MENCOURAGE SPIRIT MISTER, TEAR DOWN THAT WALL

WRITER: MONISHA VASA, M.D.

You are gainfully employed and live in a nice home. Sharing that home with you is a beautiful, loving wife and two children who are excelling in school and sports. You’re blessed with a great circle of friends and socialize with them regularly.

In recent months, though, things have spiraled out of control. Your 75-year-old mother suffered a crippling stroke. The company where you’ve been employed for 17 years is considering laying off a dozen workers, and you fear your job is in jeopardy. You wonder if Mom should be in a nursing home or if she should move in with your family. And you worry whether you’ll be able to pay the bills in a few months.

Pressure, stress and anxiety begin mounting. How will you address this? If you’re a man, you will likely fail to communicate your worries and concerns to family members, friends and counselors. Men have a wall—it’s called pride. That wall contains five feet of concrete and 10 layers of steel. We protect this wall to protect pride; that’s how we’re built and wired.

Where men commonly fail is in not being able to communicate their problems effectively. We carry burdens on our shoulders, and at some point the burden becomes too much and we break down. Men need to have an effective outlet to deal with adversity in life.

The key is finding the proper coping mechanism for you. I regularly visit a life coach who clinically and professionally gives me advice on how to handle certain issues. For me, it feels wonderful to openly discuss my problems. Every man

• Call local churches and find out whether they have a life coach or other licensed professional counselor. Perhaps you can talk to several life coaches or professionals before sticking with one who makes you the most comfortable.

• Ask around and see if there are local men’s groups. Maybe you’ll make a friend or two who are experiencing similar problems. You can openly share needs an outlet to deal with problems. Here are some ideas you can explore: your problems and formulate solutions.

• Find a golf group that meets on Saturdays. You can always chitchat with someone while riding on the golf cart.

• Simply take a walk in the woods and reflect on everything that’s troubling you. Getting away from our usual surroundings and enjoying new scenery can be healing.

• Cardiac Consultation

• Surigcal Cardiac Clearance

• Cardiovascular Risk Factor Assessment and Disease Preventions

• Cardiac Catheterazation Angioplasty and Stenting

• Echocardiogram

• Carotid Artery Blockage Treatment with Stents

• Coronary Artery Disease (clogging of the heart arteries)

• Peripheral Vascular Disease (poor circulation of lower legs and arms)

• Enhanced External Counterpulsation Therapy (EECP)

• Cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscle)

• Nuclear Stress Test

• INR Testing

• Monitoring (Holter/Event)

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

• Pacemaker/ICD Checks

• Vascular Evaluation

• Vein Consultation

When it comes to orthopaedic procedures as complex as total ankle replacements, reverse shoulder replacement and joint replacements of the hip and knee, why trust anyone besides a specialist?

Our board certified orthopaedic surgeons are specialists who are fellowship trained in their areas of expertise. They are known for their advanced skill, training and experience. It’s their names you will find scrawled on referral notes from physicians from across the state or featured on the front covers of a surgeon’s training manual. From conservative care for sports injuries to advanced ankle, shoulder, hip and knee replacements, trust the specialists trusted by other surgeons.