Right at HOME Magazine July 2016 Issue

HOME RIGHT AT

JULY 2016

A QUARTER OF A CENTURY OF COMPASSIONATE CARE North Central Baptist Hospital Page 4

Pictured above: Team members of North Central Baptist Hospital, some of whom have been with the hospital for 25 years.

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Dog Days of Summer at The San Antonio Botanical Gardens — Sat., Aug. 6-Sun., Aug. 7, 8 a.m. -5 p.m.

The San Antonio Botanical Gardens welcomes your furry friends on one of four dog-friendly weekends throughout the year. There’s a suggested donation of $5 per pet, as you stroll the grounds; leashes are required. $10 adults; $7 children. 555 Funston Place 78209; visitsanantonio.com/Browse-Book/Events/ Dog-Days-of-Summer; sabot.org

Healthy Choices?

8/29

Read to and Visit With Effie the R.E.A.D. Dog —Mon., Aug. 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Parham Library invites young readers to practice by reading aloud to Effie, a gentle, story-loving Great Pyrenees. Required registrations begin July 29 at 10 a.m. for 10-minute slots. Intended for struggling or self-conscious readers, the sessions allow any child to read to the dog. Everyone can visit with Effie from 5 to 5:30 (no sign-up required). If all slots are filled, ask about the next read-to-a-dog date, August 15.

Call 210-207-2703.

9th Annual American Wounded Heroes® Golf Classic—Mon., Aug. 29 Offering veterans and first responders a chance to play and win an $8,000 purse, this annual event at the Club at Sonterra invites sponsors and donors to help make it happen. The goal: To support and sponsor as many American heroes at the golf event as possible and to support and inform rehabilitating veterans. Individual hero, $150; foursome heroes, $600. americanwoundedheroesgolfclassic.com

9/2-4

Free Family Day: Summer Spectacular at McNay Art Museum— Sun., July 24, 1-4 p.m.

Experience the sights and sounds of Coney Island right here in San Antonio at this free event. Enjoy a carnival atmosphere with circus performers and art activities in connection with the McNay’s exhibit “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland 1861-2008,” which runs through Sept. 11. mcnayart.org

8/1

Team Jesus: Vacation Bible School— Mon., July 18-Thurs., July 21, 9 a.m.-Noon Community Bible Church welcomes children who have just finished kinder through 5th grade and special needs children kinder and older to register ($10). 2477 North Loop 1604 78232; www.communitybible.com/ event/vacation-bible-school

8/6-7

7/18-21

U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Training Camp Fan Day—Sat., July 16, 10 a.m.

Amid San Antonio’s summer pool parties, the best swimmers in the U.S. convene for a training camp right here in the Alamo City.

Fans can watch an open training session for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team before it heads to the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Northside Swim Center, 8400 North Loop 1604 W., 78249; usaswimming.org

7/24

7/16

Upcoming Events

Bigger and Better Laborfest— Fri., Sept. 2-Sun., Sept. 4 This three-day, multi-cultural music and arts festival includes the free Laborfest SA First Friday festivities; the family-friendly LaborFest Park Explosion with live music and carnival activities at the newly renovated HemisFair Park on Saturday and Sunday; The Soul Funk Explosion on Saturday and Sunday at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center featuring Chaka Khan, S.O.S. Bank, and more. Tickets for Explosion events start at $30. visitsanantonio.com/ english/Browse-Book/Events/2016-BiggerBetter-LaborFest-San-Antonio-Soul-Funk; laborfestsa.com

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A Quarter Century of Compassionate Care

As more and more professionals and families moved to Stone Oak, North Central Baptist Hospital evolved to meet the area’s needs. It’s still expanding and offering new services, as it remains an integral part of the community.

The iconic atrium entrance to North Central Baptist Hospital was completed in 2005.

As North Central Baptist Hospital celebrates 25 years in Stone Oak, the hospital stands tall as a landmark that’s still growing. “Think back to what Stone Oak was 25 years ago,” says President and CEO Bill Waechter, recalling the sparsely developing area north of North Loop 1604 once considered the rural outskirts of San Antonio. The neighborhoods have filled in the rocky landscape around the hospital, which has developed more and more services over the years and always maintained a reputation for excellent care. It stood as the first facility of its kind in the now bustling community.

“The hospital has grown as the community has,” Waechter says. “So much has changed. We’re not a sleepy hospital out in the country, but a full-fledged, comprehensive hospital with high-quality care.”

