T1 - Vero Beach Living - Vol.559

MEET RUSS MONTGOMERY

Russ Montgomery’s true passion is helping the hearing impaired. Russ started 38 years ago making hearing aids for the manufacturer. But that just wasn’t enough for him, he had to bring his expertise and his love for helping people into the hearing aid office. Russ Montgomery is Nationally boardcertified and is recognized as one of the most technologically advanced specialists in his field. You certainly owe it to yourself to schedule a free consultation and hearing evaluation with Mr. Montgomery. You won’t be disappointed.

Board Certi ed Hearing Instrument Specialist NBC

Today’s Hearing Aids Are A Gateway To Better

Sooner is better

Over time, reduced stimulation to your ears and brain can actually impair the brain’s ability to process sound and recognize speech. The more speech recognition deteriorates, the more difficult it may be to recover. When you can’t hear what’s going on around you, your mental sharpness suffers. The sooner you take action, the sooner you are able to put a stop to the negative effects of hearing loss, and the sooner you may begin to regain sharpness, confidence, and control.

RUSS MONTGOMERY, NBC-HIS

Russ Montgomery’s true passion is helping the hearing impaired. Russ started 38 years ago making hearing aids for the manufacturer. But that just wasn’t enough for him he had to bring his expertise and his love for helping people into the hearing aid of ce. Russ Montgomery is Nationally board-certi ed and is recognized as one of the most technologically advanced specialists in his eld. You certainly owe it to yourself to schedule a free consultation and hearing evaluation with Mr. Montgomery. You won’t be disappointed.

Leisure Time Boating Club .......... 36

Pharaoh’s Treasure 14

Renningers South East ............... 36

Ski’s Hideaway ........................... 13

Still Jillin Charters 40

Sweet Kiss Ice Cream Shop ........ 13

The Juice Bar .............................. 41

Ty’s Deli 13

FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATION

St Forts Funeral Home 20

HOME IMPROVEMENT

A Master Closet 21 Aquaman Water Treatment Systems

32 ARS Rescue Rooter 41 Azorean Custom Doors ............... 40 Blinds Showcase ........................ 20 Blue Dolphin Pools 11 Brilliant Roo ng .......................... 20

Brother’s Gutters Treasure Coast 23

Color Restoration 33

Craig Hanlon Painting ................. 22 Eco View Windows ........................ 2

Entry Point 17

Flagship Construction ................. 42

Freedom Air and Heat Inc ........... 31

Generator Supercenter of the Palm Beaches ...................................... 29

IMA Irrigation .............................. 16

Immaculate Air 6

Joseph Stevens .......................... 47

Kitchen 21 Designs ..................... 39

Kurbing.Com 23

Max Guard Hurricane Enclosures24

Max Guard Hurricane Windows .. 48

Max Guard Hurricane Windows 26

Mighty Duct Specialists .............. 43

Oasis Brick Pavers ...................... 18

OX Floor Coating 19 P and S Seamless Gutters .......... 18 Panda Contractors ...................... 28

RG Garage Door Parts and Accessories ................................ 22

Solar Energy Systems ................. 32 Stott Brothers Electric 12

Treasure Coast Cabinetry & More30

Tree Service Express .................... 3

Tripod Aluminum Inc 47 Vincent Stevens Cabinet Re nishing .................................. 46

INSURANCE & BENEFITS

Bill Nesper Insurance ................. 28 Ocean Point Claims 16 Renee Allen Insurance ................ 42

MEDICAL & HEALTH

Audibel Hearing Care Center ........ 7

Med Leaf LLC .............................. 18

MMJ Health ................................ 44

MMJ Health ................................ 10 Rooted Zen ................................. 40

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Barnacle Fish LLC 40

East Coast Tax and Financial Planning DT .................................. 4

Eco-Green Mold Remediation ..... 30

The Estate, Trust & Elder Law Firm,PL 30

Treasure Coast Hauling and Junk Removal ................... 43 Wet Out Restoration .................... 36

REAL ESTATE

Livia Sorger Realty 13

REMAX Crown Realty 38

RETAIL

Beachside Furnishings ............... 12 Hot Tub Sales ................................ 6 Z Pool Supply 42

TRANSPORTATION

TC Limo Services 40 Born Again Too Consignments ...... 43

VETERINARY & GROOMING

Treasure Coast Animal Rehab and Fitness 38

Half 9.50 Whole 13.50

SWISS COMBO CHICKEN SALAD SUB

PASTRAMI 9.25

CORNED BEEF 9.25

GRILLED CHEESE 8.25 GRILLED HAM & CHEESE 9.50

CUBAN SANDWICH ............................... 13.50

CUBAN BREAD, PORK, HAM, SWISS, PICKLES & YELLOW MUSTARD

REUBEN with Corned Beef 10.00

LIVERWURST 9.25 ROAST BEEF 9.25

TURKEY 9.25 HAM 9.25 TUNA SALAD 9.25 CHICKEN SALAD 9.25

TURKEY CLUB 12.00

1/2 SANDWICH & SOUP SPECIAL 12.00 Ham, Turkey, Roast Beef, Tuna or Chicken Salad. Includes choice of macaroni salad or potato salad, chips & pickle 10.50

