Black Hills Woman Magazine - May June 2021 by Tout Advertising

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Behind this Issue

Tracy Bernard

Kara Azevedo

Editor-in-Chief

Accounting

Publisher Tout Advertising, LLC 527 Kansas City Street, Suite 2 Rapid City, SD 57701 Editor-in-Chief Tracy Bernard Copy Editor Katie Pavel

Katie Pavel

Danielle Beadle

Copy Editor

Content Specialist

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Tout Advertising, LLC assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork and reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. Articles, advertisements, and opinions in this publication do not necessarily carry the endorsement of Tout Advertising. ©2021 Black Hills Woman Magazine

Inside this Issue

Her Great Work

From the Editor

Honoring Those We Love in Memory & Deed Relationships

Fostering Futures

Feature

Kristi Woolsey Girl Gives Back

Mother’s Day Guide Gift Guide

FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULD HAVE A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR: 1

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THEY KNOW YOUR PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OFTEN BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF YOUR FAMILY

Dr. Taylor Kapsch

When doctors treat you for years, they get to know your medical history inside and out. 3

FAMILY DOCTORS TREAT MORE THAN YOU THINK Family doctors are highly trained, board certified physicians who are skilled at making diagnoses and treating many conditions.

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Dr. Ann Hibbs

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Shawn Schilling: Steel Artist Area Artist

Parity for Parents’ Days

Humor

Not Your Grandma’s Wallpaper Home & Garden

2021 Vision

Health & Fitness

Look Years Younger Beauty

Her Great Work by Tracy Bernard

It was uncharacteristic of me, as my husband and I scrolled for a movie to watch, to propose a family movie; “How about Charlotte’s Web?” I suggested. He wasn’t into the idea so we watched something else. The fact that Charlotte’s Web randomly occurred to me proved to be an odd coincidence when I came upon the last few minutes of it airing a couple of days later. Charlotte had just finished her egg sac, and now dying because of the effort, explained to her pig friend, Wilbur, that the sac was her magnum opus. “I don’t know what a magnum opus is,” said Wilbur. “That’s Latin”, explained Charlotte. “It means great work. This egg sac is my great work — the finest thing I have ever made.”

For those that do not know the story of Charlotte’s Web, Charlotte was not your ordinary spider and, in an attempt to save Wilbur from the slaughterhouse, she weaved webby messages above his pen such as “some pig” and “terrific.” These messages, catching the attention of the farmer, garner Wilbur fame and end up saving his bacon, literally. Pretty amazing for a spider.

From the Editor

I processed the metaphoric meaning behind this story. While friendship is certainly the foundation of Charlotte’s Web, it is also very much about motherhood. Despite all she had done for Wilbur and being a gifted web designer and writer, Charlotte’s greatest accomplishment was the creation of her children.

Motherhood seems to be one of those difficult to explain power sources in the world. The work of a mother is not always seen but it is felt everywhere. As Rudyard Kipling put it, “God couldn’t be everywhere, so he created mothers.” For me, regardless of what I have or will accomplish, my children will always be my magnum opus, and I know many of you feel the same. To all the moms out there, I will quote Charlotte and simply say that when I consider all the sometimes underrecognized work you do, I want to whisper in the ear of each of you, from one mother to another, “Terrific.”

Happy Mother’s Day.

From the Editor

By Kayla

Relationship

e v o L ed e w e s e o h T D oring emory and n o H n M i By Brittney Pruess

s summer looms on the horizon of our days, a time of celebration and reflection is

hastily approaching. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are the times set aside for longing for, remembering, and admiring the women and men called parents. As these days draw near on the calendar, aging sons and daughters are finding themselves reminiscing on the tender moments of the parents who raised them. Many are seeking ways to honor those they have both loved and lost during this specific time of year. It is a time of honoring the parents who poured out their love in abundance, and many are finding themselves rejoicing in the opportunity to do just that. Exchanging Photos + Narratives There is something precious about gathering together, nestling into couches, and getting lost in the photographs of loved ones. As pages are turned in scrapbooks and albums, memories are refreshed and stories exchanged. By lingering in the stillness the photographs offer and sharing the stories of those captured in the photos, individuals are able to experience the memory as if it were their own. It allows them to trace their parents’ history and to remember they, too, experienced the pains, the joys, and the circumstances of life. Studying albums also leads to reminiscing in the sweet moments that meant the most to one’s parents and why they were so precious to them. It is an opportunity to recall the loving relationship experienced by those both in the photo and those outside of it. It deepens and strengthens the love shared even after a parent has passed. Albums have a way of capturing more than just the physical qualities of another, and perhaps this is why many come back to them time and time again when they desire to be near the parents they have lost.

