Please enjoy these reflections of gratitude our team:
Julie, Jami, and Travis
Julie B, Medical Assistant, Certified, 3.5 years
I am thankful for my growing family. I have had the opportunity to have my son, daughter in law and grandson, Julian, live with me. To see him grow day by day has been a blessing.
I am thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Miller and Jami. Improving quality of life as well as safety for our patients is so rewarding. I am doing what I love, and I am so thankful for that.
I am thankful for my friends of 30+ years, as they have been there for me. Through all of life’s curveballs. ☺
Jami F, Office Manager, 4 1/3 years
I am very thankful for my family and for their ever-present love and encouragement, and I’m thankful for the many opportunities I have to extend that same love and encouragement to them! I am thankful for the ability to serve others at The Allergy Station and for the valued friendships which have grown over the years. I am thankful for the freedom and peace in which we live. And I’m thankful for times of simple reflection as I sip my hot coffee, watch the colorful autumn leaves fall, and delight in the beauty of life and love with which God has blessed us!
Editor’s note: In all her “free time” (aka 7pm – 2am) Jami studied, perfected, and CRUSHED her eMBA program at Univ. Texas, Corpus Christi and will officially receive her robe, stole, tassel and diploma in early December! Yay! Congrats to Jami!!!
Travis
50+ weeks ago I went “under the knife”. I was nervous, anxious, concerned, excited and hopeful. Years of agonizing & crushing bone pain - I hoped would be gone. (It is!)
The last year has been like none other in my life.
The realization that ‘Father Time’ is moving on and we can't be complacent with our health or healthy habits has been creeping into my mind over the last 5 years. Having an arthritic foot and giving away fun activities, exercise and joyous participation with family and friends wasn't something that I was willing to sign-off on
Many of you read a story titled “The Grateful Patient,” which I wrote in Dec 2021, shortly after surgery. On the surface, it discussed the importance of a great doctor-patient relationship. But on deep review, it was a broader discussion of healthcare teams and how complicated healthcare delivery really is.
The last 40+ weeks, I have spent hundreds of hours going through rehab and physical therapy and thousands of hours of pushing in the gym for improved health - physical, mental, and emotional. I'm happy to say that it is all paying dividends. I have no need for a running career in the future, but I am getting close to otherwise unlimited physical activities.
Why I am most thankful, is for the health of my family our community and the unwavering support and dedication of our Team at The Allergy Station.
Driving the highest value healthcare team through turbulent and challenging times in the last 5 years has been no easy task. Inflation, healthcare regulation, global pandemic, regional legal demands, supply chain disruptions and spiraling costs are just a few of the challenges all healthcare organization face. I believe we have always addressed these in a patient-facing manner.
Thankfully, our house/our family (The Allergy Station) is filled with amazing people with unwavering good nature and dedication. And for that, I feel blessed beyond measure.
Please read this article, written by Jami F, especially for Food Allergy families @ the Holidays
Journeying with Food Allergies:
The Joys (and Struggles) of Recipe Adaptation
By Jami Frese
Have you ever followed a recipe and expected a beautiful result only to experience a barely edible end product? It’s so disappointing!!
Now I love baking, and I have been lauded as a wonderful baker over the years. So, when my son was diagnosed with food allergies and was told he had to avoid all gluten and milk products, I was determined to bake him food he would love as compensation for what he could no longer enjoy. And so began some rugged years!
Let me first say this was several years ago and many gluten-free and dairy-free products have entered the market since then. But back in the day, baking became a scientific experiment in trying to get ingredients to blend together and work in a manner which would resemble the rise-ability and tastiness of traditional products. It was challenging! Countless attempts resulted in some inedible and undesirable food. Truthfully, it was bad! There was frustration, disappointment, and most certainly laughter!
Eventually (and I do mean eventually), trials led to success. We learned that not everything can be recreated well, but we adapted some recipes and found new options for others. While my gluten-free/dairy-free cinnamon rolls never did look or taste great, we did create a tasty apple pie and many other delicious goodies. We also learned that preferences evolve. Cooking and baking become less about what you can’t have and more about embracing safe foods with creativity.
As we enter the holiday season of 2022, we hope you will enjoy the time with your loved ones. Whether cooking or baking with old recipes or finding tasty new ones, enjoy the journey and find freedom in your safe foods!
If you have found adaptations or substitutions for certain ingredients, please share! You can also feel free to share things that do not work! We want to encourage others who may be new to this journey. We are not alone. Let’s share and embrace it together! Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Also, if you try a new recipe this season, please submit pictures of your beautiful (or not so beautiful) creations! We love pictures!
If you’d like to submit a recipe or a “joy story” to our blog, please send it to: wecare4you@theallergystation.com and put “Journeying with Food Allergies” in the subject line ☺
** Disclaimer – Recipes should not be construed as safe if you have FA, unless you have consulted with your HCP. Find JOY!!