Charleston Woman Magazine

TM

CELEBRATING, MOTIVATING, AND EDUCATING Real WOMEN

VOL 2, NO 4COMPLIMENTARY

GOOSE CREEK | HANAHAN | MONCKS CORNER | MOUNT PLEASANT | NORTH CHARLESTON | SUMMERVILLE | WEST ASHLEY

THE MAN Behind THE SCRUBSDr. James Martin

SURVIVING and THRIVING Cherie Nettles shares her inspirational journey

RUNNING for a CURE Meet Brett Welborn, a father who will do anything to raise awareness for a cure for his daughter Caroline

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEFLori Samples Duncan

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MEDIA REPRESENTATIVELauri Truesdale

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERSLori Samples Duncan

Beth McCraryDr. Drew McPhail

Ashley W. RichardsonElaine Samples

COVER PHOTOTammy Bevins Photography

DESIGN Melissa W. Morris

PHOTOGRAPHYClark Berry Photography

Tammy Bevins Photography

10 The Point Is: Helping Women of the Lowcountry

Celebrating the Survivor in You!12 Surviving and Thriving: Meet Cherie Nettles

Health & Wellness14 Dr. James Martin: The Man Behind the Scrubs

16 Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue

18 Sudden Poor Posture in Your Teenager? The underlying cause may be more than you think.

19 Meet Suzy Kuppens Home Care Plus

20 When Should You Visit a Vein Specialist?

Professional23 Dream a Little Dream — Hummingbird Bakery Café

24 Women Must Plan (Extra) Carefully for Retirement

Business & Web Directory27 Contact our Advertisers

Personal Note28 Living in the Moment

Charleston Woman MagazineWoman 2 Woman Publishing

(803) 785-4475 602 Northwood RoadLexington, SC 29072

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However, the publisher cannot assume respon-sibility for errors or omissions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. © 2012

In this Issue

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From the Editor 2 Happy Holidays!

Events 3 What’s Happening?

Let’s Talk 5 Serving Others — Meet Dr. Jennifer Beatty

6 Running for a Cure

9 Regain Some of Your Youthfulness: Just in Time for the Holidays!

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� Celebrating, Motivating and Educating Real Women

t’s the most wonderful time of the year, and I believe that is true. As a child, Christmas was my favorite time of year, and

when I became a mother, something magical happened again. It’s what the spirit of Christmas does for people, drawing them closer and bringing out their benevolence.

I remember as a child, my dad was so excited about Christmas that he could never wait until the big day, always dropping little hints. He would say things like, “Lori, if Santa brings you a TV, where are you going to put it?” or “ You better clean off your dresser to make room for a new TV.” He loved it. From the minute Mama started shopping, he was like a little boy. As a family, we traveled to the “Magical Night of Lights” in Georgia, stopping for one last bag of boiled peanuts. He ate a whole bag of boiled peanuts!!! My son, Colton sat on his lap and “ooooohed” and “ahhhhhhhed” at the lights. He gave us a last gift. He gave us a gift of his time. He left us with a magical Christmas memory.

Mama loves Christmas, too, and even though our family was not a wealthy one, she always found a way to help someone else. She baked cakes for neighboring families or for the little old ladies at church who had no family with them at Christmas time. Even today, she overseas a benevolence program at her home church that will provide Christmas gifts for over thirty-five children this holiday season. She remains a stellar example of generosity.

Dr. Martin is featured on our cover, and we want you to meet the man behind the scrubs. He helps to assist the women of Charleston with the miracle of birth, and he is a community leader and a kind soul. I enjoyed spending an hour chatting with him.

Every issue of Charleston Woman Magazine has a survivor story, and this issue is no different. Ms. Cherie Nettles is surviving and thriving, a Christian comedian, and the mother of two college students — this lady is a lot of fun. She talks about how facing a life threatening disease made her more determined than ever to laugh! All of our sur-vivors inspire me to want to live my best life, to make a difference in the world around me, and to give back, even in the small things. Pay it forward, as my good friend, Pau-

lette Criscione says. No task is too big or small when it brings a smile to someone’s face or a lift to their spirit.

This issue is once again filled with wonderful people in the community who are each making a contribution to this wonderful place. I petition you to tell them where you saw them, and if you enjoyed this issue, feel free to share that with them as well.

Happy Holidays and God Bless you from our families to yours!

Lori Samples DuncanEditor-in-Chief

I

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.—Agnes M. Pharo


Events

What’s HAPPENING?23rd Annual Holiday Festival of LightsNow through December 31 James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive, CharlestonThe holiday season is coming! This year, bring the family together to celebrate a Lowcountry tradition at Charleston’s most beloved nighttime event - the Holiday Festival of Lights! With over two million shimmering lights, this three-mile driving tour de-livers more light displays year after year, with more than 700 shining displays this season. Beginning No-vember 9, 2012 and continuing through December 31, 2012, gather family and friends to capture the magic of the holiday season at James Island County Park. Plus, experience the expanded Fun Run and Walk, now held on two nights! www.holidayfestivaloflights.com

Sound and Vision: Monumental Rock and Roll PhotographyNow through December 30Gibbes Museum of Art,135 Meeting Street, CharlestonOrganized by The Columbus Museum in Columbus, Georgia and guest curator Christopher Murray of Govinda Gallery in Washington, D.C., Sound and Vision presents an extraordinary look at the intersec-tion between popular music and great photography. Since the 1950s, rock and roll has developed as the most significant musical movement in contempo-rary culture. Helping define fashion, language, poli-tics, and community, rock music continues to inspire and entertain audiences throughout the world. www.plantersinn.com

Santa Sleigh RideDecember 1 - December 31 Olde Town Carriage, 20 Anson Street,CharlestonOlde Towne Carriage transforms the barn into a Winter Wonderland so when guests arrive 20 minutes prior to their sleigh ride time the barn is decorated, their is a photo booth and mini horses for the children (and adults) to pet and take pictures with. The guests have a 20 minute “sleigh ride” with Santa in one of our decorated carriages with Santa as the driver. Throughout the ride guests sing carols and chat with Santa. When guests return we have marshmellow roasting and hot chocolate. For more information, call (843) 478-1386 or visit the website below.www.oldetownecarriage.com

A Christmas Carol December 6 - December 22Wolfe Street Theatre Playhouse, 34 Woolfe Street, CharlestonWe find the mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge alone and unloved in his cold house on Christmas Eve. Mired in his irascible and rigid ways, his very name synonymous with greed and misanthropy, Scrooge’s last chance for redemption lies in the spec-tral hands of his dead business partner and three hol-iday spirits. Originally created for the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith in England. Call (843) 856-1579 for more information or visit the website below.www.woolfestreetplayhouse.com

Miranda Lambert “Locked & Reloaded” TourJanuary 17, 2013Colonial Life Arena, ColumbiaKnown for their distinctive styles of music, Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley kick off their “Locked & Reloaded” Tour. Miranda and Dierks bring to the stage scores of #1 singles, chart topping albums and trophies from The Grammy’s, CMA’s, ACM’s and CMT’s. Tickets are on sale now online through www.LMCTix.com, the Lexington Medical Center Box Office at Colonial Life Arena, Play It Again Sports in Columbia, or by phone at 855-4-LMC-TIX. USC Students can purchase tickets with their Carolina Card at the Lexington Medical Center Box Office at Colonial Life Arena. www.ColonialLifeArena.com

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A t first glance, she does not fit your stereotype of a veteran. A young mother, physician, and warrior against breast cancer, Dr. Jennifer

Beatty has fought her way into these roles and her path there has been dramatic. “God gave me the opportunity to serve,” she says.