The growing complex just opened a new rehab unit in June, the fourth such location for Baptist Inpatient Rehab Units in San Antonio. The complex features twelve apartment-like living quarters, each with scenic views—a transitional place where recovery patients can access training for mobility and Activities for Daily Living (ADL). Along with serving general rehab patients, it’s the only rehab unit of its kind for stroke victims in the city and the only one in South Texas for amputees. North Central Baptist also will unveil a one-of-akind, $50 million orthopedic hospital in the fall of 2016.

As it continues to expand, North Central Baptist stands as a touchstone for many Stone Oak residents who have received care here. Busy Stone Oak Parkway passes in front of it, reminding many commuters of milestones in their lives, such as the birth of a child in the sought-after, world-class labor and delivery suites, or the time a child got stitches in the kidfriendly children’s E.R.

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Serving Families as they Grow North Central Baptist developed a reputation as a premier birthing location, with extensive classes to prepare families for a birth, to give childcare, and to properly install car-seats.

It also offers lactation classes and consultation. Along with an almost resort-like feel that pampers the mothers giving birth, with chair massages and a special after-delivery meal, the hospital also offers extraordinary care in its high-quality, neonatal intensive care unit for premature babies. “No one wants to have to use those services, but discerning mothers prepare for the what-ifs,” Waechter says. “We have great outcomes and great care there.”

But far beyond a premier place to deliver babies, the hospital has strategically grown under Waechter’s leadership. It made a U.S. News and World Report list naming it Best Hospital 2013-14, where it earned metro area high-performing specialty ratings in gastroenterology, nephrology, and pulmonology.

North Central Baptist Hospital has a state-of-the-art, minimally-invasive surgery program that includes four Da Vinci Robots. The benefits of this technology for patients are a shorter stay in the hospital, smaller incisions, and less risk of complications. A new stroke center provides state-of-theart care for stroke victims. The hospital has begun offering chemotherapy on-site. And a brand-new neurosurgical program can even handle brain surgery. A lot of careful strategic planning helped grow the hospital’s offerings. “We’ve spent a lot of time recruiting specialists,” Waechter says, proud of the facility’s new capabilities. “We’re having a record year in terms of service to the community.”

The hospital also has invested time in becoming an integral part of the community. With events such as the Summer Celebration, where families can enjoy back-to-school health

workshops, food, rides, and health checks for toys, and a Winter Celebration in the parking lot that has included “snow,” the hospital has become a place that’s more than a haven to go when residents are sick. It’s become a place for them to gather, as well.

“This is one of a kind. It’s a hospital within a hospital, designed from the conception by our physicians and by our staff and with our patients’ input. We want it to feel like a quote, unquote destination for patients with orthopedic needs,” Waechter says.

Celebrating a milestone

He points to the hospital’s vision statement as a driving force for all the growth it’s experienced. It states: We want to be the most loved hospital.

For the 25th Anniversary, the hospital will host a celebration with staff, which numbers approximately 1,250. “We’ll recognize physicians and staff who were here from the beginning,” Waechter says. “It’s a milestone birthday.”

“That’s because we want to provide great services and quality care for people who need it. Not everyone’s there to have babies,” Waechter says. “Sometimes it’s the worst day of their lives, but we hope to be there to make those days just a little bit better and to do that through a faith-based organization, Baptist Health System that’s been here for more than 100 years, and through compassionate team members. That’s our vision.”

For more information on the programs and services offered by North Central Baptist Hospital go to baptisthealthsystem.com or call 866-206-4742.

The original entrance and four-story tower of North Central Baptist Hospital 25 years ago in 1991

He says it’s gratifying to serve the needs of Stone Oak families as they age. “Twenty-five years ago they may have had a baby, but now they may need a knee replacement,” Waechter says.

The new Baptist Orthopedic Hospital can handle that type of operation and recovery like no facility in the area, thanks to the new, three-story, 76,800-square-foot building that will offer patient-centered orthopedic care. Designed to resemble a hotel, the state-of-the-art facility can address the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries such as: • Joint replacement and arthritis • Sports medicine injuries • Arthroscopic surgery • Spine treatment • Care and surgery of the shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, knee, foot and ankle

North Central Baptist Hospital’s

Construction is underway on the $50 million Orthopedic Hospital.

The first 500 attendees will receive a special 25th Anniversary gift!