Relationship

Preparing + Feasting Meals also play a major role in the life of a family. Hard conversations are had, love is exchanged, moments are celebrated, and traditions are cherished as individuals gather around the family dinner table. Likewise, traditional recipes are deeply rooted in family history and the love passed down throughout the generations. As people gather, they remember what was and embrace what is currently the life of their family. For this reason, one of the greatest ways individuals can celebrate a deceased father or mother is to share in the re-creation of a family recipe and to have their children participate. Spending time in the kitchen, creating a cherished dish from a parent, and feasting around the table creates an opportunity to share, participate in, and exchange memories about the individual who created the dish years prior. There is a woven thread from one heart to another in the preparation of such a feast. Paying It Forward Perhaps one of the most honorable ways to remember parents is by participating in an activity they appreciated with the goal of paying it forward in their honor. Many individuals today choose to participate in memorial events or fundraisers centered around a specific activity and an individual to be remembered. When individuals participate in these events, whether they are members of the family, friends, or a stranger, they also embrace the opportunity to reflect on the passions, attributes, and memories of the individual being honored. These events bring people together in the spirit of celebrating the loved one, while at the same time lending a helping hand to those in need. An example of such an event might be a golfing tournament held in the memory of a father who loved the sport. The son or daughter may set up a golfing tournament in his or her parent’s honor with the proceeds going to building homes for the homeless. This event both honors the memory of a father and contributes to the life of another. Writing It Down A small, yet significant way to celebrate a parent who is no longer alive is to write about him or her in a journal. Writing requires individuals to enter into thoughtful reflection about the greatest and the smallest of moments, the attributes of their father or mother, and the achievements that the parent made over his or her lifetime. Putting these pieces of another down on paper creates a precious gift to pass along the insights recalled and transcribed. Once the words are written down, individuals may choose to share what they have written with their child. With the child cradled in their arms and the journal on their lap, a parent and child can read about the man or woman who left a lasting impression on the hearts of those around him or her. This provides an opportunity for

Relationship

parents to share what attributes they would like to instill in his or her child, and also what the child values about their grandparent. Writing creates an environment for deep reflection and encourages potential growth in the lives of those who read the words. Once individuals begin to journal about their parent, they often find more people need to know about the man or woman found within the pages. Many may even choose to create a published book about their father or mother for this reason. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, people set aside quality time to conjure up, settle into, and fully experience the memories of those they love dearly who are no longer with them. They celebrate the life that was and the loving memory of the ones they call mom and dad. There is a sweetness to be found on days such as these — linger and celebrate them for all that they are. bhw

Relationship

By Sarah Grassel

Have you ever considered being a foster parent? What would it take for you to open your home to a child with a wounded past? Foster care is important to provide security and safety. Though it’s sad to ponder, sometimes families are unable to provide that for their children. An unstable home life for children can lead to poor behavior and poor choices and can impact their education growing up. Becoming a foster parent can bring a stroke of happiness into a child’s life where there may have been none. It also offers the biological parents a second chance to fix a broken situation.

Feature

Sandi Styles was raised by two Air Force parents and moved around every couple of years. With her husband and three biological children, Sandi has fostered more than 170 kids and has adopted five. Sandi and her husband became interested in foster care after their oldest son was in a severe car accident in 2007. At the time, there was a lot of uncertainty. Both Sandi and her husband were not sure if they were crazy or if this was the right decision to make because they had three older teens of their own already. She shares, “We finally talked to each other when Sean was starting to wake up and were shocked. We decided, despite how crazy it seemed, we were going to start the process and leave it in God’s hands.” Abbie Childress has fostered more than ten kids on her own, five of whom have stayed for more than two years at a time. While she may have less experience than Sandi and her husband have, she certainly has learned the ropes of foster care. Growing up, she also had experience with the system through her mom and her own home.

