Summer 2011
The Emergency Room doors whoosh open, welcoming a middle-aged couple. One side of the man’s face droops and his slurred words try to quiet his wife’s worst fears. The triage nurse, trained to recognize these symptoms, alerts the team that a possible stroke victim needs diagnosis and immediate attention.
“When stroke happens, time is brain tissue,” says Dr. Mounang Desai, co-medical director of the emergency room at North Cypress Medical Center (NCMC). Stroke is the third-leading cause of death and foremost cause of disability. When a “brain attack” occurs, brain cells are deprived of blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, so it begins to die. Reacting quickly is vital. Continue reading “Surviving Stroke”
The evening the French Consulate’s cultural attaché to Houston, Patrice Vanoni, graciously spoke the customary prose to bestow the honor of chevalier and pin the ruban violet to Georges Detiveaux’s left breast, Detiveaux was nervous. Such an emotion seems an appropriate and reverent appreciation to being knighted. “They were beautiful words, and then, as is expected, I gave a speech to welcome and thank everyone for coming,” says Detiveaux, the awe of the night reflecting on his face. 
Every mother is a working mother whose job is never finished. With a career added to the already busy mix, these Cy-Fair mom doctors have learned a few things about straddling the double-duty roles of being a mother and physician. Their warm, candid thoughts on caretaking will help any woman make the most of her time both at work and at home. 
When people think of midwifery, antiquated notions of a granny in homespun might come to mind. The journey an infant takes to be born hasn’t changed since before cloth was woven on a loom, yet the ways a midwife attends to births today are both older than homespun and as updated as modern technology. As a practicing midwife, Ramona Colas assists Cy-Fair mothers-to-be as they eagerly await their new bundles of joy. 
The son of German immigrants, Elmer “Lumpy” Kleb happily lived out his 92 years on his family’s farmland, in a farmhouse lacking in modern utilities but surrounded by the beauty and bounty of nature. Kleb felt a deep attachment to the land and chose to plant trees on it instead of farming cotton or corn like his neighbors. Over time, he produced a wooded retreat and often nursed injured birds. 
Anne Geddes may have been the first to peddle the idea of a tot in a flower pot, but photographers like Tasha Schoen of Freckles Fotography find their own inspiration in every tiny newborn. For a Houston firefighter, she recently posed the family’s newest addition on dad’s helmet. “It was a difficult shot to get, but the parents loved that image,” she says. “I’m so honored by parents who trust me to photograph their precious children.” 
Do not forget me. Do not forget my story. At the age of 81, this is a reasonable concern for Walter Kase, who is still robust after all he has seen and been through. Born in 1929, Kase survived the Holocaust, and now, shares his story with the community in hopes of promoting love and ending hate. Kase focuses on reaching out to children, giving more than 50 speeches every year in schools and colleges throughout Texas. “I just tell my story,” he says. “Children’s minds are still open; you can make an impression.” In Cy-Fair, the impact of his message can be readily seen among students, and Hamilton Middle School has even dedicated the Walter Kase Commons to him. 
What do ninja eggs, space hamsters, and mighty mini-marshmallows have in common? They are fantasy and any one is the beginning of a great adventure. As a professional cartoonist for three decades, Mark Kistler of Cy-Fair has shared his love of drawing through an energetic teaching style with more than 7,000 school assembly workshops worldwide. “With a powerful imagination and a pencil, anyone can spend the afternoon in the jungle or on the lunar surface,” he shares. 
Set in the Bayou City in 1974, the financial thriller, Bond Daddy, takes readers into the inner workings of a bond market boiler room. Attorney turned author, Jason Fowell, and securities broker turned author, John Bott, give readers a rare glimpse into the high-pressure, deceptive, and coercive sales tactics used to lure investors into purchasing stocks and securities. 
“Twenty to thirty percent of the general population has some allergy problems,” says Douglas K. Schreiber, M.D. of Copperfield Allergy & Asthma. “And there’s a lot of bad information and home remedies out there.” The number takes into account food, seasonal, and topical allergies. And though over-the-counter medications help people cope, he advised caution in self-diagnosis and treatment.