Enjoy a fun-filled event with FREE Food, Rides, Attractions, Live Entertainment and Performances for the whole family.

• FREE Stuffed Animal and Toy Check Up Clinic • FREE Health Screenings and Health and Wellness Exhibits • $10 Athletic Sports Physicals for ages 10 years and older provided by Baptist Sports Medicine and their orthopedic doctors. A release form and parent consent forms will need to be signed onsite.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 • 10AM -2PM

Call (866) 206-4742 to register for Free Workshops in Atrium Classrooms 1A &1B 10:00 am Kid’s Cooking 12:00 pm Workshops for children ages 4-10 years

Back to School, Back to Health A physician led workshop for parents on important back to school health concerns from vaccines and flu shots to preventing concussions.

North Central Baptist Hospital • 520 Madison Oak Drive • Atrium lobby & Parking Lot

Bring a New Backpack to donate to Living Through Giving and help local children in need 8715_SummerCelebration2016Ad_8.5x3.65_v2.indd 1

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Decades of Dedication T

After 25 years in the U.S. Army and 30 years working for a state agricultural department, this retired veterinarian relaxes and remembers.

he proverbial farm boy walked a mile to a one-room school in the snow. Independence Village resident Dr. Ron Anderson actually made that kind of trek in a Depression Era farming community near Halstad, Minn.—even in winter. “After 3rd grade, that school closed, and the town sent a bus to pick up the rural kids,” he says.

Small-town values and work for Future Farmers of America prepared him to work as a veterinarian, serving the military and the public in a long, varied career. Now Anderson, 84, lives in San Antonio and participates in golf and fitness at The Club at Sonterra, where Independence Village residents enjoy privileges.

An R.O.T.C. graduate at what’s now North Dakota State University, he married his wife, Jacquelin, just as he was commissioned as a U.S. Army 2nd lieutenant. He became an Army aviator and deployed to Germany in the mid-1950s as part of the occupying force. “I got to see all the castles close up [as I was] flying up and down the Rhine,” he says. Back in the U.S., on mission in Arizona, his unit helped with recovery efforts after two commercial airliners collided above the Grand Canyon in 1956, killing 128 people.

Anderson’s agricultural roots called him out of the cockpit. He earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine and masters of public health at the University of Minnesota, then joined the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. He directed and managed food safety, public health, and animal medicine programs in Italy, Thailand, Korea, and the U.S.—and even cared for a U.S. ambassador’s Bengal tiger cubs in Burma.

He and Jacquelin had a son and a daughter, and after 25 military years, he retired as a colonel. Anderson moved the next day to Reno, Nevada, to work as the state epidemiologist at the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Involved with state and federal animal health programs, his major focus was helping to eradicate brucellosis, a disease in cattle. He also developed a state-wide dog bite prevention program.

Following Hurricane Andrew, he helped pioneer the nationwide Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMATS) program, still in use today. “After Andrew, we learned not all emergency responders were prepared to deal with the animals,” he says.

Dr. Ron Anderson attended the unveiling of this bronze statue on June 3, 2016, at Fort Sam Houston. It represents the varied work of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps in honor of its 100th anniversary.

Retirement is a

Blast!

Now a widower, Anderson moved to San Antonio to be near his daughter and grandkids. He recently attended a 100th anniversary celebration for the Army Veterinary Corps at Fort Sam Houston. In a way, it felt like a celebration of the work he’s done in his long life, as well.

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The Stone Oak Rotary Club in June awarded $4,000 in college scholarships to members of the Reagan High School Interact Club.

The Rotary Club will also award $4,000 in scholarships to NEISD students graduating from the Academy of Creative Education. The Stone Oak Rotary Club meets every Thursday, from 12:15 p.m. -1:15 p.m. for lunch at the Club at Sonterra.

Visit their website at StoneOakSARotary.org for more details on visiting their club.

L-R Reagan High School Interact members, Lauren Schilling, Briana Gutierrez, Nicole Cerda and Anapaula Cantu each received a $1,000 college scholarship from the Stone Oak Rotary Club.

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Back-to-School Checklist

New shoes. New backpack. New lunch box. You’re all set, but don’t forget your child’s eye exam before the new school year starts.

By Dr. Monica Allison, O.D., Stone Oak Vision Source

S

ome estimates say that as much as 80% of the learning a child does occurs through his or her eyes, reports the American Optometric Association. As the difficulty of schoolwork increases, so the demands put on children’s eyes increase year after year.

