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CONTENTS |
MAY 2020 • VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 5
CONT HOME + LIVING
Page 14
12 THE OBSERVER
Focus on the Best Things
14 CHATEAU CHIC Quarantine Chic
20 OPEN FOR BUSINESS
FOOD + FUN
Page 24
MIND + BODY
Page 32
24 BAYOU FEVER SESSIONS
32 FEEDING THE BAYOU
28 BON APPETIT
36 WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE
Local musicians come together to create an album during quarantine.
Open Face Steak Sandwich
Dominique and Jay Schexnayder give back by feeding the frontline.
Thriving, Not Just Surviving
Teacup Travel Co. Faith Family Shrimp
May 2020 4 povhouma.com
ENTS EXTRAS
ON THE COVER
WORD, YA HEARD
SEDULOUS 1. involving or accomplished with careful perseverance 2. diligent in application or pursuit
WORD ON THE STREET “The sedulous student focused on his distance learning lessons still aiming to make the honor roll.” “The surgeon paid sedulous attention to the intricate details of his patient’s unique case.”
Page 42
06 EDITOR’S NOTE
Photo: Drew Miller
VISIT US ONLINE: povhouma.com
The Struggle is Real
08 INTERVUE Say What?
38 UNDER THE SCOPE
And Now For Something Incompletely Different
40 RENDEZVOUS Quarintine Escapes
42 LOOK TWICE
Sponsored by Synergy Bank
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What has been your “go to” quarantine snack?
PUBLISHER
Brian Rushing “Hummus”
EDITORIAL
Mary Downer Ditch EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Drew Miller ASSOCIATE EDITOR ADVERTISING
Deanne Ratliff DIRECTOR OF SALES Beth Tabor MARKETING CONSULTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Michelle Ortego “Chips & Salsa”
SUBSCRIPTIONS Point of Vue magazine is published monthly. Subscriptions are available for $36 for 12 issues. For more information, email mail@rushing-media.com or visit rushing-media.com/subscriptions.
CREATIVE
“Ice Cream!”
Lauren Pontiff GRAPHIC DESIGNER PHOTOGRAPHY
Misty Leigh McElroy Drew Miller CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jaime Dishman John Doucet Bonnie Rushing CONTACT
Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com Editorial: mary@rushing-media.com Creative: graphics@rushing-media.com Sales: sales@rushing-media.com
Copyright ©2020 Rushing Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of editorial and/or graphic content is strictly prohibited.
Business address: 6160 West Park Ave., Houma, LA 70364 985.868.7515
8167 Redfish St.
Point of Vue magazine cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material such as manuscripts or photographs, with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. The opinions expressed in Point of Vue magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Rushing Media, our employees or any of our advertisers. No employee or family member(s) of employees of Rushing Media are permitted to partake in any contests, giveaways or sweepstakes.
Chauvin, LA 70344
(985) 637-0896 May 2020 6 povhouma.com
EDITOR’S NOTE | MARY DOWNER DITCH • EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF POV
Specializing in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care
THE STRUGGLE IS REAL
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
It’s been a long six weeks, y’all.
good currently is greater than the bad. We have watched our caterpillars turn into butterflies. We have studied plants and how they grow. We have gone for nature walks and long bike rides. We play endless games of fetch with the dog. We went stargazing. We pitched a tent and made a campfire. We dug for fossils in the sandbox and in frozen ice glaciers.
While we are going to press with this issue on Friday of week 5 of the Stay at Home order, it is the end of week 6 for me and Jackson being at home. And we still have three more months of togetherness before he heads back to school in the fall. It’s been rough. Jackson is in PreK4. Our school has done an excellent job with distance learning, and providing assignments for us each week. But it’s getting increasingly hard for me to keep him interested in the lessons. We start off good! Then it’s just a fight to the finish, a true battle of wills – the nearly 40 year old mom versus the five year old, who apparently inherited my stubbornness. It’s like fighting with a miniature version of myself.
