The Pediatric Path

When Dr. Abby Haas was a girl, she was probably the type of child who treated her baby dolls with a toy stethoscope and thermometer. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, she had her fair share of doctor visits when she was  growing up, and it was during this time she began thinking about becoming a doctor. “When I was little, I went to the Doctor every couple of months,” Dr. Haas remembers. “I always thought, ‘I’m going to be a doctor when I grow up, so that I can help other little kids who get sick.’”

However, Dr. Haas did take a little bit of a detour on her way to becoming a pediatrician. Her first career was as a nurse. “I worked with adults in that role, but I wasn’t  completely happy doing that,” she says. “In the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted to treat kids.”

Dr. Michelle Linkous, too, always felt drawn to helping children.  In fact, most of her early life was devoted to it in one form or another. “I have always loved kids; so, growing up, I helped out in daycare, I babysat, I was  even a lifeguard for a long time,” she says. “In college, I volunteered at the hospital’s children’s ward. By the time I got into medical school, it was with the assumption that I would be a pediatrician.”

Read more on page 23 in the February Issue of FF Magazine

This year marks a first for the HBAWS, as the  event moves to the LJVM Coliseum Complex. “We have moved the event to the Education Building at the Coliseum, so we could offer FREE and easily accessed parking for  our show guests,” said Parks. Since a portion of the proceeds from the Triad Home & Garden Show are donated to Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County, organizers are  devoted to making the show accessible and hassle-free for attendees. “The money we raise helps fund the HBAWS and Habitat Vocational Education Partnership Program  which gives Forsyth Tech and Career Center students the opportunity to build habitat homes as learning tools for possible futures in the building industry.”

Read more on page 37 in the February Issue of FF Magazine

2) Schedule yearly check-ups and immunizations. Maybe they won’t appreciate those shots right now, but they will later. Vaccinations are one of the best ways to put an end to serious disease and protect future generations. Flu shots can help keep the family from getting sick and missing important things, and they are particularly important for the elderly or those who have chronic conditions. Remember that your pharmacist can administer a flu shot to individuals 14 years and older. Stop by Tanglewood Pharmacy today to prevent the flu later.

3) Don’t ask for antibiotics when they aren’t needed. Usually if a family member has a cold, an upper respiratory infection or a sore throat that is negative for strep, the cause is viral, not bacterial. Antibiotics won’t help when the cause is viral, and, in fact, they could hurt. Overusing antibiotics leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can make a family member even sicker.

4) Encourage hand washing. Cold and flu season really doesn’t end until spring, and the best way to prevent illness is to keep those hands clean with regular soap and water. Treat your family to special soaps and a nice hand lotion to keep skin from drying out.

Read more on page 4 in the February Issue of FF Magazine

Margaret is remembered by many viewers in the Triad because she fought and won a very difficult battle with pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed in August of 2005 and was told that her chance of survival was 5–30%. During this fight, she shared her experiences, trials and challenges with the viewers. Her faith in God and putting her situation in His hands, her determination, and lots of support from her husband Ron Pannell, friends and her church family helped her beat it.

Read more on page 6 in the February Issue of FF Magazine

The idea of these fake hotdogs fascinated me. Of course, I had other culinary accessories, including a plastic oven and fake scoops of ice cream with fitted rubber cones. But what made me obsess so over those inedible dogs? Perhaps I fantasized about having “cookouts” in the backyard. Perhaps I just wanted to eat hotdogs and funneled my desire into those beautiful crimson beauties. But since I wanted them for myself, why hadn’t I asked for them as a present? Why did I continue to give them to my friends? Adults wonder why kids want or do certain things; based on my experience, I doubt even the kids themselves know.

Read more on page 8 in the February Issue of FF Magazine

“At the first of the year, we have new members who join the YMCA because they have made that decision to make a change in their lives, but lots of times they aren’t sure where to begin. Our staff is available to help you and your family  members discover what type of exercise each of you enjoys, get you involved and give you all the support needed to start the year off right. Each YMCA offers a free 3-day  pass to those  interested in seeing what the Y has for them, and we encourage possible new members to take full advantage of those 3 days, through using the entire facility and checking out classes. The Ys in our area are invested in the success of our members and our community and in creating a great experience in each class or activity, leading to success in a workout. Getting stronger and healthier goes beyond the Y’s walls, helping people be more engaged in every area of their lives,” said DeDe Cox, Group  Fitness Director, Jerry Long Family YMCA.

