Right at HOME Video e-Magazine October 2021 Issue

The Sonterra Overserved 40 and over Men's 3.0 Team won the 2021 Sectional Championships in Houston, August 2729. The team will go on to represent USTA Texas at the National Championship in Surprise, AZ, October 21-24.

(Pictured from left to right) Front Row: Daniel Molina, Team Captain John Ganser, Kent Kirkman, Troy Paddock.

Back Row: Toby Mulligan, Jeremy Bergeron, Phillip Valadez, Steve McCoy, Jorge Perez and John Tobin.

Stone Oak Church - Your Neighborhood Church

Stone Oak Church Sunday Service @ 10:30am Children’s Sunday School @ 10:30am Adult Bible Study @ 9am Youth Group Meetings Tuesday @ 7pm 20024 Crescent Oaks San Antonio, TX 78258 (across from Stone Oak Elementary School) 210-497-7974

www.stoneoakchurch.org

Bring Your Family to the Annual Pumpkin Patch!

Great Photo Opportunities!

October 9-30 M-F 11am-7pm, Sat. 9am-7pm Sun. 12noon-7pm

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Help Travis DeZuba and 7to7 Dental put an end to breast cancer by contributing today.

Every $5 donated is (1) entry to win Spurs tickets.

DONATE Travis Dezuba, Marketing Director, 7to7 Dental

RESERVE OUR PARTY ROOM OR PATIO FOR YOUR GROUP EVENTS THIS FALL! Make your reservation today!

Mon-Fri Happy Hour 2-7pm

Tues Half Price Wine Bottles

Shavano Park Location 4035 North Loop 1604 W San Antonio, TX 78257 210-493-8884

Wed $5 Signature Cocktails

Mon- Thurs 11am-10pm Fri & Sat - 11am-11pm Sunday 11am - 9 pm

Thurs $5 Martinis

Sat-Sun $4 Mimosas & Bloody Marys

We're Hiring!

Servers, Cooks, Bartenders Apply in-person at the restaurant

See our full menu at www.scuzzisitalianrestaurant.com/menu

Design that Inspires Since its origins in 2007, The Decorum Group has been setting the standard for hotel, commercial properties, office and residential Christmas holiday decor across South Texas.

The Decorum Group provides turnkey custom holiday decorating services and year-round storage for…

• Commercial office buildings and lobbies.

• Church sanctuaries • Special events and corporate holiday parties • Outdoor tree lighting scenes on your business property

Plus, now we offer...

• Residential roofline lighting for homeowners Call us for a quote today!

The Decorum Group 855-33DECOR info@thedecorumgroup.com See our work at TheDecorumGroup.com Follow Us:

Watch our Video

WE’RE HIRING SEASONAL HELP! Teachers, college students, homemakers and shift workers looking to earn extra income during the holidays… Click the link below to contact The Decorum Group and apply online as one of our Decorating Team Members.

• 6-hour shifts starting at $12 per hour • Onsite or warehouse work available • Indoor or outdoor holiday decor setup • Bow makers needed • Must be comfortable on a ladder and with heights • Must be able to lift 50 pounds • Experience with power tools or construction preferred • Electrical knowledge welcome • Seasonal work only November, December and January

Click HERE to apply

PET TIP

Online Veterinarians

Telehealth for Your Furry Family Member

By Camp Bow Wow

A

s a pet parent, you’ve probably faced this dilemma.

Your furry family member seems a little off, maybe disinterested in his food. But it’s after hours or over the weekend, and your vet’s office is closed.

Or maybe your pup is scratching or licking his paw. It doesn’t seem like an emergency exactly, and emergency vet clinics are so expensive, but you’d feel better if you could talk to a professional. Did you know that veterinarians are increasingly available to consult online via telemedicine? Just as human medicine ramped up online consultations over the past year, the trend has spread to animals. Now you can ask questions, evaluate whether a concern is urgent or hear pet health advice from a vet at your convenience.

According to Ellen Malmanger, D.M.V., on petmd.com, you can find out about nutrition, health, grooming, parasite prevention, behavior, and more. The advice will be trustworthy, because it’s from a licensed veterinarian.

Dr. Malmanger often receives questions about vomiting and diarrhea. It’s distressing when Fido feels so obviously sick! But those symptoms can indicate anything from a mild upset stomach to a severe illness. An online vet can evaluate the situation and give you peace of mind about whether to take your pup in right away or wait.

Other benefits, according to Dr. Malmanger: • Convenient hours and easy access to a vet from home.

• Faster response time and a less stressful experience for your pup.

• Free or low-cost feedback from a trained professional.

Dr. Malmanger cautions that online consultations do have some limitations. Online veterinarians legally cannot diagnose or prescribe medications. Technical issues can hamper communication. And it is always more difficult for a vet to assess Fido’s problem without the benefit of a physical exam.