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Abbie’s mom was a nurse in Rapid City when she saw an extreme need for foster care providers in the area. “With a safe home, love in my heart, and a hope for a future for each child, I knew the need for foster parents was high in our area and decided to get licensed myself.” While the two come from different backgrounds, both Sandi and Abbie say that summing up how rewarding being a foster parent is isn’t easy, and some of the biggest rewards come from the greatest challenges. Possibly the most rewarding experience comes months or even years after they’ve cared for a foster child, according to Sandi. “We have had previous foster kiddos find us through Facebook, reconnecting. They share what we had done for them, memories that meant something to them, and send photos of their lives now,” she continues to say. “To see first-hand that our goal in all this has come to be, to plant the seed but also get to see it grow, we couldn’t

Feature

ask for anything better.” Abbie shared a similar personal experience from her very first placement. There was a lot going on in the teen’s life, and no matter how hard Abbie tried, the fact that she was there for the child and loved her as her own never really sunk in with her. Unfortunately, the girl decided to return to the social service system and the whole ordeal was difficult for everyone involved. “When she turned 18, she reached out to me and told me she was sorry that she chose the system rather than staying with me. She is still in my life,

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Feature

and now she is 23, refers to me as her mother, and comes to me for guidance,” Abbie says smiling. As a foster parent, Abbie reminds those interested in pursuing the opportunity to foster a child that flexibility is a must. “You never know when you will get a call,” she adds. Secondly, she advises to let foster children sleep, for as long as they need. It’s hard to say when the last time was that they may have had a safe, good night of rest, so when they arrive at your home, they may end up sleeping for hours on end. Lastly, she says, “Set clear expectations and boundaries. These will be the foundation upon which trust and respect will be built.” Sandi also offers a word of advice, starting with never giving up or hesitating. Mistakes are a part of growing and learning with the kids. “There is no perfect family, no perfect home, no perfect parent,” Sandi says. Though you have mistakes, thousands of do-overs will uncover small stones that create solid foundations for these children to look back on and use to become all they can be as time passes. Sandi continues, “To be able to show them that there is so much more you can trust in people, how to problem solve through situations they come to, and that they can control choices made, so they

Feature

can become the best them possible.” The Healing Process in the Hills Working in the system for nearly ten years, Chelsie Ogaard has supervised foster care programs at the Children’s Home Society of South Dakota for the last three years and says she loves the opportunity to aid in the healing process for children with traumatic experiences. “I love that I get to lead a team of wonderful, caring, compassionate, and competent people who are just as passionate about children and families as I am!” The Black Hills program is small, and it only serves children and youth referred for therapeutic-level care. Therapeutic foster care programs offer a safe haven for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, and often the loss of their family, but children in the foster program are often identified with more needs and require

The hardest part of foster

skilled support.

care is having to love the kids

The last data published by the state suggested

in our care like they will be

there were more than 400 children in foster care in Pennington County alone; the majority were

with us forever while guard-

between the ages of zero and eleven. “Because

ing our hearts like we could

select families that are able to provide loving care

lose them tomorrow.

the work is critically important, we carefully to children with significant needs.” “While our intent can be to maintain children in their families whenever possible, there will always

Feature

be instances where the child’s safety cannot be maintained in that setting,” Chelsie advocates. “For those children, we need safe, loving homes with families that can help the child heal while their birth family receives support to stabilize, though the overall goal of foster care is to reunify families successfully and safely.” The Black Hills region is also part of a collaboration titled “Why Not You? Foster Care and Adoption Awareness.” The group focuses on getting potential parents’ questions answered. As a one-stop shop, those interested in foster care can follow the group on Facebook and read about the five steps to becoming a licensed foster or adoptive parent. Simply put, the steps include the initial contact, scheduling a conversation, choosing an agency, training, and making an impact. Step four takes the longest, approximately four to eight months for training. There are never enough licensed foster families to provide homes for children in need. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about how you can help, contact Chelsie directly at Chelsie.Ogaard@CHSSD.org or 605-343-2811. BHW