And serve she did, with as a Lieu-tenant Commander with the Unit-ed States Navy stationed with the Second Maintenance Battalion in the Second Marine Logistic group forward in Al-Taqaddum, Iraq in February 2007. “I will never forget the first time I stepped boots on the ground,” recalls Dr. Beatty, “it was the silence, and then the fear.” But there was not much time for contemplation before she was at work as a trauma surgeon. Doing the job she had trained a lifetime for, under circumstances she could never have fully prepared for.

Ask her about the Marines, the men she spent countless blurry, sweaty hours pulling from the grips of death, and the ones who physically shielded her from harm’s way when their installation was under attack while she oper-ated on their friends. The ones she

prayed for and the ones she cried with. It is clear how passionately she supports the Marines and their families when you hear her speak to veterans’ groups, “You are the ones who made me better than I was before. You are the ones who changed my life.”

Since leaving the military in 2009, life has changed pace and focus for Dr. Beatty. She has become a proud mother of three and her surgical career focuses on breast cancer. In 2011 she fulfilled her vi-sion for a surgical practice devoted to breast cancer treatment, educa-tion, and research by opening The Breast Place.

As a breast surgeon, she is using both the skills she learned from the front line and incorporat-ing new skills such as oncoplastic breast reconstruction techniques

which help minimize the physical scars of breast cancer surgery. Her empathetic nature and teaching heart are just as important to pa-tient care as her adept hands and emotional fortitude. Her current mission is to listen to and empow-er women, enabling them to make fully informed decisions regarding their treatment options, and offer-ing them the complete knowledge needed for their breast health.

She is known to fight for her pa-tients, helping to change state Medicaid policy when her 26 year old male breast cancer patient was discriminated against, and volunteering with the Barrier Is-lands Free Medical Clinic where she donates her time and surgical services to needy patients free of charge. She has volunteered time to the Lowcountry Affiliate of Su-san G Komen for the Cure, and

Serving OthersMEET DR. JENNIFER BEATTY

can frequently be seen in the local media championing the cause for breast cancer awareness.

Her commitment to the military continues as well. She has fund-raised for and donated time to the Semper Fi fund, benefitting in-jured Marines. “We all have scars from war, some more visible than others,” she told the Wounded Warriors. She has made it a prior-ity in her hiring practices to em-ploy other women veterans. And she has been outspoken for the needs of her military patients or military wives who face difficulty in getting medical services covered such as genetic testing for breast cancer. “You have sacrificed for my husband and my children, and we will never forget. I will never let them forget.”

Serving OthersMEET DR. JENNIFER BEATTYServing OthersMEET DR. JENNIFER BEATTYServing OthersMEET DR. JENNIFER BEATTY


Brett Welborn will do anything he can to raise awareness for a cure for his daughter Caroline. Caroline is 11 years old and has been living with Type 1 Diabetes since the age of 16 months. For Brett, anything includes

running very long distances to help others understand that Type 1 Diabetes is a challenging disease that must be treated and managed 24 hours a day.

On September 29, 2012, Brett ran a total of 101.84 miles in the Hin-son Lake 24 Hour Ultra Classic in Rockingham, NC in Caroline’s honor. This was the 5th time he has participated in this event to raise awareness and close to $10,000 to help JDRF prevent, treat, and find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Brett’s recent accomplishment raises more than critical dollars needed to fund research. It also brings much needed attention to a disease that is reaching epidemic propor-tions in the US.

Brett’s daughter Caroline is part of a growing number of people being diagnosed with T1D, an autoim-mune disease that strikes suddenly and with little warning. Formerly referred to as juvenile diabetes, T1D strikes people of all ages. A recent SEARCH study concluded that diagnoses of T1D has nearly doubled in the past twenty years. Scientists are working hard to de-termine what triggers a person’s own autoimmune system to liter-ally attack itself causing insulin production to shut down. Without insulin for less than 24 hours, keto-acidosis occurs and can be deadly if not corrected quickly.

Caroline receives life-saving insu-lin through multiple daily injec-tions. She recently decided to take a break from pump therapy after having been a pumper since the age of 20 months. She loves having control over calculating her own insulin needs and administering her insulin injections with adult supervision.

In the 30 days leading up to Car-oline’s diagnosis, Brett and his wife Kristin noticed that she was gradually losing more and more weight. When she was admitted into the Pediatric ICU, her blood sugar measured over 900 and she weighed 19 pounds. Without treat-ment, the doctors said she would have been in a coma within a few more days.

The Welborns knew nothing about Type 1 Diabetes prior to their daughter’s diagnosis. “We were like deer in headlights. We had no one in our family with T1D.” After one of the interns in the Pediatric ICU told them Caroline would have a long hard life, they resolved from that day forward the disease would not beat her.

The Welborns were first intro-duced to JDRF in Raleigh, NC at WakeMed where Caroline was diagnosed. She received a Bag of Hope during her hospital stay that was filled with tools provided by JDRF to learn about diabetes man-agement. The Welborns quickly realized the hospital staff knew very little about type 1 diabetes and that JDRF would truly be the best source of hope to gain knowl-edge and connect them with other families living with T1D.

Over the years since Caroline’s diagnosis, both Brett and Kristin have participated in many aware-ness and fundraising events in the cities they have lived in. As a fam-ily, they have raised over $125,000 for JDRF. About five years ago,

Brett added running long distance races to his resume’.

Having been a runner off and on since childhood, Brett started run-ning again when Caroline was younger and struggled with hy-poglycemic unawareness. Rather than getting a couple of hours of sleep, Brett would use the time be-tween Caroline’s 8:00 p.m. bedtime and midnight blood sugar check to run. He decided it was only natu-ral to couple his return to running with fundraising.

