Surgeons in Collin County by five times. He’s also been awarded best orthopedic surgeon for eight years running by Living Magazine pedic surgeon for the past four years by
Dr. Toulson is among those extraordinarily rare individuals whose medical skills are only outmatched by his compassion and kindness. He greets every pa tient with a warm smile and considers each one of them part of the family.
Speaking of family, Dr. Toulson’s immediate loved ones include his lovely wife Deryn Toulson. Deryn holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and works at Medical City McKinney Hospital. A former cheerleader for the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys, she wed Dr. Toulson in a fairy tale Dallas ceremony in 2017. The cou ple’s three adorable children—Cam eron, Brooklyn, and Blade—make Dr. Toulson beam with pride.
“As the surgeon, I’m still doing the surgery, the robot is just allowing me to do it in a more precise manner.
”
The PODdoctors are Dr. Damien Dauphinée, double board certified in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery and wound management, and his partner Dr. Raafae Hussain, fellowship trained podiatric surgeon. Each week The PODdoctors will discuss aspects of podiatric medicine and surgery to educate listeners on common foot and ankle problems and the latest treatment options available.
Podcast listeners can gain rare insights into the mind of a podiatric surgeon, as Doctors Dauphinée and Hussain discuss topics such as:
• Typical issues presented at patient office visits.
• Causes, prevention methods, and treatment options of common foot and ankle issues such as bunions, heel pain, diabetic foot problems, and ankle sprains.
• Common treatments to decelerate the progression of symptoms or issues.
• Different types of treatments, surgeries, and recovery periods.
• Determining when surgery is needed.
We are really having fun with the podcast discussing foot and ankle surgery and mixing in interviews with colleagues in other specialties that can provide additional perspective on our patient population. Our secondary focus is to educate folks about the medical mission project we are involved in through the Texas Podiatric Medical Foundation which provides care to indigent patients. We started a Go Fund Me campaign for the Foundation through the podcast website and encourage our listeners to donate.
Dr. Damien Dauphinée and Dr. Raafae Hussain co-own and operate Complete Foot and Ankle Care of North Texas, a podiatric practice in Denton, TX. Their podcast, “The PODdoctors” is available on most streaming platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, Google, Amazon Podcasts. iHeartRadio, and more.
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•Hearing Aid Fittings, Maintenance and Repairs
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•30 Years of Experience
“Hearing Services of Mckinney is my #1 place to go for my hearing loss needs. Caring and dedicated professionals with many years of experience working daily to meet your needs” . –Terry G. Box, Retired Collin County Sheri
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Do you remember the song called “Dem Bones” from child hood? We often think of the ear as being unrelated to the rest of the body. However, your heart and hearing may have more in common than you realize says the Better Hearing Institute, which is raising awareness of the link between hearing loss and cardiovascu lar disease. A growing body of research shows that a person’s hearing health and cardiovascular health frequently correspond.
Studies show that a healthy cardiovascular system has a positive effect on hearing. Simply put, it’s all about blood flow. Conversely, inadequate blood flow and trauma to the blood vessels of the inner ear can contribute to hearing loss. The inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow that it is possible that abnormalities in the cardiovascular system could be noted here earlier than in other parts of the body.
It was also found that the pattern of the hearing loss correlates strongly with cerebrovascular and peripheral arterial disease and may represent a screening test for those at risk. The inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow, which can also cause irreversible damage to the ear.
FIVE HEART-HEALTHY REASONS TO GET A HEARING TEST
• Six decades of research point to heart-hearing health link. A comparative review of more than 60 years of research found a correlation between cardiovascular and hearing health.
• The ear may be a window to the heart. Some experts find the evidence showing a link between cardiovascular and hearing health so compelling that they say the ear may be a window to the heart. They encourage collaboration between hearing care providers and cardiologists.
• The same lifestyle behaviors that affect the heart impact hearing. One study found that increased physical activity is associated with lower risk of hearing loss in women. Another revealed that smokers and passive smokers are more likely to suffer hearing loss. And a third found that regular fish consumption and higher intake of omega-3 are associated with lower risk of hearing loss in women.