Something for Everyone

We all want to look and feel our best, not only for ourselves, but for our loved ones, and the YMCA can help with an activity or program for anyone in the family. There are those who like to do their workout on their own in the fitness room, lined with cardio- and weight-training machines and free weights, but some members turn to the group exercise classes to add something different to a humdrum workout routine. “There is something for everyone when it comes to our group exercise classes. From the Latin music and energy of Zumba, to Les Mills class offerings like BODYPUMP ®, which takes the intimidation out of weight-lifting, to the calming effects of yoga, we work with you to find something that is the right fit for you in our Y classes,” said Chelsea Cullen, Communications Director for the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina.

Read more on page 23 in the January 2011 Issue

Allred soon  opened a second location in High Point. Family members were involved with the business early on. When a fire closed the Winston- Salem restaurant for several months,  Allred decided to make the change to a combination restaurant/cafeteria when it reopened. The cafeteriastyle service proved to be so popular that he converted both locations to cafeterias— hence, K & W Cafeterias was born. Allred, Sr. had found the right formula for success. Upon his death in 1983, his original cafeteria concept had grown to sixteen locations in  North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Today, the K & W Cafeterias are still family-owned and operated. It is the quality, service and value that makes K & W the place to go  for a good meal. “With our crazy schedules, I don’t always have time to cook,” said one diner. “But I still want my family to have a nutritious dinner. My children love the  choices, the food is consistently good, everyone is friendly and helpful and I get more quality time with my family. This is our go-to place.”

Read more on page 18 in the January 2011 Issue

Freedom to Be Heard: What does this mean  for you and your child? The benefit of treatment by an independent practice, such as Winston-Salem Pediatrics and Kernersville Pediatrics, is that they are patient-need  based, rather than driven by a quota of patients to see each day, holding true to their philosophy that “Each child is more than just a number.” Independent practices are  not only free from the corporate pressures of time-limits with patients, but they have the freedom to have the staff, equipment, and supplies available to meet patient needs.

“We are owned by our own doctors…. This allows us to remain accountable to no one except our patients,” explained Dr. Rebecca Ball, mother of two and medical graduate  of Duke University.

Freedom of Choice: As an independent practice, Winston-Salem Pediatrics and Kernersville Pediatrics have privileges at all area hospitals, so your child  can be treated by the best specialists in their field, whether they are at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (including Brenner Children’s Hospital) or another hospital. Patients are not limited to receiving referrals only to the hospital with which the practice is affiliated, as in corporately backed practices.

At Winston-Salem  pediatrics and Kernersville Pediatrics, parents can see the doctor of their choice. As the practice is unaffiliated with any teaching hospital, parents will never be surprised by  the unfamiliar face of a  resident, rather than a doctor. Acknowledging that oftentimes children and parents establish a bond or rapport with a particular physician, parents are not limited to seeing  only the doctors with the lighter schedule that day, but can wait to see their preferred doctor, unlike practices that are not independent and have less flexibility in scheduling.

Read more on page 18 in the January 2011 Issue

While I am by no means an expert in Parenting 101, my coaching peers and I consistently see the results (both positive and negative) of parenting  in youth soccer. We hope we can provide some positive, negative and sometimes humorous examples to learn from over the next few months! This month’s lesson is simple: let the kids play and have fun!

Out of curiosity, I once asked one of the 8-year-old boys in our Youth Academy program what he would do if his mom and dad were always yelling during his games, screaming “Go! Shoot! You need to boot it! Go over there! Don’t do that!” He responded, “I’d yell, ‘Security! I don’t know those people!’”

Read more on page 40 in the January 2011 Issue

And teaching life skills through horses has been the mantra at Cash Lovell Stables & Riding Academy for three generations. “This is about so much  more than learning to ride a horse,” says Parker Lovell. “We want to channel our rider’s love for a horse into something bigger. We want to use these children’s love of a horse to teach them about the broader world. God sends some children into this world with what I call the ‘horse gene.’ And when they are born with this, it’s like a heat-seeking  missile. This child WILL end up in a barn.”

Read more on page 74 in the January 2011 Issue