Feature

Kristi Woolsey By Kayla Gahagan

Kristi Woolsey’s life took a clear turn the night she stood in a dimly lit parking lot and stretched out her arms to an infant. “The Department of Social Services called and said they had two little boys nobody could take,” says Kristi, who had struggled with infertility and considered foster care alongside husband Damen. “We said yes immediately.” The couple was granted an emergency license over the weekend and met a social services case worker and the mother of the baby Sunday evening.

The Girl Gives Back

“The mother was crying and just in a really tough situation,” Kristi recalls. “She was struggling and addicted and asked me to please take care of him.” And that they did, taking in his 3-year-old brother the following week and quickly learning how to parent for the first time. “We quickly fell in love,” she says. That first experience shaped her heart for the work she does now as the communications director for South Dakota Kids Belong, the state chapter of America’s Kids Belong. Her husband serves as the executive director of the organization, which has headquarters in Belle Fourche. The

organization

mobilizes

government,

churches,

and

businesses to help recruit more foster and adoptive families, provide them support, and help youth who have aged-out without a family reach their full potential. There are currently 1700 kids in foster care in South Dakota, some of them lingering in the system with no long-term family. “Every year, we have 70-80 kids that have no one and age-out of the system,” she says. Two thirds of the young women get pregnant by the age of 21, and all of them are at high risk of becoming homeless, contacting their biological parents and ending up in unhealthy situations, or being trafficked.

The Girl Gives Back

“They are so vulnerable,” she says. One of the most effective ways to connect kids with adoptive families is to capture their stories through interviews and video. The I Belong Project is a partnership between South Dakota’s Department of Social Services and America’s Kids Belong and is used as a recruitment tool for foster children who are legally-free for adoption and waiting. “It’s really a powerful thing,” Kristi says, regarding the kids get on camera and share their story and their hope for a home. “It helps people realize they’re real kids and not a number.” Kristi understands the hesitation for some people to foster— it can be heartbreaking. She knows firsthand. “It is hard and it breaks your heart, but the reason we have to fight through that feeling is that these kids need people who are willing to have their heart broken,” she says. “The kids have already been through pain.” When Kristi and her husband took home those first

The Girl Gives Back

two boys, her husband bonded with the 3-year-old boy and Kristi said they came to a realization— they could love children who were not biologically their own. They also knew the father of the boys hoped to raise them and they maintained visits with him after he was released from jail. “He wanted them back, and we started having him over to our house,” she says. “He was trying to do what’s right. We became friends with him.” Eventually both of the boys ended up back with their father, and it was the right thing, Kristi says, but no less painful to let go. “It was still devastating and a huge loss. We got them all set up, and they were doing well. But it was the hardest thing I have ever been through.” she adds. And yet, it shaped her perspective of biological parents. “We had this special connection because we all loved this baby,” she says. “Sometimes people think the biological parents are evil. But most of the time, they are addicted to something that isn’t healthy. They are desperate for love themselves. Many of them were in foster care as children. I’ve learned to really have compassion and advocate for these families. Sometimes if they have someone to lean on, someone who

The Girl Gives Back

cares, they blossom.” Kristi and her husband now have a son and daughter and are in the middle of adopting a third child from South Africa. She is convinced her first experience with fostering has come full circle in a divine appointment. “It’s about Romans 8:28,” she says, which says God works all things out for good for those who love Him. “He took a really tough situation that broke me in two and brought it all the way around. I did get angry with God, but if I had shut Him out, He would have used somebody else. I’m really understanding more how to just listen to God.” Even if someone is not ready to foster, there is something every person can do, Kristi says. Starting this month, businesses can get involved by joining an initiative called Foster Friendly. Local businesses can offer discounts and support for foster families. The bottom line is getting the word out, Kristi says. “People just don’t know about the need,” she says. “What we really want is more families waiting and fewer kids waiting for a home.” BHW