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I know the root of the issue. He wants mom’s full attention. We are home together, all day, every day. (John’s work is considered essential, so he is out of the house each day before the sun rises.) I go to work each day too, but I only travel to our dining room which has become my home office. Rushing Media owns The Times of Houma-Thibodaux as well. So I am also running the area’s only online newspaper from my home. The news never sleeps. There is always something to report, especially during these uncertain times. That’s hard for my child to understand. All he sees is mom at home with him, but not able to devote all my attention to him. And when I can take breaks, he has to do school work? I’m sure you can now see why it’s been a long six weeks! In the midst of the hard times though, there are good times. And we are blessed that the
I pray those are the things he remembers when this is all over, the good times over the trying times. The moments we spend together and the laughter we share. This issue was supposed to be the Summer Fun Issue. In light of where we are as a country right now, we decided to instead highlight two wonderful stories that would never have occurred without this pandemic. The first tells of a group of musicians, who instead of hanging their heads about being out of work, picked themselves up and came together to record music. Each recorded their own parts from home and the result is amazing. Learn about the Bayou Fever Sessions on page 24. Our second story shares the resilience of the region. Feeding the Bayou was born out of the want to give back to our frontline healthcare workers while also supporting the struggling restaurant industry. Dominique Schexnayder explains her new venture starting on page 32. We hope you are doing well and staying healthy through this pandemic. Please, remember to wash your hands and treat others with kindness. We will all get through this together. POV
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INTERVUE |
SAY WHAT?
Protect your world Auto • Home • Life • Retirement
What is your best memory of the 2020 Quarantine?
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LINDSAY “My favorite memory of the 2020 Quarantine was dressing up like a silly chicken, escorting the Easter Bunny throughout my neighborhood while bringing smiles and laughter to all of the kids and adults!”
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BREE “My favorite memory of quarantine 2020 is the quality time I’ve got to spend with my family, watching my husband teach our sons how to tend to the property. Just bonding without everyday life getting in the way.”
ANNIE
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“My favorite 2020 quarantine memories are all the moments spent outside in the beautiful weather (that’s been keeping me sane).”
May 2020 10 povhouma.com
HOME + LIVING
THE OBSERVER | 12 Focus on the Best Things
CHATEAU CHIC | 14 Quarantine Chic
OPEN FOR BUSINESS | 20 Teacup Travel Co. Faith Family Shrimp
May 2020 12 povhouma.com
A TRUE FAMILY DENTAL PRACTICE
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THE OBSERVER |
BY JAIME DISHMAN
FOCUS ON
THE BEST THINGS When it all started, my main thought was wishing it would stop. We spiraled from “there’s a virus in other countries” to “the virus is in our country” to “our country has the worst outbreak of cases.” Every day, the news piled on stories of more cases, more deaths, more precautions. My fingers hit the news app button on my phone as soon as my eyes opened for the day. I read stories and blogs and comments. I considered what this new world looked like for so many. My husband and I sat down with our children and explained that they’re living through history. Their kids and their grandkids will one day read about this in their history books and ask them about it. We sat at our nightly outdoor patio dinner (our new tradition during quarantine) and talked about people we knew affected by the coronavirus, talked about recent stories in the news about it, talked about how our state and our country was handling the pandemic. Then suddenly, days into quarantine, days into the uncertainty, days into feeling like maybe our world will never be the same, we realized our error. It was time to quit focusing on what we couldn’t control and focus on what we could. So we read way less news stories, and quit following every social media post with new suggestions, tips or random bits of information about the virus. We stayed informed and stayed safe, but changed our ways. We focused on our “best things.” Instead of rehashing news stories over dinner with our children, we said “what’s your favorite thing about this time?” Their answers surprised, delighted and shocked. They miss their friends, so when one of the teenage boys said he loves just being with us, we thought maybe we misheard. But he repeated it again, and we knew he meant it. Youngest daughter has discovered a love of gardening she didn’t possess before. I’ve gardened since way before the resurgence of “victory gardens.” She never cared. Now, I can’t keep her out of my plants or from giving me suggestions. We have shared crabs with neighbors. Usually, we would have kept them all and invited over friends and family. But with the “no gatherings” rule, our neighbors got crabs. And we made bonds. I’ve had friends drop off unexpected gifts on our front door.