When asked what Caroline’s reac-tion was to him running 102 miles in her honor, Brett’s reply was, “I don’t think Caroline has an un-derstanding of how far 102 miles is. And quite frankly I don’t care. Running for hours on end in and of itself is pointless. What I hope she realizes is that we will do any-thing we can think of to help raise money and awareness for a cure for her.”

by BethMcCraryRunning For A Cure

Until there is a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, the Welborn family will continue their efforts to support JDRF. They are grateful that Caro-line’s quality of life has been greatly improved because of the tools and technology that are available be-cause of JDRF funded research. “As much as our family would like to relax and not go through all the effort it takes to raise this kind of money, we realize we have no choice. People respond to unusu-ally hard things and to seeing par-ents put in the time and effort, so I will definitely continue to do what-ever events I can to raise money.”

To get involved locally with JDRF, visit www.jdrf.org/palmetto

Beth McCrary is a free lance writer from Lexington, SC and also a parent of a child living with Type 1 Diabetes.

Let’s Talk

The Welborn Family


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�0 Celebrating, Motivating and Educating Real Women

F ounded in 2006 and centered on Johns Island, SC, The Point Is is a women’s non-profit, community service organization dedicated to increasing the quality of life for women in the Lowcountry. The Point Is

accomplishes this by coordinating fundraising events and providing financial and voluntary services to other non-profit organizations that share their vision. The Point Is is a gathering of women sharing experiences and knowledge with the purpose of learning from each other and giving to the community.

Over the last 6 years The Point Is has donated more than $150,000 in cash gifts to non-profit organi-zations including: Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston Breast Center, LEAP, Barrier Islands Free Medi-cal Clinic, Meals on Wheels, My Sister’s House, Susan G. Komen and Dragon Boat Charleston and countless volunteer hours to Sim-ply Divine Gardens and Sea Island Habitat for Humanity’s Women’s Build. To date, The Point Is has donated 95% of all monies raised. The Point Is would not be able to touch the lives of so many Low-country women without the con-tinued support from local donors and dedicated members.

Camp for a Cause is an annual event with all proceeds donated to an organization that supports breast cancer treatment and aware-ness. For the past 2 years the re-

cipient of the proceeds from Camp for a Cause has been the Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston, SC. In 2011, with just under 100 women at the Camp for a Cause, the amount raised and donated to Hollings Cancer Center was $22,000. With this donation, The Point Is has achieved a lifetime membership to the MUSC Soci-ety of 1824. The Society of 1824 is a group of the most distinguished benefactors who have chosen to make significant leadership gifts to promote the continued success of Hollings Cancer Center’s aca-demic programs, clinical care and biomedical research efforts.

At the invitation-only Camp for a Cause, women from all walks of life come together for a night of ca-maraderie and part better friends than they were the day before. Camp participants enjoy opportu-

nity drawings, a tent competition, and hear survivor stories.

This past October at the 6th an-nual Camp for a Cause more than 100 women came together and collectively raised $18,500 for the Hollings Cancer Center outreach program. At the camp, Dr. Megan Baker of Hollings Cancer Center beautifully described how these dollars are saving the lives of Low-country women and had this to say about Camp for a Cause: “Camp for a Cause is Charleston at its best. This incredibly creative and generous women’s group is chang-ing the lives of women in their community one at a time. One of my patients and the recipient of Camp for a Cause’s generosity who has fallen on hard times noted that their assistance reminded her that “she matters.” Their gift that led to the mammogram that diagnosed

her breast cancer was life chang-ing. Their efforts are personal, poignant, and positive at a time when many folks find themselves despairing. We are grateful and honored to be the stewards of the Point Is’ efforts.” The designated recipient for the 2013 Camp for a Cause will again be the Hollings Cancer Center.

The Point’s next event is The Amaz-ing Island Race and is open to the public. It is scheduled for Sunday, April 21, 2013. Teams of 4 (men & women) compete for incredible prizes while raising money for The Point’s fundraising projects. To learn more about The Amazing Is-land Race and to see pictures from the 6th Annual Camp for a Cause, please visit the website at www.the-pointis.org and on Facebook.

by AshleyW. Richardson

The Point Is:HELPING WOMEN OF THE LOWCOUNTRYThe Point Is:HELPING WOMEN OF THE LOWCOUNTRYThe Point Is:HELPING WOMEN OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

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�� Celebrating, Motivating and Educating Real Women

by Elaine Samplesphoto by Clark Berry Photography

W hen Cherie Nettles found out that she had ovarian cancer,

her first thought was, “God, how can you do this? My children are so young - they need their mother.” And her next thought was, “Because my children need their mother, I am going to fight!” And fight she did.

Char les ton Woman ce lebr ates the sur v ivor in you

SURVIVINGand THRIVINGMeet Cherie Nettles


It is said that ovarian cancer is the disease that whispers. Many of the symptoms are often dismissed (i.e., bloating, chronic indigestion, and change in bathroom habits). Cherie had all of these symptoms, but it was the unusual pressure in her right side that prompted her to make an appointment with her doctor. Through an exam, her doctor concluded that she had a benign (non-cancerous) tumor on her uterus. After a few more tests, she was sent to Dr. S. Terry Smith, a GYN Oncologist. Dr. Smith was aware of her test results, and he felt the tumor was non-cancerous.

As for how the process played out, I am going to borrow from the book that Cherie has published (Grow-ing my Divine Shrine: Your way to Live, Love and Laugh Through Life)…

“As a little girl I loved the nursery rhyme: ‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpy together again.’ Now that I was a big girl with a big diagnosis – I was literally falling to pieces… I was crying myself to sleep, and be-fore going in for additional tests, I was sobbing until my body had the snubs – you know, when you shake from head to toe because you’ve cried so hard. In my head, I knew the promises of God’s Word, but my emotions had taken over and my heart had no understanding. In preparation for a CT scan to de-termine what was going on, I had to drink that awful chalky mixture for the doctor to be able to see my insides. I took small sips, and cried between swallows. About ten min-utes after I finished drinking the required chalk, a technician hooked up the IV fluids, and asked me to lie flat on the table that would soon slide me into the scanner.

I couldn’t lie still. My snubs had caused my entire body to continue shaking. Tears flowed as I clenched

my fists. The technician asked me again to lie still, but I couldn’t. Fi-nally, she said, ‘What’s the matter?’ All I could do was open my fists, and when I did, two pictures fell out of my hands. They were of my two children. Distraught, I looked at her and exclaimed that question, ‘How can God do this to me?’ She quickly realized I wasn’t going to calm down, so she had the doc-tor order Xanax to help me relax. Have you ever taken Xanax? We would have world peace tomor-row if everyone took that pill!