Kids use computers in the classroom and do learning activities on tablets. They read more and more, with typical lessons on white boards, chalkboards, and overhead projectors. The AOA points out that the size of type in text books decreases as children age, and time spent reading and doing homework increases. All that reading can cause eye strain in kids with undiagnosed vision problems, or it can make evidence of a vision problem show up. If that happens, schoolwork may suffer as kids: • Begin to put off doing near-sighted work, such as reading or worksheets.

• Avoid reading altogether.

• Develop short attention spans.

• Experience discomfort or fatigue.

• Complete work, but with less comprehension.

• Work less efficiently.

At Stone Oak Vision Source, we can give you reassurance about your child’s eyesight, or help correct any problems with the right prescription. We also may notice issues related to eye tracking, focusing, or coordination, which can affect performance at school or in sports. Any one of those problems may even affect a child with 20/20 vision. That’s why the AOA recommends children ages 6 to 18 have eye exams at least once every two years, or more frequently if a problem arises. Make an appointment today!

A Few Signs to Watch For • Rubbing eyes or blinking • Having a short attention span • Avoiding reading • Suffering frequent headaches • Tilting head to one side • Holding a book close to the face • Forgetting what he or she read 10

Make an Appointment!

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PHYSICIAN PROFILE

Healing Hands A pair of doctors specializing in children’s kidney problems, from chronic diseases to bedwetting, offers families expert care—and hope.

planning their next trip. They have not decided on their next destination yet. “We love to travel,” Caimol says. “That’s our only vice!”

Rowe travels, too, but she’d rather curl up with a good historical biography, and she’s working to collect definitive biographies of all U.S. Presidents. “I’m up to Ronald Reagan,” she says, adding that it can take years to assess leaders and write about them in an accurate way.

(L-R Candace Carter, Administrator, Maria Caimol, M.D., Janet L. Rowe, M.D. )

By Jennifer Chappell Smith

problems in a child or young adult trouble any Kactiveidney parent. But many patients can have hope for a full and life with trustworthy care from an experienced pediatric nephrologist.

Just such a physician, Dr. Janet Rowe opened her private practice in Stone Oak four years ago, after serving as Chief of Pediatric Nephrology in the U.S. Army for 25 years and working for the Baptist Health System for two. Now working part-time at her Kidney and Wellness Center, Rowe invited Dr. Maria Caimol to join her this past February. Together they’re helping kids, young adults, and their families understand diagnoses and work toward better health.

Balancing home and work life, these two make a great team treating the broad range of kidney ailments—from bedwetting in children over age 6 to renal failure. But if their patients need surgery, they refer them to a surgeon. “If you see either of us with a knife, you need to run!” Rowe says, laughing.

Kidney & Wellness Center for Children and Young Adults 19016 Stone Oak Parkway 78258 Suite 200 Telephone 210-493-0353 Fax 210-490-0716 kidneyandwellness.com • Urinary tract infections • Kidney reflux • High blood pressure • Blood in urine • Protein in urine • Excessive weight • Bedwetting in children over age 6

• Renal failure—acute and chronic • Kidney transplant • Diabetic kidney disease • Inflammation in the kidneys • Prevention of diabetes in overweight children and young adults

“It’s not just us versus the disease, but us making sure they have a good quality of life,” says Caimol, who did a pediatric residency in Chicago and a fellowship in pediatric nephrology at Stanford University. She recently moved to San Antonio from Alaska, where she worked as the state’s only pediatric nephrologist for two years.

A love for children Rowe raised four children with her husband, a retired elementary school teacher, and enjoys traveling to see grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her practice includes infants, children, young adults to age 26, and even some developmentally delayed adults who do better in a pediatric environment. She enjoys treating this age spectrum: “No. 1, they want to get well. No. 2, it’s fun to see the results, such as blood pressures coming down... and No. 3, it’s rewarding to work with the parents.”