May 2020 14 povhouma.com
“We were thinking about y’all,” they said as a way of explanation. Because when time slows and the world as you know it changes, you think and pray for those you can’t see. With no extracurricular activities, we now play our own family games in the driveway. Literally - we painted a pickleball court in permanent paint on our driveway, bought the net, the balls and racquets. In the absence of team sports, we created our own team.
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And that’s been the best of these worst of times. Our team is us. It always has been, but we got busy and forgot that the people in our homes are also our best of friends. They’re fun. They make me laugh. They beat me in pickleball. One teenage boy has learned guitar during the past few weeks and plays the two chords he knows while I’m in my garden. Hearing him play is better than any music I’ve ever heard.
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I love knowing they’re near. I love knowing these weeks that have turned into months have bonded and not broken us. When this is all over, may we all remember the best of these worst of times and bring it with us when the world returns to the normal we knew before. Because family dinners on the patio should be frequent. Games of pickleball and guitars being strummed are what I want - not more busy and more of what we had before. Even the worst of these times can still bring out the best in all of us. May this be our story that we write into history books read for generations to come.
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HOME + LIVING |
CHATEAU CHIC
QUARANTINE CHIC BY BONNIE RUSHING | PHOTOS BY MISTY LEIGH MCELROY
1
Chateau Chic is our longest running feature in Point of Vue magazine. For the last 14 years, we have always been able to bring you a gorgeous home or business. This month, the coronavirus threw us a curveball. Due to stay-at-home restrictions, it would not have been responsible for us to go into someone’s home to take images.
Instead, we are pleased to feature a few of our favorite rooms over the last couple years. Our staff was each assigned a particular room and selected their personal favorite. We hope you enjoy a look back at the fantastic style our homeowners have shared with you over the years! POV
May 2020 16 povhouma.com
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TEACUP TRAVEL CO. Owner: Jenna Boyd Specialty/type of business: Travel Agency Local Since: 2015 What's In Store: We are a full service travel agency specializing in Disney Destinations. We don’t just sell vacations, we like to say we sell “priceless memories” that will last a lifetime. Our team is made up of 12 ladies located across the US, with most of us having ties to Houma, LA. Our team of agents offer vacation packages, stand alone tickets, and customizable plans. The Difference: We take away the stress from planning a vacation by creating a customized itinerary to suit your family’s needs. We focus on the details throughout the booking process. From quoting, finding the best value, setting up dining reservations, fast-passes, air-fare, car service, we take care of it all. Whether you are wanting to visit the Hawaiian Islands, take a relaxing trip to the Caribbean, sail away on an Alaskan cruise, or visit any of the five flagship Disney Destinations, we are here to help. We serve our clients with the very best customer service while using our deep product knowledge to meet their vacation needs. The Latest: This is our five year business anniversary and third year being an “Authorized Disney Vacation Planner” agency, a designation we earned, and awarded to us by Disney. Looking ahead into 2021, we are ready to celebrate Walt Disney World in Florida’s 50th anniversary. Guests will want to get with us soon to be the first to book once packages come out. We also received a Top Tier Travel Agency award for years 2018 and 2019 for exceeding previous years sales goals set by Disney. Despite the current state of the travel industry, we look forward to earning one for 2020. Due to COVID-19, we are spending most days altering many guests’ plans and helping them modify their dates to later in the year, taking the stress away from having our guests sit on hold with airlines and tour operators. We are giving them something bright to look forward to once this is behind us. We look forward to helping you with your family’s vacation needs! POV
May 2020 22 povhouma.com
FAITH FAMILY SHRIMP Owner: Chad & Angela Portier Specialty/type of business: Wholesale/retail wild caught shrimp dock Local Since: 2015 What's In Store: Wild Caught American Shrimp The Difference: We are a family owned and operated company who has heart for both our suppliers and our customers. The Latest: Our May season may look a little different for 2020. We have never experienced a pandemic crisis in our time of business here at Faith Family or in our lifetime. We are praying and hoping our economy can bounce back quickly! We look forward to life getting back to normal and serving all our suppliers and customers at full capacity. POV
May 2020 23 povhouma.com
FOOD + FUN
BAYOU FEVER SESSIONS | 24
Local musicians come together to create an album during quarantine.