My surgery date arrived, October 31, 2002. At the hospital, they once again gave me Valium … so I calmed down. They got me prepped for surgery and took me back to the O.R. Three and a half hours later, the surgeon came out to the waiting room and told my hus-band I had ovarian cancer, class 3C. My doctor informed my husband he had done a hysterectomy, the cancer had metastasized, and I would be-gin aggressive chemotherapy in two weeks. Through all of this, my hus-band had been reading the Psalms to me. I kept begging God for a word. God kept gently whispering in my heart, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ (Psalm 46:10) My hus-band left the hospital at 9:00 PM on November 5, 2002 to relieve the babysitters.

At 11:00 PM, he called and said, ‘Cherie, I have found your Word from God. It is Psalm 86. Read it.’ I opened my Bible and began to read Psalm 86, reached up for my journal and began to pen what I was reading. Somehow I know that Mike knew that I would journal. I love to write the Word of God and make it personal because the Bible is 66 love letters to us, and because of this journal … I have these words! I drifted off to sleep reading and journaling Psalm 86, the Word of God. NOW, HERE IS THE PART YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE.

At four in the morning, November 6, 2002, I woke up in my hospital room and heard a beautiful, still quiet voice saying, ‘Good morning, Cherie. I want you to be confident in Me and be at peace, for there is no more cancer.’ I fell back into my pillow and began to revel at what

God had just said to me and He whispered, ‘You will not rest until you write it.’ So, in the small corner of my Wal-Mart Composition note-book, my journal, I wrote 11/6/02 between 4:00 and 4:10 AM, God woke me up and said, ‘Good morn-ing, Cherie, I want you to be con-fident in me and be at peace, for there is no more cancer.’ I drifted off to sleep.

At 6:00 AM, Dr. Smith opened the door and in his exuberant way said, ‘Good morning! Cherie, I have good news for you.’ ... From the latest pathology, it was determined that my tumor was non-invasive. That’s huge. That means it can’t spread. If it can’t spread, it can’t kill you. I smiled and asked Dr. Smith if I could read my journal to him… Be-ing the God-fearing man he is, he said, ‘Absolutely!’ After reading my journal, he reached over kissed my cheek …and said, ‘God has smiled on you.’”

On the evening of my first contact with Cherie Nettles, she told me that she was going to meet some friends for dinner, only to be sur-prised that her husband, along with two of her best friends, had orga-nized a ten year “God has smiled upon you” party. In listening to her story, it became very evident to me that God was not only smiling

upon his daughter, but He was us-ing her to smile upon others.

At the time of her diagnosis, Cherie was a full-time-stay-at-home Mom who was teaching the Bible to her two children, Alex and Ashleigh, 11 and 8 respectively at the time.

“Cancer actually changed my Bible teaching to Bible teach-ing with comedy,” laughs Cherie. “And that is where my friends, ministry partners, and audiences dubbed me a ‘Christian Comedian.’ Gene-sis 21:6 says, ‘God has brought me laughter and everywhere I go and share my story people will laugh with me.’ So, can-cer made me laugh … all the

time. In Proverbs 17:22, it tells us that laughter is medicine to our souls. Truly laughter heals. Laugh-ter releases endorphins into our bodies, which are a bodies natural pain-killers. Laughter reduces cor-tisol level, which improves heart function and lowers blood sugar. Laughter gives us a better sense of well-being and promotes unity. So, who wouldn’t want to laugh? This past summer I became a Certified Laughter Leader. Now my passion is not just to make people laugh, but to teach people to laugh… Laughter is medicine to our soul.”

I wish I had the space to share with you more of Cherie’s story. She was truly an inspiration and light to me. And no doubt, she has touched countless lives as she shares her story, and this earthly journey. I will leave you with what Cherie says is her most valuable lesson from her fight against cancer, “I realized that every place the sole of my foot treads, God has given me. And that God is the giver and taker of life, and no diagnosis can change this.”

To hear more of Cherie’s story, you can find her book, Growing my Di-vine Shrine: Your way to Live, Love and Laugh Through Life, via her website at www.cherienettles.net.

Now my passion is not just to make people laugh, but to teach people to laugh…

Celebrating the Survivor in You!


THE MAN BEHIND THE SCRUBSDr. James Martin

by Lori Samples Duncanphoto by Tammy Bevins Photography


Dr. Martin was raised in Rock Hill, South Caro-lina, attended undergraduate at the University of South Carolina, and went on to the Medi-cal University of South Carolina for his medi-cal school training. While he was in medical school, his wife, Jan, taught elementary school in the Summerville school district, and in 1983, the family decided to make the area their home. “We haven’t regretted it since,” says Dr. Martin. “We’ve really enjoyed being in the Charleston area and it’s just a great location where we have made a lot of really good friends. It has been very rewarding for us.” The Martins have been married for 38 years, and they have one son, two grandsons, and another grandson on the way. As for those grandchildren, Dr. Martin says of Grantham, Eli and the one who will be here in February, “ I never knew being a grand-parent could be so fun.”

The gift of life is such a blessing, and it must feel pretty special to be a part of that on a regular basis. Being a physician who appreciates that blessing, I asked Dr. Martin if he had any spe-cial delivery stories that stick out to him. “There have been a number of them and it’s kind of one of those things you kind of hate to start thinking a lot about, because you know you’re going to leave somebody out if you try to list them all,” recants Dr. Martin. “There have just been a lot of current patients that I have deliv-ered years before. I delivered that person and now they have grown up and I get to deliver their children; and that’s been very rewarding. I have some patients now that have told me that I can’t retire until they have their family because they’re going to start a family before too long and that I just need to hang in there until they do that. It is nice to know that, and I think that medicine and this field has so much reward in the fact that a lot of my patients have been long term patients and have been seeing me for many years and I have been able to develop that

relationship with them. You get to share some of their good times and sometimes, their sor-rowful times. But, there’s nothing like that time where you get to bring a new life into this world. That’s just something that is very special. It would be hard to talk about any individual. Ob-viously there have been a lot of them that have been very special.” So, Dr. Martin isn’t play-ing favorites… When I pressed him to single out the one delivery he could never forget, it was the man and not the doctor that came out of him. He was for-tunate enough to have personally delivered his son alongside his wife’s OB/GYN.

Dr. Martin shared with me that his son is and has been for some time his best friend. As I listened to this accom-plished man speak so affectionately for his son and his grandchil-dren I was allowed a tender glimpse of the kind of father/grandfather he must be, and the kind of man.