The Girl Gives Back

Mother’s Day

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SHAWN SCHILLING STEEL ARTIST By Danielle Beadle

Area Artist

Spending most of her days as a child drawing, Shawn

Schilling’s creative journey started at the early age of three years old. “I would draw several hours a day, trying to recreate my vision of God’s beauty all around me,” Shawn says. Growing up in Custer, South Dakota, she spent a lot of time with her dad in his shop. Together they would make different steel things that they needed or that needed repair. “My father taught me a great deal of the technical aspects of working with the steel,” she says. Through spending time with her father in the shop, she found a love for steelwork. With her creative mind and interest in steelwork, she started constructing steel into art— sellable art. “Once I dreamt up the art, we had a lot of trial and error to get it to sellable form,” Shawn says laughing. Besides metal, they use minerals in a proprietary process causing them to react when heated. Shawn then uses automotive paint to bring the steel to life. Shawn’s art is complex, using steel to create threedimensional realistic scenes, oftentimes inspired by nature. These pieces are designed to be hung on the wall, using the wall as the background for the piece. A lot of her designs come from her imagination; however, she will also do commissioned pieces that are custom-made to her customers’ desire. “Anything you can image; I will try to recreate in a Steel Reflections scene,” says Shawn.

Area Artist

Shawn has many cherished pieces, but one in particular she loves. “One of my favorites is a scene of the George Washington Bridge with the Manhattan skyline in the background. It was a custom order for a customer whose husband missed New York City,” she explains. A note for the aspiring artists from Shawn: “Being an artist is a labor of love. Be ready and happy to work at it every day. Learn to love the daily friend of doing the work.”

“ My

breath

hangs

frozen caught unaware You can see her art at www.steelreflectionsart.com, YouTube, or her online booth at

by the soft streams

www.eventeny.com/company/steelreflectionsart/ BHW

light

lazily

drifting

down

gnarled

through

silhouettes

of branches changing carelessly A

overhead.

thousand

worlds

gleam distant lights against a blue black s k y.

Crisp

night

descends

yet

air nips

playfully at my spirit. Joy flows hot, pulsing in

itch

veins to

hold

moment fear

fingers this

c l o s e r.

hides

here,

this darkness rather curiosity lies

for

its

what velvet

recesses.

Shadows

upon

shadows

coverings

only

till

d a w n’ s b r e a k i n g . ”

-Shawn Schilling 36

Area Artist

By Dorothy Rosby

Humor

Moms, if you feel like using guilt as a parenting tool, I’ve got just the thing. Put your hand to your heart, sniffle, and say the following sadly: “A woman named Anna Jarvis was so devoted to her mom that she actually proposed a national holiday for mothers in 1908. And you can’t even put your dishes in the dishwasher for me.” We do have Anna Jarvis to thank for Mother’s Day—well, her and the retailers who assumed rightly that there would be profit in it. Then, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson approved a resolution, making the second Sunday in May a holiday in honor of what he called “that tender, gentle army, the mothers of America.” As a soldier in the tender, gentle army, I am grateful. Father’s Day was also the brainchild of a daughter, so fathers can use guilt just as effectively. In other words, not very. But it was thanks to Sonora Smart Dodd that Washington State celebrated the nation’s first Father’s Day in 1910. Unfortunately, it wasn’t met with the same enthusiasm as Mother’s Day had been. Apparently, one florist claimed that dads don’t have the same “sentimental appeal” that mothers have. I think that’s florist speak for “no one will buy flowers for Dad.”

Humor

Fathers didn’t help their cause either. One historian wrote that many men scoffed at what they saw as an attempt to “domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving…” Many also derided Father’s Day as a gimmick to sell gift items they’d probably be paying for themselves. It wasn’t until 1972, in the middle of his re-election campaign, that Richard Nixon signed a proclamation, making Father’s Day a federal holiday. Maybe he was courting the dad vote. At any rate, that was 58 years after Mother’s Day became official, and Father’s Day has been playing catch up ever since. There’s one measurement that shows just how far it has to go: spending. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans were expected to spend 9 billion dollars more on Mother’s Day gifts than they did on Father’s Day gifts in 2019, the most recent report I could find. Maybe that’s because Mother’s Day comes first. When you spend 26 billion dollars in May, you’re bound to be short on cash come June.