BON APPETIT | 28 Open Face Steak Sandwich
May 2020 24 povhouma.com
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BY DREW MILLER | PHOTOS SUBMITTED
When the coronavirus pandemic forced restaurants and bars to close and festivals to be canceled, local recording artist Ben Labat couldn’t help but think of his peers who make a living performing for live audiences. “This virus is putting a strain on so many different things. All of a sudden, the brakes got put on anybody who’s playing live,” he says. “For quite a few of my friends and fellow musicians, that’s their only source of income.” “Everybody wants to try to do their part to help somebody,” The Raceland native continues. “Well, I know music: I’ve been doing it for the better part of my life...So I reached out to a few guys I know who can sing or play an instrument at the professional level onto some recordings.” Thus, “The Bayou Fever Sessions” was formed, combining the talents of some local favorites to create some “quarantunes” for
everyone to enjoy. Local musicians Travis Thibodaux, Josh Garrett, Jeff McCarty, Seth Stogner, David Guidry Jr. and Steve Junot have contributed to the project so far, recording their vocals or instruments at their respective home studios and then sending them to Labat to piece together. “It’s a neat way to do things. It just might be, I don’t want to say the future of music, but it’ll certainly be a part of it,” Labat says. “You’re still going to be doing live performances; you’re still going to want to go to a recording studio. But it’s nice to know that we can do this if we have to.” The community supported the group in its infancy, Labat notes, with people donating nearly $2,000, allowing him to give each of the five full-time gigging musicians (Garrett, McCarty, Junot, Thibodaux and Stogner) $350 so far.
May 2020 26 povhouma.com
TRACTOR
“Everybody in here has been the front man in their own band at some point. We got some good voices, so if everybody sings, it can be pretty powerful.” “That’s just a super cool thing to do,” Garrett says. “He was able to pay us for that recording and there’s a product that comes out of it too. So that’s kind of a neat way to hold everybody up.” Junot also commended the efforts of Labat: “He’s raising all the money; he’s doing all the promotion. Basically, we’re just recording some tracks. To me, he’s doing all the dirty work, and I’m super grateful for that. That’s awesome on his part.” The collaboration was twofold, in a sense, as it also helped Labat complete some tracks he had previously written. “I had a bunch of songs: acoustic demos in various states of completion that I needed a spark
or something to push them forward,” he says. “Sometimes when you hit a song, you can knock it out in a day. But some of them kind of sit around for a little while, and you need that extra bit of inspiration to finish it and make it complete.” “I’m flattered that these guys, when I reached out to them, were like, ‘Hell yeah, Ben, we want to sing on those songs. Those are cool,’” Labat shares. “Everybody in here has been the front man in their own band at some point. We got some good voices, so if everybody sings, it can be pretty powerful.” He is also extending the invitation to other local musicians, Labat says, encouraging
May 2020 27 povhouma.com
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“These songs are inspirational, hopeful songs that kind of poke fun at the current situation...They’ve been sitting in song purgatory for a little while waiting for their moment -- and I think we’ve found their moment.” them to submit their recordings after receiving the raw files to possibly join the project. “It’s almost a way to rethink how music is created to some degree...It’s almost like a remix competition,” he says.