RACHEL with Pastrami 10.00

GRILLED TURKEY REUBEN 10.00 BLT 10.00

Draft, Bud Light 3.00 Well Drinks 6.00

For What It’s Worth

Happy New Year everyone. Let’s do our best to make it a good one! I thought I’d start out this year with some thoughts about our medical center. is is only my opinion, and the gossip of others that have mentioned this medical center to me over the past two years, so let me preface this column by stating that if you have been a patient in the emergency room, or in the hospital, and had a great, lifechanging experience, I’m happy for you. If you have a physician who you can regularly see whenever you have a medical problem, and they are a liated with this unnamed hospital, you’re fortunate, and again, I’m pleased. But for many of us, myself included, I am disappointed with my high expectations of what I believed would be medical care at a higher level. I mean a er all, it’s world renowned. I remember thinking that Martin County was the chosen county, the lucky one, to even have this facility considering our little town. I believed the already great medical care a orded here would escalate to a higher level, with physicians who delved deeper into the problem symptoms that didn’t necessarily t the four corners of their medical school textbooks, physicians the like of which I had worked with at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and Georgetown Hospital in Washington, D.C., where it was unheard of not to investigate a patient’s complaints to the fullest, with a treatment plan and follow up that actually worked. at is what I anticipated.

Unfortunately, I have been disappointed. Perhaps I raised the bar too high. Perhaps I was asking too much. Perhaps the doctors who have signed on with this facility feel the same way.

ey now answer, not only to their education, their oath, their own medical desire to ease su ering, but to the institution which pays

by Dr. Melfi, Ph.D.

their salary. My disappointments are not limited to me. I have heard the same complaints over and over, but there doesn’t appear a way to make things better. First, it seems to me, that if your physician is now on sta , by which I don’t mean have only hospital admitting privileges, but o ce practices where appointments are made by hospital sta ers. ere’s no longer a receptionist who knows you personally, who knows you by name, who asks about your family. So what, you might say? Well, here’s my personal experience. I have been a patient of record at a particular physician’s o ce for years. Now that he works for this institution, I was unable to get an appointment with him for four months, but was o ered an appointment with his Nurse Practitioner in three months. I’m all about nurses. I am one. But they’re not physicians, and my problem entailed more than a nurse practitioner could address, in my opinion. Let’s add that up. I had to endure my symptoms for three or four months, or else go to the emergency department. Unfortunately, my experience at that department was less than I had hoped, and I was told to make an appointment with my specialty physician, which is exactly where I started. I thought I could use my “in” with someone who was related to this doctor, to ask for a special favor, and get a message to him that I needed to see him sooner, if possible. Guess what? No, he couldn’t do that, because his schedule is set for him by the sta of the hospital. Now, let me again preface this by telling you that this is my experience, and not indicative of anyone else. Perhaps he just didn’t want to see me sooner, maybe he was burned out, working too late and too many hours, maybe he just didn’t like me, but what if the message I received is true? Suppose he actually can’t make his own schedule? All I can tell you is what my experience

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was, but maybe it’s also been your experience. Maybe phone calls should be answered, or at least returned in a decent amount of time, which has also been a complaint of many people. is is not to say the doctor’s aren’t top notch. I’m sure they are, and as in all institutions, some are better than others, but if you can’t get to a doctor, how can you decide?

For What It’s Worth I long for the small town of Stuart I came to years ago, where the population was smaller, where doctors were in solo practice, where one bad review could close them down, but these days, I personally feel lost in the crowd. I am not targeting this or any other hospital for their reputation or physician talent. Obviously they are a well respected entity, but I wish there could be more empathy within their sta who are the front line, who must be tired of hearing that we need an appointment sooner than later, but some words of compassion would make the wait for care easier. Maybe the hospitals I once worked for, whose memories are of “patients rst”, are wishful thinking now, but all I’m saying is that I think we can do better. People are sick. ey’re hurting. ey’re alone and frightened. Our elderly population could use some kindness when they’re told they can’t have an appointment for months, and maybe even a follow up call, to let them know that someone cares to see how they’re doing while they wait. Kindness goes a long way toward healing. Is that really too much to ask?

Comments or Suggestions

By Gabby Gregory

medical MARIJUANA Is

just more…FAKENEWS?