Humor

But after a great deal of research, I’ve decided there’s another reason spending on Father’s Day gifts lags behind Mother’s Day: Father’s Day gifts are— how can I say this diplomatically?— too dumb to buy. At least the ones I can afford are. Many of the things my husband likes would require him to cosign a loan and that would take the surprise out of gift giving. So I went to the internet to research gifts that don’t need a cosigner. I was worried my husband would walk in, see my computer screen, and think I was buying him a leather beer holster or a toilet bowl mug. Those are the kinds of gifts that are out there for dads. Cuff-links are also touted as great gifts for fathers. You can get cuff-links that look like tiny circuit boards, Rubik’s Cubes, gear shifters, and brass 40 caliber bullet casings. I can’t remember the last time my husband wore a shirt that required cuff-links but if he ever does, I just can’t see him accessorizing with bullet casings.

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Grilling equipment is another common dad gift and my husband does enjoy grilling, mainly because it involves fire. But I feel like giving him a grill cleaning brush for Father’s Day is a bit like giving me a frying pan for Mother’s Day. You also find plenty of alcohol and alcohol accessories when you go searching for gifts for fathers— monogrammed whiskey glasses, beer making kits, cocktail kits for businesses travel, and even Scotch-infused toothpicks. Retailers must think we’re all driving Dad to drink. The cliché of a Dad’s Day gift is, of course, the necktie and there are many to choose from. I found a tie that looks like an eye chart, which would be great for a father who’s an optometrist. Another looked like piano keys, which would work for a musician. And I found one covered with lipstick kisses. I’m not sure what kind of dad that would be good for. When my husband was an elementary school principal, he had a closet full of goofy ties he wore especially for

Humor

his students. But I think even he would draw the line at a necktie that looks like a giant strip of raw bacon. And bacon is big in Father’s Day gift giving. There are bacon-scented candles, soap, and even shaving cream, all of which you can wrap in bacon-scented wrapping paper. I’m not making that up. Mom gets flowers or jewelry. Dad gets bacon he can’t even eat. BHW (Dorothy Rosby’s husband is getting real bacon for Father’s Day.)

Humor

Not Your Grandma’s Wallpaper By Danielle Beadle

Home & Garden

It seems like just yesterday we were ripping out wallpaper while questioning why anyone would ever put it there in the first place. We spent countless hours tearing off strips of tacky floral print and putting a fresh coat of paint in its place. Now here we are, a decade later, spicing up our living space with none other than… wallpaper. You heard me! Wallpaper is back & it’s here to stay. As scary as that sounds, I’m not talking about your grandma’s wallpaper. I’m talking about funky textured paper that warms up a room and big bold prints that add a “wow” factor. Wallpaper doesn’t have to be scary; instead, it can be the perfect accent to your room.

Home & Garden

Accent Wallpaper doesn’t need to cover every wall in your room. Covering just a few select walls with paper allows for the perfect accent for your space. By doing only some of the walls, you avoid the gaudy look that wallpaper has been known for in the past. Texture If you don’t want to commit to a bunch of color and pattern, textured wallpaper might be the perfect option for your space. Textured wallpaper adds depth and interest to your space, which is something regular paint can’t do. An added bonus of textured wallpaper is that it hides rough spots, cracks, and other defects your walls may have.

