In Awe of Military Families

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Here’s our challenge - introduce yourself to the “new kid” on the block, at work or at school. Encourage your children to as well. It will mean a lot more to someone than you know.

It was a recent conversation with a patient when I came to the realization of just how many of our patient families are military. In most cases we are seeing the spouse and children and may have yet to actually meet the military member. However, we are always honored when we have the opportunity to treat the military personnel, as well. Our goal is to be the primary care provider for the entire family.

What a strong group of individuals, both military personnel and their family members. It goes without saying that we all have a spot in our hearts for anyone in the armed  forces. Encountering someone in a military fatigue or military uniform is one of the most prideful and humbling moments. With only a few brief seconds of eye-contact you are looking into the eyes of someone that has chosen to sacrifice their life for yours and your family. All too often we don’t immediately or ever recognize the spouses, parents and children of these designated  members of our nation. Some community organizations  have started to implement some programs to assist families in the transition. As a member of the community Travis and I started asking ourselves how we could make the transition easier.  Make life a little easier for the entire family unit, within our capacity. We have tried by offering flexible hours and easy access to our services. As we spoke more and to the day that this article went to press we realized we were affected by the cycle. We lose a patient or family with hopefully at least a months’ notice at the best.

As life would have it, it’s usually after we have achieved a treatment goal or even obtained a difficult diagnosis. Have you ever had a conversation with a spouse of, or a military personnel? If not, I encourage you to. It can often sound very unfamiliar to us civilians: “We just received our PCS orders and now I have to pack up alone; my spouse is deployed for three months; sorry if I’m in a bad mood but the movers forgot our kitchen so I have no coffee maker; I’m sad and lonely because none of the kids want  to  be my friend; I finally made a good friend at my father’s/mother’s last location and now I have to start all over and I don’t know anyone.” Personally, I know how hard it is to be treated like an outsider or bullied (adult bulling is real-they are the childhood bullies that have grown up). I respect all of the ones that can and the ones that work toward making it seem so easy.

OT Family Medicine is dedicated to being a supportive part of that process. Thank you for all the love, patience, support, positive feedback, recommendations, willingness to help, trust, loyalty and everything else that has made OT Family Medicine the best leap of  faith we all have taken.

Here’s our challenge – introduce yourself to the “new kid” on the block, at work or at school. Encourage your children to as well. It will mean a lot more to someone than you know.

Again thank you for the support which has allowed us to work in a place we love, a place we are elated to call our second home. We are grateful to be working with a group that makes it easy to love, live, and laugh while  spreading our happiness to our patients.

 

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OT Family Medicine is accepting new patients and offers: Primary Care, Wellness, Urgent Care, Anxiety/Depression, Aesthetics, Well Woman, DOT Physicals, Sports Physicals, Bioidential Hormones, Medication Assisted Treatment for Substance Abuse, etc..

Please call 443-646-3532 or visit www.otfamilymed.com for more information or on FaceBook @OT Family Medicine.

Located at 10339 Southern Maryland Blvd., Suite 206 Dunkirk, MD 20754

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I. Monet Ouwinga, MD is a Brooklyn, New York native completing undergraduate at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York and first generation of Haitian decent. Dr. O (as she prefers to be called) completed her basic sciences, obtained her MD at the University of the Americas on the island of Nevis. Completing her clinical rotations in North Carolina and Illinois, Dr. O did her residency in Illinois at Loyola-Cook County Family Medicine and served as Chief resident at her last year. Along with participating in multiple international medical missions, to Haiti and Peru she completed a fellowship in Maternal Child Health at West Suburban Hospital in, Illinois. Dr. O, a born city girl, has dedicated her life to treating patients with the same care she would provide to family members and friends. She has recently become more active in the mental health community, especially after sharing her own diagnosis of Anxiety and Depression. She is passionate about helping others with various ailments from routine visits to complicated diagnosis, ages from new born to geriatrics, in office, online or in their home. Dr. O has made a home in Southern Maryland with her husband and son in 2014 and it has proven to be one of the best life decisions she has made. Together with Travis Roberts, CRNP at their practice OT Family Medicine in Calvert County, they take care of the young, old and everyone in between with dignity and respect.