Bynow, you’ve likely heard the almost miracle-like anecdotes from “patients” on the news about medical marijuana as it becomes more mainstream. When I hear these stories, I have to wonder: are they legitimate? I had to know the TRUTH, so I arranged to sit down with Dr. Anne Lynn Morgan, the Chief Medical Of cer at MMJ Health, Florida’s top-rated medical marijuana doctor’s of ce.

Many people don’t know that medical marijuana is legal in Florida, let alone readily available at over 250 in-state dispensaries (imagine a pharmacy speci cally for medical marijuana). For years, pop culture has depicted marijuana primarily as a recreational drug, but there’s more to the plant than what’s shown on the silver screen. Since its legalization, medical marijuana’s profound effects have changed the lives of countless Floridians. Dr. Morgan, as Florida’s top rated Medical Marijuana Specialist, is responsible for much of this positive impact. Indeed, she and the staff at MMJ Health were honored to be named by The Palm Beach Post as the “Best Medical Marijuana Card Provider” for their level of service and ef cacy in 2020!

Additionally, Dr. Morgan is an expert in the eld of medical marijuana, and is among one of the most respected clinicians in the industry. She sits on the board of directors for the American Academy of Cannabis Medicine, is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, and is considered to be one of the industry’s highest-rated cannabis clinicians (no pun intended). Dr. Morgan has been in practice for 33 years and was the former Medical Director for United Health, Metropolitan Health, and Humana.

Dr. Morgan has been practicing marijuana medicine speci cally for the last 9 years, with licenses in Florida, Washington, and Pennsylvania. After years of education, research, and hands-on experience, Dr. Morgan attests to the relief medical marijuana brings to people, saying, “We have found that we have over a 90% success rate with medical cannabis.”

Dr. Morgan explains that medical marijuana patients at MMJ Health, rather than experiencing psychoactive effects or feeling high, nd relief from various medical conditions, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, arthritis, cancer, IBS, epilepsy, PTSD, autoimmune disorders, migraines, Parkinson’s, ADHD, Fibromyalgia, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and more. Medical marijuana is not for getting high, it’s for feeling better! How does it work? It’s simple –THC and CBD.

THC and CBD are two chemical compounds that come from the marijuana plant and affect the endocannabinoid system, the human body’s natural system for processing cannabis. “The endocannabinoid system’s reason for existing is to keep our bodies in homeostasis, i.e. healthy and balanced. Cannabis can positively affect so many systems in the body that are not being managed properly by pharmaceuticals,” says Dr. Morgan. Many of MMJ’s patients, since using medical cannabis, have been able to drastically reduce their prescription medication regimen, or have stopped taking prescriptions altogether!

Marijuana is still classi ed as a Schedule 1 substance federally, but Dr. Morgan explains, “It’s not what you think… Medical marijuana is not a narcotic. In fact, after using medical marijuana, many of our patients have reduced taking narcotics and/or opiates without even being asked!”

Medical marijuana is not like anything sold on the street... it’s completely safe! When you get your marijuana from a dispensary, you don’t have to worry about whether it was adulterated. Dr. Morgan clari es, “Florida has very stringent rules about how medical marijuana is grown and prepared, so you know it’s clean, pesticide-free, and has no bacteria or viruses.”

Medical marijuana has become a go-to for doctors across the nation to give their patients relief from a myriad of conditions without having to worry about the severe side effects associated with many pharmaceuticals. For the patients at MMJ Health, medical marijuana is 100% making a difference in their everyday lives. The stories are real. Dr. Morgan says that it is not uncommon for patients to cry, hug, and thank her because they are feeling better than ever since using medical cannabis. Dr. Morgan has seen the results, and she urges anyone and everyone to consider trying medical marijuana.

MMJ Health is at the forefront of technology, so nding out if you qualify for a medical marijuana card is super simple! The MMJ Patient Quali cation System, accessible at www.mmjhealth.com, allows you to nd out in minutes whether you qualify. If you do, then the MMJ Health of ce will contact you. MMJ Health has all of the resources necessary to get your health back on track!

So the real question now is: why wait? MMJ Health is the only all-inclusive medical marijuana of ce in Florida, so you can get quali ed for your medical marijuana card in one visit. The friendly and knowledgeable staff will ll out the tricky government application for you, take your ID photo in their of ce, and submit all of your paperwork to the Florida Health Department. The only thing you have to do once you leave their of ce is wait for your card!

“You shouldn’t have to suffer… medical cannabis can help you! We are real doctors who provide real results,” says Dr. Morgan. The expert staff at MMJ Health encourages you to “Please come and see the MMJ Health difference. We care, we make a difference as a team, and we know our cannabis medicine. Isn’t it time to live your life the way you want, symptom and side-effect free?”