Home & Garden

Durability If you find yourself constantly having to touch up your paint in high traffic areas, a bold print could be a great alternative. Wallpaper is super durable and will hold up to wear and tear of children. Some wallpaper is even scrubbable. Budget Friendly When looking to transform your space, wallpaper is a great choice. By papering just one wall, your whole space will completely transform without having to pay a pretty penny. Wallpaper isn’t for everyone; however, don’t overlook it when you are considering options to revamp your space. Remember, it isn’t the same paper that your grandma had in her living room in the ‘70s. BHW

Home & Garden

2021 VISION A PERSONAL VIEW OF LASIK EYE SURGERY BY TRACY BERNARD

Walking into the LASIK diagnostic suite at Black Hills Regional Eye Institute is a bit like being in a movie where an ordinary citizen has been chosen by the NSA to infiltrate the enemy but first she must calibrate all her skill sets to make a super-secret agent. Or as in my case, just a girl looking for 20/20 vision. Several machines line the corridor, prepared to take measurements like pressure and curvature, even lens thickness. “Blink several times; now hold,” the technician says, repeatedly taking photographs of the inside of my eye as I stare at a glowing red sphere within the various machines. Having been aware of LASIK for decades, it is strange that I never really considered it until recently. My curiosity initially piqued when I read a friend’s social media post asking others about their experiences. The comments were overwhelmingly positive with responses like “LASIK changed my life” and “best thing I’ve ever done.”

Health & Fitness

The second thing that triggered my interest was the new development of a fun little condition called presbyopia. Basically, as we age, our eyes lose the ability to focus well, which is why so many people over the age of 40 begin to need reading glasses. I was finding myself, while wearing my glasses, needing to remove them to read fine print or text on my phone. I would later find out during my diagnostic appointment that my nearsightedness was actually “hiding” my presbyopia. Therefore, fixing my vision so I could see far without glasses would make it harder for me to see up close, a common dilemma for those who are nearsighted and are considering LASIK after 40. They have a solution for that. At the end of my diagnostic appointment, I met with Dr. Schirber, who explained my results. My eyes were healthy, and my corneas were thick enough for the procedure. He explained the various approaches available to me. We could fix the vision of both eyes, fix the vision of my dominant eye (called monovision), or choose another form of laser correction called PRK for those whose corneas are not thick enough for the iLASIK procedure. While all three were an option for me, after discussing my case in depth, Dr. Schirber advised monovision. “It is less invasive, which is always better, and if you can’t get used to it, we can always fix the other eye,” he explained. Monovision will allow me to have one eye that will see well far and one eye that will see well near. With monovision, the brain plays a role. After about three months, my brain will learn to use the best eye for the task at hand, making me less consciously aware that there is a difference between the vision of the two eyes. I was sent home that day with one contact lens so that I could experience what monovision would be like in daily life.

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A few days prior to my surgery, I was to stop wearing contact lenses and begin using two prescribed eye drops, which would continue for one week after my procedure. They also prescribed a low dose sedative to take about an hour before LASIK to calm any anxiety. The day of my surgery arrived and, having fastidiously followed all my instructions, I arrived in comfortable clothes, with my mask and Valium, ready to roll. They did some double checks on my vision to make sure nothing had changed, and then I was told to take the Valium. “I didn’t know Valium increases gravity,” I said giggling, standing up for the first time after they called me back thirty minutes later. I briefly met Dr. Khachikian, who would be doing my procedure. He reiterated some of the details explained to me earlier so that I fully knew what to expect. The LASIK procedure took approximately 10-15 minutes, but the actual laser time was only 15-60 seconds.

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Because my cornea was numbed with eye drop anesthesia, I felt no pain. I was advised that I may feel a little pressure and smell some burning. I did notice both of those things, but because I was prepared, it did not alarm me in the slightest. The

whole

thing

was

impressively

choreographed

and surprisingly fast, which allowed me to go home immediately after the procedure. They forewarned me that there would be discomfort after the procedure, but because the cornea heals very quickly, it would only last a few hours. All of this proved to be true, and even though I found it difficult to keep my eye open in those few hours, I could already tell that my vision was perfect. At my follow-up appointment the next morning and then again one month later, Dr. Schirber said my eyes looked Dr. Schriber assessing my vision needs.

good and tested my vision; with both eyes together, I see slightly better than 20/20. It has now been a little over a month and I only have one regret: that I did not have the foresight to correct my vision sooner. BHW DISCLOSURE While Black Hills Regional Eye Institute is a paid advertiser, my vision and my credibility with readers is of the highest importance to me. My experience is truthful and unique to me. Problems and complications are possible with any medical procedure, and if I had experienced any, I would have included it. Thankfully, I had a very positive outcome.