Thank you to our employees, Residents, community, and families!
To keep up with the group and learn how to donate or join, visit the The Bayou Fever Sessions Facebook page. Fans can also support the musicians by purchasing their custom T-shirts as well.
(985) 532-1011
At press time, the first singles from the project, “Tough Love” and “Bring on the
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Pain” have been released on all streaming platforms and iTunes. “Everybody that listened to it, loved it. Some people said they streamed it all day long, which is good,” Labat says about “Tough Love,” which he shares was written during quarantine. “I’m just glad people were able to what they donated for, allowing these musicians put their talents down on a recording.” The third scheduled release is “Born to Cross Lines”
May 2020 28 povhouma.com
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“These songs are inspirational, hopeful songs that kind of poke fun at the current situation,” Labst says. “A couple of the songs are written, recorded and released during this quarantine period. Some of the songs are a little bit older that just didn’t have a place in any one of my albums I’ve released before. They’ve been sitting in song purgatory for a little while waiting for their moment -- and I think we’ve found their moment.” POV
May 2020 29 povhouma.com
FOOD + FUN |
BON APPETIT
SUMMER SANDWICH
WITH STYLE The temperatures outside have warmed up and we are ready to spend long days playing in the backyard. There are some days we just don’t go back inside! We want simpler meals that are easy to fix and can be devoured on the back patio.
This sandwich recipe is open-faced, meaning you only use one piece of bread. If you are watching your carbs, no problem! Place the steak and toppings in a bowl for a “steak salad”!
OPEN FACE STEAK SANDWICH Directions 1. Heat a dry large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high.
Meanwhile, place onion in a small bowl; cover with cold water. Set aside. 2. Using a sharp knife, lightly score steak on both sides in a crosshatch pattern.
Season generously with salt and pepper, then rub all over with vegetable oil. Cook steak, turning once or twice to brown evenly, until medium-rare and lightly charred, 8−10 minutes. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest at least 15 minutes; reserve skillet. 3. Blend mustard and lemon juice in a blender to combine. With motor running,
stream in ½ cup olive oil, then gradually add Parmesan. Stream in 1 Tbsp. cold water and blend until dressing is smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Heat reserved skillet over medium. Drizzle cut sides of ciabatta with olive oil.
Working with 1 half at a time, cook, cut side down, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes each. 5. Place bread, cut side up, on a platter and drizzle with one-third of dressing.
Top with arugula; drain reserved onion and scatter over arugula. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with half of remaining dressing. Thinly slice steak and arrange over dressed arugula. Drizzle with remaining dressing, season with more salt, then cut sandwiches crosswise into pieces. May 2020 30 povhouma.com
MAKE THE
RIGHT
Ingredients
choice
• 1½ pounds flank steak • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced • ¼ cup whole grain mustard • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • ½ cup olive oil, plus more for bread • 1½ ounces Parmesan, finely grated • 1 ciabatta loaf, halved lengthwise • 6 cups mature arugula leaves with tender stems
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MIND + BODY
FEEDING THE BAYOU | 32
Dominique and Jay Schexnayder give back by feeding the frontline.
WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE | 36 Thriving, Not Just Surviving
May 2020 32 povhouma.com
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BY MARY DITCH AND DREW MILLER | PHOTOS BY DREW MILLER “The bayou revolves around family, food and ‘letting the good times roll.’ But now life as we know it has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
goal may be something different. Regardless of what it is, we will always do what we can to help anyone in our community in need. We want to make a difference.”
Those words ring true for so many in the Bayou Region. Those words are also, in part, the mission statement of Feeding the Bayou, an initiative to give back to the frontline workers who are risking their lives for us — while supporting the local restaurants of our community.
The “Feeding the Bayou” program officially began on April 7.