Different services offer options: chat, email, phone or video. Some are free, others require a subscription or change a fee.

Here are some recommendations from wired.com.

TeleVet's app is among the easiest to navigate if your vet is in-network. Just create a profile for your pet and connect it with your vet. Virtuwoof works similarly — but it will only connect to your current vet.

If you use Chewy.com to ship your pup’s products, you are already automatically enrolled in their free telemedicine service.

Subscription site Pawp includes instant chats and also a $3,000 emergency fund to cover unexpected vet bills.

AirVet costs $30 per session if you need answers or an emergency evaluation immediately.

Telemedicine services are not a replacement for regular, inoffice visits, but online vets can provide immediate support to help you best care for your furry family member.

Watch Our Video! "Greetng from Camp!"

FREE

Sniff & Seek Enrichment with the purchase of (2) enrichment services.

Emergency Care Access Patients Make Their Voices Heard

By Amy Morgan

Y

ou start feeling symptoms of COVID, but it’s after hours … testing centers are closed. And what about treatments?

Aren’t some of the medicines you’ve heard about more effective the sooner you start?

You have a right to seek emergency attention at the facility of your choice – it’s even a federal law!

According to Physicians Premier founding partner Lonnie Schwirtlich, M.D., everyone deserves a full medical screening to determine the best treatment for their situation. Sometimes what could be an urgent care problem during the daytime becomes an emergency after hours. If it’s threatening to life, limb or could cause a disability, it’s an emergency.

That’s why Dr. Schwirtlich and a group of founding physicians opened Physicians Premier, a free-standing emergency room located west of Highway 281 on Highway 46 near the HEB Plus. Physicians Premier offers all the capabilities of a hospital emergency room without the wait or the crowd. This provides everybody in the Far North San Antonio community the best chance of getting the emergency medical care they need in a timely manner. At Physicians Premier, trained emergency room personnel including a board-certified physician are on premises.

They’re ready to carefully evaluate your needs in light of your health history and prescribe the medications and treatments right for you.

Dr. Schwirtlich is passionate about being able to serve every community member — whether the patient is covered by private insurance, a veteran or military dependent, or qualifies for Medicare.

“We pay our whole life to be able to have good medical care when we reach that age point when we retire and need to use that fund,” he said. “Medicare patients should be able to receive the same care as everybody else.”

Freestanding emergency rooms became licensed in Texas in 2009, one year after the Affordable Care Act, leaving facilities like Physicians Premier out of the loop. Due to the COVID pandemic, they’ve been given a temporary waiver from the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) to be able to receive payment for treating patients covered by federal programs.

Dr. Schwirtlich is lobbying legislators to make their status permanent because he doesn’t want anybody to be left behind.

Patients like Judy Utley are calling or writing their representatives or signing the petition at Physicians Premier so their voices can be heard.

“My experience at Physician's Premier ER facility was excellent….

Within a few minutes, I was called in to go back to a private ER room. The majority of my time there was answering questions about my medical history, my current reasons why I was there, and for the results of all the testing and X-rays that were performed…. I strongly believe that Medicare patients should have the right to choose which ER facility they prefer to seek treatment. Had I gone to a regular ER at a major hospital, I know from experience that I would have waited for many, many hours before being seen. During this awful pandemic, the last place I wanted to go to was a regular hospital waiting room.”

Physicians Premier asks for your support in their efforts to be recognized by CMS so they can care for your community in the way they desire. If you want the life-saving services Physicians Premier provides to be permanent for those covered by federal programs, contact U.S. Senator John Cornyn, (202) 224-2934, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, (202) 224-5922, and U.S. Representative Chip Roy, (202)225-4236 and let them know you stand with us as we stand for you, Dr. Schwirtlich said.

“Our promise to you is that we will continue to fight for you and your rights to have access to emergency care at any location of your choosing since you deserve the best possible medical care and attention,” he pledged.

SOME EMERGENCIES CAN’T WAIT. Dehydration Heat Exposure Trauma

BULVERDE’S 24 HOUR EMERGENCY ROOM

Chest Pain Abdominal Pain Athletic / Sports Injuries

WE’RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US MOST. Physician owned and operated, our independent, freestanding ERs offer exceptional care and comfort at a stressful time for you and your family.

20475 Highway 46, Suite 100 Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 438-6911 MDPremier.com

We see all medical emergencies.

MEMBER FDIC

Top-rated tech, award-winning service and 150+ years of experience are what we offer. Treating people right is what we’re about.

Visit us at 21011 US Highway 281 North in San Antonio or call (210) 220-6576.

Watch our customer testimonial video about Maid Brigade.