As Dr. Martin’s career has spanned three de-cades, he has seen a lot of developments in the medical field, one of his favorites being surgi-cal procedures that have become less and less invasive. “When robotics came along, it took the minimally invasive surgery to an entirely different level,” explains Dr. Martin. “Now, even the more complicated gynecological cases can be done laparoscopically. People have a fast

recovery time, less blood loss, a lesser risk of infection, and less post-operative pain. I look at that and just wonder what’s around the cor-ner now that they have taken this big leap, and I’m excited just to see what’s coming next. I’m sure that there will be a lot of new and excit-

ing things coming along in the field, especially in Gynecology, as technol-ogy improves and things go to the next level.”

Dr. Martin enjoys at-tending Carolina foot-ball games at the Uni-versity of South Carolina with his family as well as, reading and teaching Sunday school at Sum-merville Baptist Church. He is a member of sev-eral local organizations that support community growth and development including the Summer-ville Chamber of Com-merce, the Dorchester County Economic De-velopment Board, the Summerville Exchange

Club, the Coastal Community Foundation, Children in Crisis, the Charleston Southern University Board of Trustees and the United Physicians Board.

If you are looking for an OB/GYN who cares about his patients, and who has an established reputation as providing quality care, you owe it to yourself to give Dr. Martin’s office a call. He and his staff will take exceptional care of you. You can find out more on his website at www.jmartinmd.com/Resources.htm.

s a woman and a mother, one of the most important doctors in my arsenal is my doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. That’s why it is important that I am able to trust said doctor,

and feel like I am more than just a number. Next year will mark thirty years that Dr. James T. Martin has been practicing medicine (OB/GYN) in the Charleston area. As a teenager, he enjoyed breeding and raising tropical fish so much that he became the neighborhood fish hospital. So began his love of caring for others.

ATHE MAN BEHIND THE SCRUBSDr. James Martin

‘I have some patients now that have told me that I can’t retire until they have their family because they’re going to start a family before too long and that I just need to hang in there until they do that.’


Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue

SUCCESS STORY

I had fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syn-drome (FM/CFS) and suffered with digestive problems, varying degrees of pain, anxiety, depression, etc., for more than 13 years. Every evening after work I was exhausted. Some days I wasn’t able to go to work. Now, I have been mostly symptom-free for more than three years and have lots of energy.

After trying the drug route, I researched non-drug solutions and found out many existed. My niece, who had recovered from fibromyalgia, recommended I walk every day, eat more fresh fruits and veg-etables, drink lots of filtered water, avoid refined sugars and take natural sleep aids. That helped. What helped even more was a seminar I attended on fibro-myalgia. I learned about the yeast con-nection. I did have a yeast overgrowth plus a bacterial infection in my gastroin-testinal tract. I discovered I was sensitive to house dust, certain foods, molds and chemicals. Also, I had hypothyroidism and some hormonal and mineral defi-ciencies.

Within a few weeks of starting treatment for the yeast and bacterial problems, I started feeling better than I had felt in years. I found out that eating organically grown foods and meats free of antibiot-ics and growth hormones is important. Also, vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements played a role in my recov-ery. If you are among the millions of people who suffer from these illnesses, remember there is hope. It isn’t the diag-nosis that you should be concerned with but rather the things you can change.

What is Fibromyalgia?Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic or intermittent muscle pain, particularly at “trigger points”, fatigue and poor sleep. Patients report cognitive and mood changes in fibromy-algia and often digestive symptoms such as ir-ritable bowel syndrome. The ratio of females to males with fibromyalgia is 9:1 and at least 3% of the population has symptoms with usual onset between 20 and 50 years of age.

What is Chronic Fatigue?Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is also a mys-tery; the fatigue is not like the normal ups and downs of everyday life. The patient is too tired for normal activities and the profound weakness associated with chronic fatigue syndrome does not go away with a few go steals your energy and vigor over months and sometimes years.

FM/CFSThese two conditions are now considered to be variants of the same underlying dysfunction and are referred to as FM/CFS. The cause of FM/CFS is unknown, but it is not contagious and does not usually go away. Serotonin, the neurotransmitter involved in the sensa-tion of pain, is known to be in-volved. Chronic low-grade infections, particularly fungal, are also present in many patients. And of course, the stress

of not being able to perform normal daily tasks exacerbates the symptoms.

Evaluating the PatientThe integrative practitioners in our clinic expect that physical and psychological symptoms may have common metabolic and functional sourc-es. This approach to evaluation and treatment presumes that, as with any chronic condition, multiple underlying factors are responsible:

digestion, inflammation, immune reactions, hormone levels, oxidative stress, detoxifica-tion capacity, as well as the psychological and spiritual state of the individual. In our clinic a clinical assessment of the patient’s symptoms, a thorough medical history and appropriate labo-ratory testing are the foundation for an effective

treatment plan.

Call Back2Health Physical Medicine at Goose Creek today at (843) 475-

7037 to schedule a free consulta-tion to see if they can help you!

...the fatigue is not like the normal ups and downs of everyday life.

Health & Wellness



Dr. Nichole QuinnFamily Friendly Chiropractor

Total Family Wellness

Back Pain • Headaches • Stress • Pregnancy Induced Back Pain • Massage TherapyWe can help! New hours to serve you better - Monday through Friday appointments available.

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Mention this ad andreceive a FREE consultationand digital posture exam

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Now on the other hand, there is a condition that will cause posture to breakdown at an accelerated rate. The name of this condition is Scheuermann’s Disease, also known as “Juvenile Kyphosis”.

Scheuermann’s Disease is a spinal condition that results in bowing or rounding of the back in chil-dren causing a hunched posture or “kyphosis”. This deformity is more common in young boys ages 11-15. Research shows that it affects any-where from 2-8 percent of the pop-ulation. The condition is termed to be idiopathic, which means it has no known or definitive cause. Re-search suggests a family or genetic link. The onset of the condition has been linked to many factors involving the nervous system, dis-ease processes, and environmental factors. Scheuermann’s Kyphosis is relatively stable once the individual has reached skeletal maturity. So, treating the condition aggressively during the growing years and re-ducing the progression, will great-ly minimize problems later in life. Although Scheuermann’s tends to

remain stable for many years, pro-gression after skeletal maturity can occur, usually after the age of 55 secondary to osteoporotic changes that occurred due to the abnormal posture.

So what are the common symp-toms? There are only a few com-mon symptoms with this condi-tion. The most common is the hunched posture, or humping of the back. Another is back and neck pain. And less frequently is knee-cap or foot pain.