Feeding the Bayou is a non-profit corporation with Jay and Dominique Schexnayder, owners of Dominique’s Bistro in Houma, as its officers. “As restaurant owners, we know how important the hospitality industry is to our area,” shares Dominique. “For now, our goal is focused on helping local restaurants stay a float. Our next
“I was reading about other cities in the country, including New Orleans, that were collecting donations and using the funds to buy food from local restaurants and donate it to the hospitals,” Dominique says. “I loved this idea: putting money back into our industry and getting the same result, a smile on the face of our local heroes out on the front line.” Currently, the group has partnered with Moe’s Southwest Grill, The Shack, 531 Liberty, Griffin’s, Firehouse Subs, Watergrill, C’est Bon Cafe, Dominique’s Bistro, Michele’s Catering and Jimmy Johns, but Dominique says she is reaching out to other
May 2020 34 povhouma.com
Signature Smiles “I loved this idea: putting money back into our industry and getting the same result, a smile on the face of our local heroes out on the front line.”
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local food establishments as the initiative continues to progress. In the program, food is ordered from a different participating restaurant each day to feed a different department in a local hospital. Leonard J Chabert Medical Center, Terrebonne General Medical Center and Thibodaux Regional Health System have received meals so far. They have also contacted nursing homes, Acadian Ambulance and local urgent cares to begin feeding them as well. One hundred percent of all monetary donations received by Feeding the Bayou will go toward providing food for local medical staff. As of press week, $8,900 has been donated to
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Feeding the Bayou. With those donations, 785 meals have been donated to hospitals and $7,688.21 has been spent at local restaurants. “If there is anyone else who would like to help or could use our help, I hope they reach out,” Dominique adds. “We are all in this together.” The program has recently been recognized by the Bayou Community Foundation for their efforts. The Bayou Community Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to the Al Copeland Foundation’s program “Be a hero, Thank a Hero.” Feeding the Bayou has partnered with both foundations to reach more local heroes. “This is an incredible honor!” Dominique says. “With this grant, we will be able to feed more front line workers while giving even more money to our local restaurants.” Behind every great effort is always a fantastic support team.
“Jay has been the most supportive,” shares Dominique of her business partner and husband. “He helped me take my vision and idea and run with it! A few others have helped get Feeding the Bayou off the ground, as well. Amanda Fidler donated her amazing talents and created us a logo, webpage and entire brand. Nick Hebert has donated his time to making all of our deliveries. And our community has donated more money than I ever imagined.” And while the program was founded out of necessity, Dominique has big dreams for the future. “I want Feeding the Bayou to go beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, the pandemic is the reason I decided to start Feeding the Bayou, but why would I stop there,” says Dominique. “There will always be a need for food or help within our community. Feeding the Bayou will hopefully continue to play a vital role in our charitable community long after the pandemic is over.” POV
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Headache & GRAY • NEW IBERIA
www.answertopain.com May 2020 37 povhouma.com
Jimmy N. Ponder, Jr., M.D.
