The “keys” to relaxation

Doctors do so much more than simply write prescriptions or administer shots. As most in medicine can attest, there is no typical day when one’s livelihood depends on the health and well-being of others. There are sleepless nights. Days can be draining with heavy patient loads. And family activities are often interrupted with patient phone calls.

So, what can doctors do to alleviate their hectic and stressful profession?

For Dr. Felipe Ortiz, he simply lets his fi ngers do the walking.

A pulmonologist/critical care doctor in Leesburg, Ortiz is an avid piano player. For him, having the ability to create music is nourishing to his mind, body, and soul.

“I pretty much work twelve-hour days every single day,” he says. “Being in the medical profession is extremely demanding. That is an understatement. I think all doctors need some kind of outlet to relieve stress. For me, that is playing the piano.”

A native of Colombia, Ortiz was born into a large family with seven siblings. His parents required that each child learn a musical instrument, and he decided he would fare best on a piano. He began taking piano lessons under the guidance of a private instructor and fell in love. One of his most memorable moments as a child was performing for a live audience at a museum in Bogotá. At age 20, he wowed an audience with a one-hour performance at a private fundraiser inside an auditorium.

“It is a lot of fun to look out in the crowd and see that people are enjoying the music you are producing,” he says.

Of course, that would mark the end of Ortiz’s public piano appearances. At age 25, he moved to the United States to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. He completed an internship and residency at the University of Miami before moving to New York and completing a fellowship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

He has now resided in Lake County for fifteen years and is employed at Lake Pulmonary and Sleep Disorders Clinic. But despite the demands and rigors of attending medical school and being in the medical profession, he still has his fingers firmly positioned on a piano, creating musical magic and fulfilling his soul.

Most of the time he plays his CSM-1 piano on weekends, and sometimes he’ll find enough time to play twenty minutes after a hard day’s work. He rarely plays classical music from legends such as Bach or Beethoven.

“I stopped reading music and now make up whatever my fingers feel like playing,” he says. “I just sit down, think about the music I want to play, and let it roll. Making my own music is relaxing. I would describe my sounds as a blend between jazz, new age, and classical Spanish influence.”

These days, the hobby not only constitutes relaxation but also quality family time. His wife, Tabitha, and two sons, Mateo, 8, and Isaac, 5, gather around him while he’s playing the piano. Oftentimes, his sons will perform alongside him or dance to the music.

“I’m not sure if I am a good piano player; maybe I just have a very good piano that sounds very good,” he says and laughs. “However, whether I’m a good player or not doesn’t really matter all that much. I am just fortunate that I can enjoy my hobby with my family by my side.”

Few things could be as relaxing — and rewarding — as that.