How would I determine if my teen has Scheuermann’s and what treat-ments are available? To diagnose Scheuermann’s Kyphosis x-ray analysis is necessary. The x-ray is taken from a side view and will re-veal an increase in the angulation of the thoracic curve. It may also show a difference in the height of the vertebrae from front to back. Treatments available for Scheuer-mann’s Kyphosis can range from rigid bracing and lying on a hard surface for long periods of time. To a system of active rehabilita-

tion that includes strengthening of the deep postural muscles that are responsible for holding us upright and erect, gentle stretching of the ligaments and muscles that have become deformed and shortened due to postural adaptation, Spe-cific Chiropractic adjusting that is designed to restore and induce normal curvature of the thoracic spine, and a form of exercise called Neuromuscular or Proprioceptive exercise that is used to retrain the brain and nervous system to hold and maintain the new correct pos-ture. All of these techniques indi-vidually will provide some results in the treatment of Scheuermann’s Kyphosis, but in order to achieve

the best results, CATCH IT EAR-LY, and DO NOT DELAY begin-ning a program that includes all of the above to treat and reduce the postural changes associated with Scheuermann’s Kyphosis..

Dr. Drew K. McPhail is a practicing Chiropractic Physician at McPhail Chi-ropractic with over 7 years experience. He is a nationally recognized author of 2 books and has written many articles. Dr. McPhail is a certified Scoliosis spe-cialist by CLEAR Institute for Scoliosis. If you have any questions, or would like more information on this topic, contact Dr. McPhail at 1709 Old Trolley Rd. Summerville, South Carolina 29485, (843) 873-2225, [email protected], or visit www.DrMcPhail.com.

P oor posture is becoming an epidemic in our society. We are in the age of Facebook, Texting, Tweeting and many other forms of social media. All

which require us to maintain crouched positions for extended periods of time, while communicating on our phone, tablet, or PC. The result of this continual postural strain is permanent changes in the supporting structure of the body (the spine) causing our posture to become deformed. Although there are thousands of pages of research articles that reveal the detrimental effects that postural changes have on your health, you can rest a little easier because these changes can take some time to occur, and there are specialized systems of rehabilitation that focus on reversing the effects of postural decay.

The result of this continual postural strain is permanent changes in the supporting structure of the body (the spine) causing our posture to become deformed.

Sudden Poor Posture in your Teenager? The underlying cause may be more than you think.

by Dr. Drew McPhail

Dr. Drew McPhail

Health & Wellness


W hen Suzy Kuppens was charting the path her life would take, women who went to college chose one of

two professions: nursing or teaching. Suzy was born and raised in Charleston and, as one of seven children her parents

put through college, she graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1977. Suzy began

her nursing career in a hospital, which is where she felt she could get the best experience. In the late 1980’s, Suzy branched out into the home care business, thinking it would be less restrictive. “I

was starting to have children,” explains Suzy, “and needed more flexibility.”

Suzy began with home visits, and then she ended up back at the hospital coordinating transition-ing patients from the hospital and working to ensure that all of their homecare needs were satisfied. “I just loved it. I particularly enjoyed the family dynamics and seeing what made each house a home. The families taught me so much.” When Suzy’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she spent nine years caring for him. “I don’t think we were quite prepared for it,” Suzy shares frankly. “With my nursing background, I thought I would be ready; but it was a chal-lenge.” Suzy also found that finding outside care for her father proved very difficult.

It has been said that experience is the best teacher and that neces-sity is the mother of invention. When Suzy’s father passed away, she felt that she and her husband could provide better care for fami-lies dealing with Alzheimer’s than

what she had experienced with her dad. “Tom has a business manage-ment background and with all of the nursing and homecare experi-ence, we thought it would be worth a try.” From that, Home Care Plus was born.

Home Care Plus is not a medical based program, but rather care management services are granted at the request of the family. Care management is a healthcare term addressing quality of care and cost effectiveness. In this setting, it is meant to assist the family and household in navigating through the process of care, whether it’s for declining functional status, aging process, illness, or even traversing through a recovery and helping them to maintain in the comfort of their own home. Suzy and her team utilize a myriad of resources to get the job done.

“The family determines the hours of care that they need,” explains

Suzy. “My professional experience coupled with my personal experi-ence helps me run the practice with that extra attention and ability to empathize, because I have been there.” Suzy and her team work with the support system their cli-ents have, including family mem-bers and friends, to determine the course necessary to create a plan of care that best suits their patients’ needs.

When hiring caregivers for Home Care Plus, Suzy asks herself one question: Can I send this person in my mother’s home to take care of her? “If I can’t,” says Suzy, “or if I think there is something that is not right, then I move on. So that is my starting point.”

Suzy also spends a lot of time with her clients and their families learn-ing what he or she used to love doing, and what he still enjoys. “I ask questions and endeavor to find out as much as I can so that I can

match up the right personality and caregiver. When at all possible, we include those special activities in our care plan.” Suzy and her team offer a variety of services including personal care, light housekeeping, laundry, shopping, and even pet care.

Suzy also believes in full service care. “If they can’t reach the bar in the closet, we’re going to hang up their clothes. If there are ants in the pantry because they haven’t been able to organize their pantry, we’re going to clean and organize the pantry. When we started our busi-ness, it was important to me that we take care of the family, includ-ing the household and the spouse.”

If you or someone you know is fac-ing challenges that care manage-ment can address, explore your op-tions and give Suzy and her team a call.

See the Home Care Plus ad on page 11.

Meet Suzy Kuppens of HOME CARE PLUSMeet Suzy Kuppens of HOME CARE PLUS

by Lori Samples Duncanphoto by Tammy Bevins Photography


ifty to fifty-five percent of women and forty to forty-five percent of men in the United States suffer from some type of vein problem. A common misconception is that patients only visit a Vein Specialist for cosmetic reasons

– this is simply untrue.FVenous disease is defined as the impairment of blood flow towards your heart. Understanding venous disease means understanding the complex system of veins that make up our legs.

Healthy veins have valves which open and close to assist the return of blood to the heart. Venous dis-ease (also called vein insufficiency or venous reflux), occurs if these valves become damaged, allowing the backward flow of blood in the legs. Because gravity works on the legs more than on other parts of the body, these vein walls are un-der tremendous pressure. When blood cannot be properly returned through the vein, it can pool, lead-ing to a feeling of heaviness and fatigue, causing varicose veins

and other skin changes. Over time, this increased pressure

can cause additional valves

to fail. If left untreated, it can lead to leg pain, swelling, ulcers, and other health problems.

Because some patients may have no visible signs of the disease, it is extremely important that you ad-vise your family physician if you are experiencing any of the follow-ing signs and symptoms:

• Aching pain that may get worse after sitting or standing for long periods of time• Throbbing or cramping• Heaviness• Swelling• Rash that’s itchy or irritated

When Should You Visit a VEIN SPECIALIST?