985.580.1200
WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE |
BY THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM
THRIVING, NOT JUST SURVIVING Setting and achieving small goals right now can also help one feel productive and useful. Make a list of some of the things you’ve put off doing at home, such as re-arranging a closet or cleaning out the toys your children have outgrown. These tasks can be done solo or with others living in your home. Perhaps it Symptoms of stress include worrying about your health and the will help your children have a sense of purpose to decide which health of your loved ones; changes in sleep or eating patterns; toys they can part with so that less fortunate little ones have difficulty sleeping or concentrating; worsening of chronic health something new to play with. problems and increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. When it comes to your physical health, don’t forget to take Taking care of friends and family can help you cope with stress. care of your body. Right now, while everyone is sitting home all However, with social distancing, that’s harder to do right now day every day for the most part, it can be easy to slip into bad in the traditional ways. Think about using video conferencing habits. To keep your body strong, make sure you’re eating wellor FaceTime to see your loved ones. Make a goal to connect balanced meals and avoiding the overuse of alcohol. with someone through technology every day, especially if you live alone. If you have family members or friends who live by Try to keep your same routine when it comes to rest: get up themselves, set up a call chain amongst your loved ones so that and go to sleep at normal times. Your body repairs itself during REM and Deep Sleep stages, much more so than during light someone checks in on that person each day. sleep. The best way to get your body into those restorative sleep Thibodaux Regional experts also say it is crucial to take care of cycles is to keep on a schedule, otherwise your body may skip or one’s self right now, mentally and physically. While knowledge shorten those all-important stages. is power, it is very easy to consume too much media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find a balance between keeping up Finally, exercise is crucial right now. Get outside for a walk, with the latest news and warnings, while also taking care not stretch, meditate or go for a bike ride. Thibodaux Regional’s to ingest a never-ending diet of coronavirus news. Take breaks Fitness Center is closed due to safety precautions, but we’re from watching, reading or listening to the coverage, including still with you online! social media posts. Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic can be stressful for you and your family, but there are measures you can take to help make this time easier. Thibodaux Regional Health System is here to help you navigate these times.
Visit www.fitnesscenterofthibodauxregional.com/services/group-exercise to enjoy one of our group classes.
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FUN FACTS THINGS WE BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW
WELCOMING 2020 MEDICARE PART D RECIPIENTS Update your new insurance card information on your next visit.
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UNDER THE SCOPE |
BY JOHN DOUCET
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING
INCOMPLETELY DIFFERENT Although I haven’t been very fond of them over these past few months, I have always been fascinated by viruses. The day my sister brought home her college textbook with pictures of these colorful, ornate microscopic particles—some with jewel-shaped capsules inside them and then with genetic stuff inside that—I became the nerd-child incarnate. When I learned that those jewelry pictures were only artist renderings and saw that photos from under the microscope showed the real things messy and imperfect, they became only slightly less appealing. But it’s when I saw the photo of a large group of them tear open and burst out of a cell that I became concerned. Why would they do that? Why would they hurt a perfectly good cell like that? It would be the next pages in the textbook that gave me answers: (1) Viruses are infectious. (2) They cause diseases, sometimes disfiguring and crippling. (3) They can infect me. (4) I would need to get shots with needles. None of these answers were what the nerd-child wanted to hear. But that was many years ago. Nowadays we recognize that viruses are everywhere in air and ocean and animals and plants and are incredibly numerous. There are literally millions in every square inch of upper atmosphere and in each drop of surface seawater. They far outnumber all living things. Some are important for killing bacteria, some for regulating environmental cycles, and others for stabilizing weather. The good news is that of the unfathomably large number of them, relatively few infect humans. Even among those that infect other organisms, only a few of those are known to jump species to humans. And among those that infect humans, not all cause diseases. This is a trained nerd-man talking. All of us have had previous relationships with viruses, and most of these came during our childhoods—even if we were too young to remember. Take, for instance, chickenpox. Though I don’t remember having it, I remember being told that I passed it to my little brother. And I felt guilty about that, even though I had no intention of doing so and even though Mom and Maw-Maw said that passing la picote to him was “good for his blood.” Maybe so. But with gratter and croûtes, it certainly didn’t seem “good for his skin.” I grew up in the days before the MMR vaccine, and, like many kids of the day, I contracted M, M, and R. I remember coming home from elementary school one day with a kind of head- and neck ache. Mom looked at me and said “Oh, you have la jaube! Go put your pajamas on and get to bed!” In the bedroom, I looked in the mirror and found the right side of my jaw swollen like a balloon. I spent the next week or two laying horizontal in bed because little boys with mumps should never stand up and walk around. Being still and quiet was the worst