• Addressing hearing loss improves quality of life. Eight out of 10 hearing aid users say they’re satisfied with the changes that have occurred in their lives due to their hearing aids. Untreated hearing loss can often lead to social isolation and depression. This is even truer in today’s COVID world with people staying home more than before. However, when appropriately fit with hearing aids, many say they see improvements in their life overall, in interpersonal relationships, and that they experience reduced anger and frustration, and enhanced emotional stability.
• Today’s hearing aids are better than ever and virtually invisible. State-of-the-art, sleek, and virtually invisible, today’s hearing aids combine technology and style with durability and ease-of-use. They’re a high-tech tool to help people stay socially, physically, and cognitively active. The options are so varied that there’s an attractive solution for just about anyone. Today’s technology is wireless, which can allow patients to connect to their smart phone and use an application, if wanted, to control and adjust their hearing aids, stream phone calls and stream other audio such as music or FaceTiming their grandkids. There are also hearing devices today that can alert loved ones to a patient falling, etc.
So when thinking about your heart health and health in general, take the time to schedule a hearing test with an Audiologist. And when getting your hearing tested, make sure to let the Audiologist know of any cardiovascular disease.
Rahul Banerjee, MD is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in hip and knee replacement, comprehensive management of fractures, and treatment of complex orthopaedic problems. Dr. Banerjee graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship at Brown University.
After training, Dr. Banerjee served in the United States Air Force and worked with the Army treating the injured and training residents in El Paso, TX. He was deployed to the War in Iraq and treated many soldiers and civilians.
After his military service, Dr. Banerjee joined the faculty at University of Texas Southwestern as Assistant Clinical Professor. In 2021, Dr. Banerjee joined North Texas and Orthopaedic Spine. Dr. Banerjee is available to see patients at office locations in Plano, Carrollton and Dallas.
• Total Hip Replacement
• Direct Anterior Hip Replacement
• Knee Replacement
• Treatment of Fractures
• Bone Deformity
• Nonunion of Fractures
• Limb Lengthening
• Elbow Injuries / Elbow Replacement
• Foot and Ankle Injuries
• Infections
• Total Hip Revision
• Total Knee Revision
“From the moment I met Dr. Banerjee, he listened to what I had to say and how I felt, that means a lot to me. After many years of knee pain and not being able to live the lifestyle I wanted, he agreed to do a total knee replacement. It was the best decision I ever made. He did an amazing job! Less than two months out and I am walking and biking like I haven’t been able to in years! It really changed my life!!!”
–David P.
Attorney Deandra M. Grant leads Hamilton Grant’s North, East and Central Texas offices. She is an international speaker on DWI law, science and trial skills. As the author of the annually updated Texas DWI Manual, she is viewed by her peers as being a leader in her field. Deandra understands the science behind alcohol absorption and elimination rates and can use this knowledge to competently defend you.
Deandra formerly was an assistant district attorney. Her tenure as a prosecutor focused on DWI prosecutions which has given her firsthand knowledge on how to counter the prosecutor’s evidence and strategy. Deandra has spent hundreds of hours in training courses and programs related to DWI defense and has completed the certification course to administer standard field sobriety testing (SFST), the same training course taught to police officers nationwide on how to identify drunk drivers during traffic stops. As a certified SFST Instructor, Deandra has taught the course to other attorneys. She’s also completed the coursework on DWI forensic blood and urine testing.
“I have a masters degree in pharmaceutical science and a graduate certificate in forensic toxicology. I am able to take apart evidence in ways a lot of other attorneys are not able to do. The most important part of my job is being the barrier between the government and my client. Standing between them. Making sure their rights are protected.”
–DEANDRA GRANT
ELDER LAW FOR SENIOR ADULTS & THEIR FAMILIES
Elder Law is first and foremost about empowering seniors. Elder Law services help you address issues of living arrangements, financial well-being, healthcare options, and the ultimate disposition of assets, enabling you to make your own choices and decisions about managing life as you age.