Because gravity works on the legs more than on other parts of the body, these vein walls are under tremendous pressure.

Health & Wellness

• Darkening of the skin • Restless legs• Sore on leg that resists healing

A vein specialist will thoroughly check for any venous disease. Keep in mind that a routine ul-trasound test that is done at your family physicians office WILL NOT detect some vein insufficien-cies. It is important to see a vein specialist for an extensive venous ultrasound test if you are experi-encing any of the symptoms listed above. Through proper treatment most patients report minimal to no pain while undergoing treat-ment. Mild oral sedation is given and local anesthetic is used. Post treatment, most normal activi-ties may be resumed immediately, with a few exceptions like swim-ming and strenuous exercise. All normal activities can be resumed within a few weeks.

Another misconception is that insurance does not cover vein treatment because it is cosmetic. On the contrary, most insurance companies will cover all or part of the treatment, depending on the patient’s policy and if venous insufficiency has been established through a venous ultrasound study.

For more information on venous disease or to schedule a consulta-tion, contact Palmetto Vein Spe-cialists (843) 820-2541.



(843) 851-1333121 S. Main Street • Summerville

Tuesday through Friday 10 am – 5 pm • Saturday 10 am – 3 pm

Specialty Cakes and Pies • Custom CupcakesGourmet Cheesecakes • Pastries • Cookies

www.HummingbirdBakeryCafe.comPlace Your

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CELEBRATING, MOTIVATING,

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VOL 2, NO 1

COMPLIMENTARY

Dr. Nichole

QUINN

Meet Survivor

DEBRA WALWORTH

THE BAKERS

A Love StoryGOOSE CREEK | HANAHAN | MONCKS CORNER | NORTH CHARLESTON | SUMMERVILLE | WEST ASHLEY

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DR. R. JASON J. HEHRMeet the Doctor

GOOSE CREEK | HANAHAN | MONCKS CORNER | NORTH CHARLESTON | SUMMERVILLE | WEST ASHLEY

DR. R. JASON J. HEHRMeet the Doctor

EXTREMEMAKEOVERS We feature several makeovers in this issue – from personal health to landscapes!

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A sk those who know her best to describe Summerville’s Debi Crowley and they’ll gladly point out her many and varied talents.

Insightful business person. A natural flair for interior design. Marketing maven. Impeccable taste in apparel. And a gracious hostess and inspired cook. What perhaps may have not made the list is “expert baker.” That is, until recently.

Dream a Little DreamHummingbird Bakery Café

These days, visitors to Hummingbird’s will find Debi up to her elbows in flour and frost-ing…and loving every moment of it. She has learned the pastry ropes from head baker Te-resa Maher, who was pastry chef at Cypress in downtown Charleston and also worked for the shop’s previous owner. Debi has added some of her own recipes, such as Chocolate Coffee Delight, to the revolving and ever-ex-panding list of baked goods offered at Hum-mingbird’s.

On any given day, customers can find main-stays such as a variety of cupcakes, cheese-cakes, cakes, pies, turnovers and croissants mixed with some of the shop’s more exotic offerings. Hummingbird’s accepts special or-ders and caters to a wide variety of events, from bridal showers and weddings to family gatherings and holiday parties.

The one thing that will be constant, says Debi, is giving back to the community that she now calls home.

“Each day we feature a cupcake from which a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society to help in the fight against breast cancer. We also donate baked goods to the ARK as well as Meals on Wheels and to the Fire Department. We were one of the featured dessert vendors at the Dorchester County’s Children’s Crisis Center gala event in October as well as providing cupcake desserts for Habitat for Humanity’s annual event.”

Hummingbird Bakery Café is open Tuesday through Friday from 10A-5P and Saturday from 10A-3P. For more information, call 843-851-1333. Visit www.hummingbirdbakery-cafe.com or become a Hummingbird friend on Facebook.

Debi is the owner and proprietress of Hum-mingbird Bakery Café, the newest addition to Summerville’s charming downtown district. The shop, located at 121 South Main Street, offers a full menu of baked goods ranging from cupcakes and cheesecakes to pastries, pies and more.

So, how did this recent transplant (by way of The Big Apple, Orlando and – most recently – Cincinnati) find herself running a bakery deep in the heart of the Lowcountry? Chalk it up to resiliency, risk-taking….and a smatter-ing of not-so-coincidental coincidences.

Following a 2010 breast cancer diagnosis (the same disease that took her beloved mother’s life many years before), Debi underwent a lumpectomy followed by a grueling regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. Although she had cause to celebrate following completion of treatment, shortly thereafter she was laid off from her job as the right hand to CEO of a real estate investment firm.

Debi searched for new job opportunities for several months, to no avail and was ready to throw in the proverbial towel when she dis-covered an online post advertising a cupcake business for sale in Summerville. The busi-ness’s owner needed to sell in order to care for an ill family member. Unknown to all but her closest friends, Debi had fantasized more than once about one day opening up her own food-oriented business in a quiet, laidback Southern town.

Several calls, one early July weekend trip from Cincy to Summerville and 5 weeks later, she was the proud owner of her own bakery busi-ness, which officially reopened as Humming-bird in early August.

Professional


I f you’re a woman, you have to be actively involved in your financial preparations for retirement - and that’s

true whether you’re single or married.

As a woman, you have at least two special considerations associated with your retirement planning:

You’ve got a longer life expectancy. Women typically outlive men by about seven years, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Sta-tistics — and more years of life mean more expenses.

You may have less money in your retirement plan. Women drop out of the work force for an average of 12 years to care for young children or aging parents, according to the Older Women’s League, a research and advocacy group. This time away from the workforce results in women accumulating much less money in their employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k)s.

The prospect of a long, underfunded retirement is not a pleasant one. For-tunately, there’s much you can do to avoid this fate. For starters, know what’s going on in your financial sit-uation. If you are married, share the responsibility of making investment decisions. What are your retirement goals? Are the two of you investing enough to eventually achieve these goals? And where is the money go-ing? You must know the answers to these questions.

You’ll also need to know what you could expect to receive if your hus-band dies before you. As a surviving spouse, you will likely inherit all your husband’s assets, unless he has spe-cifically named other people — such

as grown children from an earlier marriage — as beneficiaries. None-theless, you can’t just assume that all sources of income that your husband receives will automatically roll over to you. For example, if your husband were to die before you, you wouldn’t get his Social Security payments in addition to your own, although you could choose to collect his payments instead of yours. But if you both earned close to the same income, you might not get much of an increase in Social Security benefits.