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HELLO symptom of the disease. That and being served Campbell’s Chicken and Noodle Soup three times a day. Looking at my old vaccination records, I apparently had measles in early childhood. I never had the “Fifth Disease,” but during other viral illnesses I did hear some songs by the “Fifth Dimension” play from my sister’s phonograph. One of these, “Let the Sunshine In,” was particularly ironic due to light sensitivity as a common symptom. I was in grade school when a German measles epidemic broke out in the U.S., and nurses would be coming to school to deliver shots to all the kids. However, rumor grew that the needle was large and the shot was painful, and so I chickened-out and somehow avoided school during vaccination day. This was a stupid, pre-nerd-boy move on my part, especially because I also believed I would inevitably catch German measles because my mom’s side of the family has German ancestors. I spent another week or so in bed with Campbell’s Soup—this time with no lights and with dark curtains closed all day. Each time I drive south along Bayou Lafourche, I pass the old public health unit where I received my major childhood vaccinations. The building probably still smells strongly of earlyformula Lysol. I remember being relieved when my last polio booster was from a sugar cube and not from a hypodermic needle. I remember receiving the circle of 15 tiny punctures on my upper left arm that delivered smallpox vaccine. Yes, that makes me a member of the Round Scar Generation, which helped render smallpox the only human disease to be eradicated worldwide.
1309 st. patrick st. 446-6256 • Thibodaux 868-4421 • Houma
And I will bear whatever scar necessary to help eradicate this new one. POV
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RENDEZVOUS |
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QUARINTINE ESCAPES
Each May, we typically present our Summer Fun Issue. In light of the Stay at Home order, we don’t know at this time what will be open. But we DO know you can still have fun at your home! Here are a few ways to “escape” while not leaving your home. All you need is a good imagination!
Movie Marathon
This one is not for the weak! Pick a movie series that is at least a trilogy – Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jason Bourne films, the Marvel Universe – whatever you and your family will all enjoy. Settle in with pillows, blankets, snacks and please, turn off your cell phones in the theater.
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Serene Spa
The stress of our current situation has all of us longing for a spa day! Relax in your own home by lowering the lights and playing some soothing music. Try a new face mask or a deep conditioner. Maybe even let one of your loved ones paint your nails! (Ok, that might cause more stress!)
You don’t need to reserve an actual water slide for this one! Just think of ways to get wet and have fun! Get out the Super Soakers, let loose with the hose pipe, or fill up water balloons – put on your swimsuits and get ready to challenge one another!
Tour a Museum
Backyard Campout
For Questions, Inquiries and Orders Contact:
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Set up camp right in your own backyard or even your living room! Pitch a tent or make one out of blankets indoors. If you are outside, light a fire in the firepit and roast marshmallows. If you’re inside, set a lantern in the middle of your campsite and read stories!
In this world of technology, we are able to take a virtual tour of some of the world’s most popular museums right from our home. Museum curators have created series and specials that allow you to “walk” through the museum with your own private and very knowledgeable tour guide! Check out The Louvre, the Vatican Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and many, many more!
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LOOK TWICE |
WIN A $50
COURTESY OF SYNERGY BANK
GIFT CARD
Find the six differences in this photo from our feature on page 14. Drop off your answers along with your name and daytime contact number at the PoV office, 6160 W. Park Ave., Houma. Stuck at the office? Email it to us at looktwice@povhouma.com. A winner will be picked by random drawing May 18. The winner will receive a $50 Visa® gift card courtesy of Synergy Bank.
Congratulations to Carolyn C. Kern for winning last month’s contest.
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ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CONTEST 1 Added dog 2 Removed mirror from the wall 3 Recolored man’s hat 4 Recolored cup on the table 5 Recolored cord 6 Part of guitar is missing
HOP INTO A JEEP THIS SPRING
6161 WEST PARK AVE., HOUMA, LA | 876-1817
www.southlanddodgechryslerjeep.com May 2020 povhouma.com 45
May 2020 46 povhouma.com