VETERANS BENEFITS ESTATE ADMINISTRATION GUARDIANSHIPS
PROBATE LITIGATION ESTATE PLANNING WILLS & TRUSTS
Healthcare Advance Directives are a vital part of your estate plan. Each of the advance directives plays a distinct role in ensuring that when the time comes, your healthcare wishes are followed.
A Medical Power of Attorney, HIPAA Release and Authorization, and Directive to Physicians (also known as a Living Will) work in concert to provide trusted individuals with the tools they will need to manage your healthcare and make health-related decisions for you, should you become unable to do so for yourself.
A Medical Power of Attorney enables you to name a trusted individual as your agent to make healthcare decisions for you in accordance with your wishes. As long as you are awake and can understand and answer a medical professional, you always make your own healthcare decisions. If you are not capable of making or communicating your decisions, your agent under the Medical Power of Attorney has authority to act for you. Your agent is obligated to follow your wishes when making healthcare decisions for you, to the extent you have made those wishes known. If there is no evidence of your wishes, your agent should make decisions based on your best interests; however, treatment may not be given, or withheld, if you object. This is true whether you are competent or not. Although you are not required to designate alternate agents, it is advisable that you name at least one additional person, if not more, whom you trust to act on your behalf and in accordance with your beliefs and desires. For many reasons, your agent may not be able to act when a decision needs to be made. Therefore, having alternate agents named can be very important.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a federal law that requires doctors, nurses, hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers to protect the privacy of patient health information. A HIPAA Release and Authorization document names individuals you trust to have access to this protected health information. When you execute a HIPAA Release and Authorization, you are giving your healthcare providers permission to discuss your health information with those trusted individuals. This can be an important tool for those who are assisting you with your healthcare and want to stay informed of your status. Without such access, your agents may not have all the information they need when it is time to act under the Medical Power of Attorney. This document also allows you to keep others who are close to you informed of your medical condition, even if they cannot make decisions.
A Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates, commonly known as a Living Will, provides information and instructions to your agent under the Medical Power of Attorney regarding your desires to administer, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatment should you be diagnosed with a terminal or irreversible condition.
Although commonly confused, a Living Will is not the same as a Do Not Resuscitate Order (“DNR”). A DNR should be signed only after receiving an explanation from a physician, who also signs the document to confirm you were provided the information necessary to make a sound decision. While a Living Will addresses life-sustaining treatment before your heart has stopped beating, a DNR instructs medical personnel not to perform emergency resuscitation after your heart has stopped beating. Importantly, medical personnel must see a properly executed DNR prior to beginning resuscitation procedures, as they cannot stop resuscitation procedures once they have begun.
An experienced attorney who practices in this area of the law understands each of these documents and how to tailor them to your unique circumstances, wishes, and family dynamics. Advice on Healthcare Advance Directives, as well as other interrelated legal issues should be provided by an attorney who works in this area on a daily basis. There is a reason that professionals like attorneys and doctors are licensed—they are providing important services and are required to meet strict standards. If you need help with your estate plan, or have questions about Healthcare Advance Directives, please contact our office for a consultation.
Lori A. Leu, Erin W. Peirce, Lauren E. Olson, and Brandi Binkley are Elder Law attorneys with Leu & Peirce, PLLC in Plano, Texas. For more information call 972-996-2540 or visit www.leulawfirm.com.
Diane S. Litke, MD Diplomate American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr. Litke is a passionate artist, both in her spare time and as an orthopaedic surgeon. At L&W Orthopaedics, she approaches every orthopaedic problem with an eye toward restoration of function and mobility. With a deep knowledge of the inner workings of the body’s most active and important joints, Dr. Litke is able to repair most hip, knee, and shoulder problems, giving her patients the freedom to move again. Assisting her skilled hands, she uses the latest state-of-the-art robotic equipment for accuracy and precision, delivering a powerful combination of experience and technology to all of her patients.
Dr. Litke earned her medical degree at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She went on to complete her orthopaedic residency at the University of South Carolina in Columbia South Carolina. She is certi ed by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and is a Fellow of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. Dr. Litke is a liated with the Methodist Richardson Medical Center, where she is the director of the joint program. When she’s not working, Dr. Litke enjoys photography and ceramics.
Please call 972.498.4791 to schedule an appointment.