Also a mom, Caimol has a 2-and-a-half-year-old son and another son due in August. She sounds passionate as she talks about ways to give children with kidney issues an active, normal life, full of exercise—even reaching out to schools to make sure they’re allowing children with kidney disease to participate in P.E. Work-life balance When Caimol’s not in the office, she and her husband are

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Your child’s kidney or urinary tract health should not be kept a secret. At the Kidney & Wellness Center for Children and Adults, we specialize and treat the following:

Call 210.490.0353

• Urinary Tract Infections • Kidney reflux • High blood pressure • Blood in urine • Excessive weight • Bedwetting over 6 years of age • Renal failure-acute and chronic • Kidney transplant • Diabetic kidney disease • Inflammation in kidneys • Prevention of diabetes in overweight children and young adults 19016 Stone Oak Parkway, Ste. 200 San Antonio, TX 78258 210-490-0353 www.KidneyandWellness.com

Maria Caimol, M.D. and Janet L. Rowe, M.D. Board Certified Pediatric Nephrologists

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Dogs and Water: 9 Safety Tips 1.

2.

Introduce dogs to water slowly if they’re new to swimming. A kiddie pool can help a dog get comfortable.

3.

Don’t force your dog into water. Some people playfully toss their dogs into water or assume they will naturally start swimming, but forcing your dog into the water can be dangerous. Plus, it can traumatize your pet.

4.

Provide a way for your dog to get out of the water. Show your dog how to use the stairs or install floating ramps or “doggy ramps” on the stairs. An exit option could save his life should he jump or fall in.

5.

Research your breed. Most dogs enjoy the water, but certain breeds have physical limitations that inhibit them from swimming or simply don’t like water.

Never let your dog drink from the water. Chlorine and chemicals in the pool, salt in the ocean, and bacteria in lakes can make your pet sick. Keep a bowl of fresh water available.

6.

Read signs near bodies of water. If an area is hazardous to humans, it will be for dogs. Avoid water that smells foul or has floating debris.

7.

Invest in a dog life jacket. When swimming or boating in open water, a dog life jacket is a must for new or non-swimmers. It’s also a good idea for experienced swimmers. It protects pets who fall overboard, develop a cramp, become exhausted far from shore, or get overwhelmed by tides.

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Help prevent accidents around pools, rivers, lakes, and more.

8.

9.

Vaccinate your dog for the intestinal parasite giardia.

Giardiasis can result in diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, so the protection is a must for dogs swimming in lakes or rivers.

Rinse or shampoo your dog to wash away chlorine, salt, or residue. Before placing the collar back on, make sure the fur is completely dry. Clean and dry pets’ ears to avoid ear infections.

Chosen to Learn

A rising high school senior heads to India on a life-changing sojourn.

Student Spotlight

By Jennifer Chappell Smith

W

hen Sumukhi Prasad, 17, heard a friend talking about vacation plans to another country, she wanted to travel the world, too. “But something more than a family trip,” says the rising senior at Ronald Reagan High School. She imagined a trip that would make a difference—in her life and in the world.

Via Google, she discovered a prestigious program that met those criteria, with the added bonus that travel it provides is fully funded.

The Experiment Leadership Institute offers a trip for teens to India to help them explore public health and development. Called The Experiment in International Living, the program also brings the teens together to discuss their experiences and plan projects to apply what they’ve learned. “I hope to one day go into medicine and public health, and this trip will allow me to learn more about the changes in sanitation and health standards that are needed,” Sumukhi says.

Chosen from among 500-plus applicants, she’ll join 14 other U.S. students from July 5 to Aug. 12 this summer. The group will convene in Washington, D.C., for leadership training before the four-week trip to India. Afterward, they’ll debrief at the School for International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vt. Born in Orange County, Calif., to parents who emigrated from India to the U.S., Sumukhi wants to learn more about her parents’ native country, but she says they came from a more developed part of India than where she will travel. “I would like to explore the underdeveloped part of India,” she says. “To see what is the purest form of the Indian culture.”

She’ll live with a local family for two weeks in the village of Satoli, located in the northern part of India, and work with the not-for-profit group Aarohi, which is “interested in improving the conditions of this rural and underdeveloped village.” Then, over two more weeks, she’ll travel to other villages to observe living conditions and health needs.

“I’ll be able to see what it’s like living in an underdeveloped village...how different it is from the U.S. I hope that I’ll be inspired to make a difference in my own community.”

Sumukhi Prasad was selected for a fully funded, educational trip to India after a rigorous selection process that included essay-writing and an hour-long interview.

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Already in leadership roles at Reagan in the Interact Club, Spanish Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta math honor society, and Choir Council, she looks forward to honing new leadership skills on the summer trip and at the sessions in D.C. and on the SIT campus in Vermont.

“I just hope that my eyes are open to the problems that people face around the world,” she says.

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