In any case, whether you’re married or single, here are some moves that can benefit you:

“Max out” on your 401(k). If you can afford it, invest the maximum amount into your 401(k) and in-crease your contributions every time your salary goes up. Your 401(k) pro-vides you with tax-deferred earnings and a variety of investment options.Contribute to an IRA. Even if you have a 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan, you might be eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA. A tradi-tional IRA offers the potential for tax-deferred earnings, while a Roth IRA potentially grows tax-free, pro-vided you don’t take withdrawals until you’re 59-1/2 and you’ve had your account at least five years. You can fund an IRA with virtually any investment you choose.

Do whatever it takes to help ensure a comfortable retirement — and the sooner you start planning, the better.

Women Must Plan (Extra) Carefully for Retirement


Ken York of Edward Jonesphoto by Tammy Bevins Photography

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Ken York, AAMS®Financial Advisor

587 College Park RoadLadson, SC 29456843-824-5595

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217 St. James Avenue, Suite A5 • Goose Creek, SC

Great Customer Service and Experienced StaffOptometrist On-site for Eye Exams

(843) 797-5711

Business and Individual Tax PreparationCertified QuickBooks ProAdvisor®

Debra E. Walworth, [email protected]

358 Deep River RoadSummerville, SC 29483

(843) 376-4611www.walworthcpa.com

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BACK toSCHOOL! It’s that time of year again, and we have advice to share from local experts!

JUDGEHATCHETT Meet the successful TV personality and motivational speaker — Judge Hatchett

BALANCING LIFE AND CAREER Dr. Nichole Quinn






Business & Web Directory

AccountantDebra E. Walworth, CPA ...........................25www.walworthcpa.com

Assisted LivingLutheran Homes of South Carolina ...........7www.LutheranHomesSC.org

Auto CareHolt Transmission Service ........................22www.holttransservice.com

BakeryHumingbird Bakery Café ..........................22www.hummingbirdbakerycafe.com

Child CareKinder Kids ...................................................7www.kinderkidscsra.com

Chiropractic CareMcPhail Chiropractic .................................22www.drmcphail.info

Total Family Wellness ................................17www.scfamilywellness.com

Dental ServicesDr. Keenan Green .........................................3www.drkeenangreen.com

R. Jason J. Hehr, DMD Oral Surgery .......27www.hehroralsurgery.com

Elder CareHome Care Plus ..........................................11www.home-care-plus.com

Eye Care20/20 Vision Center ...................................25www.2020visioncenter.yolasite.com

FinancialEdward Jones – Ken York ..........................25www.edwardjones.com

FloristThe Blossom Shop Florist ............................4www.theblossomshopofsummerville.com

Health ServicesBack2Health PhysicalMedicine Clinic ............. Inside Front Coverwww.goosecreekchiropractics.com

Bluewater Imaging & Vein Center ...........11www.bluewaterimagingandvein.com

James T. Martin, Jr, MD Obstetricsand Gynecology ..........................................17www.jmartinmd.com

Legacy Internal Medicine ..........................17

Palmetto Vein Specialists ...........................21www.palmettoprimarycare.com

The Breast Place ............................................4www.thebreastplacesc.com

Trident Health .............................Back Coverwww.tridenthealthsystem.com

HotelsHoliday Inn & Suites ....................................7www.hicolumbiaairport.com

Wingate by Wyndham .................................8www.charlestonwingate.com

PetsAdorable Pets ..............................................25www.AdorablePetsSC.com

PhotographyClark Berry Photography ..........................26

Tammy Bevins Photography .....Inside Back Coverwww.tammybevinsphotography.com

Skin TreatmentSouthern Cosmetic Laser ............................9www.southerncosmeticlaser.com

www.hehroralsurgery.com

(843) 767-3310

5401 Netherby Lane Suite 500

North Charleston

• Wisdom Teeth

• Dental Implants

• Facial Cosmetic

• Anesthesia

• Facial Injury

• Oral Pathology


A Personal Note

try to find moments in my life to share with you because I want you to know my family and I are like you and yours. Each time I bring a personal

note to you, it is just that — personal. I was eighteen years old when a friend of mine who I loved was killed in a car accident. Drinking and drugs were involved, and the driver was charged with manslaughter. As a senior in high school, I lost three peers and a fellow graduate. I believe this is when I began to realize that life is fragile and that tomorrow is not promised.

I try to be grateful for every moment of every day that has been given to me. If you have been reading Charleston Woman Magazine for a while, then you know that I am very thankful for my children.

Our oldest son just made SATB Allstate Choir and was starting right guard for WKHS Varsity Football team that just finished a *record breaking season. Trey is a young man who has had many accomplish-ments to celebrate over the last sixteen years. I would like to think some of that is because Trent and I are wonderful parents. The truth is that he is just an overachiever, and since he was a little boy, he has understood the relationship between hard work and results. He works very hard for everything that he wants, and his hard work always pays off.

Abby traveled to Myrtle Beach in October to participate in the SC Honor Choir weekend where, she was selected from a group of exceptional singers to represent CSMS. She was one of three students from last years 8th grade class who made the cut. She loves the new experience of being in high school and is continuing to be a great student this year. As part of our families journey to be healthy, Abby has begun running, and I love that she has made a commitment to do something for herself. She is one of two comedians in our house and makes me laugh daily.

Colton is growing up too fast, as they all are. He celebrated his tenth birthday on September 9th. He is my little patriot. I brought him home on September 11, 2002. He was wrapped in an American flag blanket, hand sewn by the volunteers at NE Georgia Medical Center to commemorate 9/11/2001. His love of history makes for interesting dinner conversations. He knows facts about our country and previ-ous presidents that leave me in awe. He was a junior groomsman in a recent wedding, and I wish I could share with you the video of him dancing out of the church. Colton’s love of life is infectious.

Ryan will be six in a couple of months. I can’t believe where the time has gone. He loves the fact that Ryan means “little king,” and he likes to remind us. I have told my friends about his love of being the boss. So while we are at a wedding reception in a large church, my friend asked Ryan, “Hey, who is the king of this house?” She fully expected his answer to be, “me,” because he thinks he is king of our home — King Duncan. He looked at her, pointed to a cross in the corner, and said with a grave expression on his face, “There is only one king of this house and he died on the cross.” I had to choke back the tears. Out of the mouths of babes sometimes comes great wisdom.

I hope to teach them all not to be so hard on themselves. I want to teach them not to get consumed about the future and appreciate today. I want them to enjoy who they are now in this moment in their lives. To be grateful for every day and with every gift with which they have been entrusted. What if we all live our lives less worried about what we do not have and more grateful for what we do have?

Your Friend,

Lori Samples Duncan

I

Psalm 118:28-29You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Ryan

Colton

Abby

Trey

photos by Robert Patrick Image Design

I’m today’s Trident.

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