NEED A PLUMBER NOW? Palomino Master Plumbing, LLC •Full Service Plumbing •Emergency Service •Pipe repairs •Remodeling

•Water heater •Drain cleaning •Sink/Toilet/Faucet •New Construction

Master License: 4235 | 210-429-3531 www.palominomasterplumbing.com FREE Estimates • Licensed & Insured

MEDICAL MINUTE

Victor Parra 7to7 Dental Professional Expands Career

By Amy Morgan

T

he haunting image of the little boy’s tear-stained face changed the life trajectory of Victor Parra, D.D.S. Dr. Parra started his career as a dental hygienist in his Rio Grande Valley hometown. He joined a clinical team to take dentistry outside the office as part of his training. It was there he encountered a 6-year-old boy whose baby teeth were so rotten and infected they needed to be pulled. All of them.

He knew that boy would spend years without teeth until his adult set filled in.

The feeling of powerlessness to help in a way more direct compelled Dr. Parra to continue his education and earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston in 2014. Dr. Para joined 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics’ team in 2018. He started at the Leon Springs office, opened the location at Bulverde and 1604, then came to the office located at corner of Stone Oak Parkway and Evans Road in 2019.

A colleague mentioned 7to7 Dental, and a conversation with founding partner Tiffany Winburn, D.M.D., convinced Dr. Parra to join the practice. He was particularly interested in the opportunity to take part in the ways 7to7 Dental gives back to the community. Since then he’s participated in the annual day 7to7 Dental dedicates to providing free cleanings, fillings and extractions to those in need.

Dr. Parra values the ability to change a person’s life through cosmetic and restorative dentistry — giving a person a reason to smile if trauma or decay has damaged their teeth.

“It is a joy to make them feel like themselves again,” he said. He also relishes the challenge in getting to the root of a problem. It is common for patients to complain of a tooth ache or sensitivity to hot or cold. Dr. Parra finds it very rewarding to relieve the pain and treat the issue, so patients leave better than when they arrived.

Perhaps due to his 10-year experience as a dental hygienist, Dr. Parra strongly emphasizes oral health education. He remarked that the Stone Oak clientele is well informed and concerned about their wellbeing.

Dr. Parra is raising an active 2-year-old son. He plans to instill good dental habits to ensure the tooth fairy doesn’t visit his little boy prematurely.

7to7 Dental is a local business grown in 13 years from the practice of one dentist and six staff, which now employs 240 San Antonio community members. Co-Owners Dr. Winburn and Justin Coke live in Stone Oak with their families and are part of the community.

210-495-2000

www.7to7Dental.com

Facebook: 7 to 7 Dental & Orthodontics Instagram: @7to7Dental Call or book online with ease

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Media Matters

Senior Produces Reagan High School’s YouTube Broadcasts

By Amy Morgan

ive interviews were what Ronald Reagan High School senior student and budding journalist Mia Gonzalez most looked forward to as she started the 2021 school year.

Mia holds the position as executive producer of Reagan’s broadcast TV program, Rattler Report, and she has embraced all that being back to school in person has to offer.

L

Mia was able to secure her first job this summer at the Hardy Oak Whataburger after being sequestered the past 18 months. Her grandparents live with the family, and her mother’s autoimmune disease and Mia’s childhood asthma made them extra cautious. Her grandparents still speak Portuguese at home. Mia can read and understand the language, but she is not quite fluent.

She regularly films at Regan’s football games, catching comments from players, coaches and fans in the stands.

This year, one of her first video packages— two-minute stories wrapped in the six to ten-minute broadcasts posted to YouTube and Instagram — addressed mask mandate issues. Her selection of topics has expanded in the aftermath of COVID quarantine, although she did seize the opportunity to create a package featuring the efforts of her father and brother, Reagan sophomore Cole, to restore a 1937 Ford pickup.

Mia hopes to study communications at a school on the East Coast, perhaps Rutgers. Another goal is to incorporate her family’s background into travel — maybe a semester abroad in Portugal.

Spurred by her interest in photography, Mia selected a Journalism 1 class her freshman year. After competing in UIL newspaper and taking photos for the yearbook, she realized she was more interested in the broadcast aspect of journalism. She invested in a Rebel TS18 camera with video options and followed her heart. Now, in addition to producing, Mia interviews and shares anchor duties with her associate producers. Reagan’s journalism teacher, Ms. Gallegos, says Mia has a natural talent.

Being on campus has other benefits. She enjoyed her first hands-on project creating an electronic flyer in her advertising class, an experience she feels might have fallen flat virtually. She looks forward to the DNA lab coming up in forensic science class.

In her free time, Mia taught herself to play guitar and loves to jam with friends. She hopes her four-person group can play more formally together before they all go their separate ways to college. Find the Rattler Report at youtube.com/c/RattlerReport.

WHAT IS YOUR STORY? Right at HOME magazine shares great stories every month about local community leaders on our cover.

Let us tell your story in 2022.

Call 210-325-1333 to learn more about becoming one of our cover story sponsors.

Watch Our Project Videos.