Dr Khachikian performing the procedure. 52

Health & Fitness

Look Years Younger By Kimberly Blaker

Regardless of how gracefully we want to handle aging, we often find ourselves making heroic efforts to stave it off, starting in early adulthood. The proof is in that women of all ages (even in their 20s) are spending small fortunes on Botox injections, fillers, and plastic surgery. Also, many who don’t go to such drastic measures still spend hundreds of dollars a year on anti-aging lotions and potions. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily have to undergo risky and costly injections and surgery or resort to ineffective concoctions to enjoy a more youthful appearance.

Beauty

IT’S ALL IN THE APPLICATION Makeup techniques can go a long way toward fine-tuning your features to make you look younger. So give these a try.

The Eyes Have It To make your eyes look bigger, line the inside of your lower lid with a white or flesh-colored eyeliner. Then brighten up your eye area by dabbing pale pink, flesh, or oyster colored shadow to the inside corners of your eyes. Also, add a couple of more dabs just under your lower lashes, moving from the inner corner of your eye to the center. For your lashes, flare them. First, brush through your lashes as usual with mascara. Then sweep through them again and pull your outer lashes outward and inner lashes inward. Repeat these steps with your lower lashes.

Youthful Lips Full lips make you look younger. So invest in a quality, long-lasting lip liner, and line your top and bottom lip. For fuller lips, line just to the outside of your lip line.

A Flawless Complexion Foundation can do wonders to give you flawless, youthful-looking skin. But your skin type and age may dictate what type works best. On younger

Beauty

On mature skin, So opt for a sheer, very lightweight foundation or foundation can make skip it altogether. your lines more Avoid The Dry Look Unless you have very oily skin, skip the face powder because it noticeable. can make your skin look dry and any lines more noticeable. If you skin, sheer coverage is best. On mature skin,

foundation can make your lines more noticeable.

must use powder to control too much shine, apply it only to your oily areas. Also, look for a translucent, pure silica formulation and avoid mica or talc.

Add Some Color Use soft pink or bright coral blush to add color and brighten your face. Avoid bronze tones, which only serve to age your skin. Also, use cream rather than powder blush since powder makes your skin look dryer. Apply blush along the top of your cheekbones, forehead, and center of your chin. CLOTHING THAT COMPLEMENTS Your clothing can either add years or subtract them from your appearance. Consider the following tricks to make clothing work in your favor.

Out With the Black If you’re over 35, be careful about black above your waist. As you age, black draws attention to your fine lines. For tops and jackets, wear colors that complement you. Everyone looks great in particular colors. So play those up. This also goes for black-framed eyeglasses. Opt instead for metallics, bright colors, or lighter-colored frames.

Keep It Stylish, But Don’t Overdo It As you age, dressing trendy from head to toe is hard to pull off without drawing attention to your age. Instead, mix a pair of classic pants and shirt with a trendy sweater. Or add style to a pair of

Beauty

jeans and a classic top with a pair of fashionable boots (so long as they aren’t bulky). Another option is to choose pieces that are mostly classic but have a stylish flair.

Shapers Aren’t What They Used to Be That’s excellent news. At one time, many women wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the hideous shapewear that existed. But lingerie companies have finally gotten the message. You can find shapewear now that’s both sexy and more comfortable to wear. Shapewear can shave years off your appearance by creating a sleek look. HEALTH AND ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING Physical and emotional wellness goes a long way toward both looking and feeling younger. A positive outlook on life is beneficial to your physical health. In contrast, anger, stress, and depression increase your risk of disease. Negative emotions also reflect in your posture and face. So, make wellness a priority. Exercise is an essential part of physical and mental wellness and should be a part of your daily routine. A regimen of aerobic exercise for your heart and lungs and weight lifting for muscle tone and bone health will help you maintain your youth longer. As an added benefit, exercise also releases endorphins, which elevates your mood.

If you’re over 35, be careful about black above your waist.

Beauty

So remember, good health and a positive attitude have the most significant impact on maintaining a youthful appearance. With these, you’ll glow and emanate radiance. BHW