Take a look at our October newsletter!
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3700 Joseph Siewick Dr., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 620-4300 • EyePlasticMD.com
OCTOBER 2024
Swinging Through Fear LESSONS FROM THE STRIKEOUT KING
National Face Your Fears Day is an occasion you should never be afraid to celebrate.
I was embarrassed, but I was also happy. After all, there’s only ever one first H & P — and I got through mine despite my apprehensions.
Held every October, this holiday was created nearly 20 years ago by motivational speaker Steve Hughes to inspire us all to embrace courage and overcome our fears. I’m sure that everyone reading this newsletter knows exactly what fear feels like. Our brains go to work revving up our nervous systems, and our bodies experience the classic involuntary fight-or-flight response that makes our hearts beat fast, our palms sweat, and our minds race with worry. Although fear is unpleasant, National Face Your Fears Day is a wonderful idea that gives us all a chance to think about the biggest fears we’ve encountered in life — and how we ultimately beat them. A few of my biggest run-ins with fear immediately come to mind. When I first started playing Little League Baseball as a kid, I quickly earned the not-so-acclaimed title of “Strikeout King” and experienced the least amount of playing time imaginable. You see, I was terrified to hit the ball with the bat. As soon as I’d get up to swing, I’d freeze in place and pray to get walked. Then, one day, I realized that if I swung the bat, I couldn’t do any worse than I already had. Once I put that epiphany into action, I started hitting on a regular basis and eventually smacked multiple home runs— leading to my addition to the All-Star team that year. Fear also struck me in a big way shortly after medical school. Performing mock physicals on fellow students was one thing, but doing them on real patients was something else entirely. I’ll never forget how scared I was when I did my first full history and physical. I could barely speak to the patient. Although my patient was keenly aware of my nervousness, she was sweet and supportive. “I am absolutely certain that’s the most thorough medical conversation and evaluation I’ve had ever,” she said. “You did a good job, and you can shorten that up in the future!”
Of course, fear would creep up again — especially when I had to hit a target from a distance just short of a football field. It was the day of my first competition in archery, an activity I enjoyed with my son. Although I had spent plenty of time practicing to hit a 70-meter target, I was informed minutes before the event began that the organizers had been mistakenly entered me into the 90-meter competition. I was scared again! After calming down enough to practice shooting a few arrows at that distance, I eventually heard the “thud” of the arrow hitting somewhere on the target. At that moment, I knew I could do it for real. If I ever have to hit a 90-meter target again, my first thought will be, “Okay, I’ve got this!” Fear is inevitable, but surrendering to it is optional. Think of your comfort zone as a big circle that surrounds you. You may rub up against it occasionally, but you usually stay within it. When you face your fears, you stretch that circle wider, increase your confidence, and become more resilient. The trick is anticipating a trigger, studying that particular dilemma, and doing the prep work necessary to confront it.
Want to keep the spirit of National Face Your Fears Day with you all year long? My advice is simple: Think about things you’ve been afraid to say, do, tackle, or engage in — and then throw caution to the wind and go for them!
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EUROPE’S MOST EXCLUSIVE ESCAPES FROM SNOWY VILLAGES TO YEAR-ROUND HOLIDAY CHEER
STARS SHARE THEIR SLEEP ADVICE
EVA MENDES If you want to sleep like a baby — or like Eva Mendes — you might want to pick up a white noise machine. These devices help you drift to sleep on a wave of peaceful background noise. GWYNETH PALTROW We are all guilty of having a late-night snack from time to time. You know you’re in trouble when you are down to just Cap’n Crunch Oops! All Berries cereal in the pantry, and you’re still making yourself a bowl out of sleepy boredom. But that midnight munching impacts your sleep more than you may realize. That is why actress and business owner Gwyneth Paltrow has taken to eating an early dinner to prepare herself for bed. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that eating within three hours of bedtime increases the chance you will wake up in the middle of the night by about 10%. Eating more than three hours before bedtime may be very helpful if you want uninterrupted rest.
Have you ever struggled to fall back asleep after being awoken by the incessant barking of your neighbor’s chihuahua? How about those nights when your mind is too busy replaying every embarrassing memory of yours on a loop rather than drifting off into unconsciousness? If you sometimes find it hard to get to sleep, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 15% of adults have trouble falling asleep. Some of those adults are celebrities, and they have great tips to help us get to sleep! OPRAH WINFREY The entrepreneur and television personality Oprah Winfrey has a tried-and-tested method for ensuring a good night’s rest: a hot bath. Science agrees! According to a study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, a warm shower or bath can improve sleep duration, efficiency, and quality. You don’t need Oprah’s billions to help you sleep soundly — just fill the bathtub with warm, sudsy water!
THROUGH A PATIENT’S EYE
Inside Kathy’s Surgical Journey
“Dr. Scott was a tremendous help to me after a squamous cell carcinoma appeared on my right eyelid. Removing the cancer in such a delicate area involved a Mohs surgery followed by reconstruction. During my consultation with Dr. Scott, he thoroughly explained the various approaches he could take to reconstruct my eyelid. It was nice of him to walk me through his process and detail what he would do based on the results of the dermatologist’s Mohs surgery. He assured me that the Mohs surgeon would work to preserve as much of my eyelid skin as possible to help with the subsequent reconstruction. It was reassuring to have someone guide me through all the steps. Everyone in his office was friendly and very easy to talk to, and they coordinated everything with my Mohs surgeon. “The Mohs procedure took about six hours. From there, I went to the hospital to meet with Dr. Scott. In the pre-op room, he went over the reconstruction process in depth. He made me feel comfortable and answered every question I had. I felt at ease when the sedatives put me under.
“The surgery was straightforward and successful. Despite leaving with about 70 stitches in my eyelid, I’m healing quickly. My vision is improving, and my prescription hasn’t needed any drastic changes. My next follow- up appointment with Dr. Scott happens this month, and I can’t wait to update him on my progress. All in all, the entire experience has been smooth and worry-free. “Best of all, my friends say they can’t tell that I had anything done to my eyelid. It’s pretty amazing that Dr. Scott was able to correct such a large opening. He even saved my eyelashes! I appreciate everything he did to make my eyelid look and feel new again.” –Kathy Moran
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How to Manage Styes and Recurring Chalazions Drop the Droop!
BRIGHTEN YOUR EYELIDS WITH ‘CINDERELLA DROPS’
Do you have a droopy upper eyelid that makes you look sleepy and hurts your confidence in social settings? If so, you have a condition called ptosis — and help is available. If you wish that your eye(s) opened wider, you should know about a solution we call “Cinderella Drops.” More commonly known under the brand name Upneeq, these prescription drops lift your eyelids for several hours before you turn back to the person you were — just like Cinderella! Featuring a low concentration of oxymetazoline hydrochloride that’s gentle on your eyes, Upneeq temporarily solves droopiness by tightening your Müller’s muscle, which functions similarly to a window shade string by controlling how far your eyelid can open. It is the only FDA-approved product of its kind, it also pulls a second muscle — the levator — forward to temporarily raise your eyelids. The drops take about 20 minutes to work and typically keep your eyelid(s) raised for six to eight hours.
who’d like to test drive how their eyelids would appear if they were to proceed with a ptosis surgery.
Upneeq should only be used under a doctor’s supervision, just like all prescription medications. We recommend using it only once a day. Side effects may include eye irritation, temporary blurred vision, and mild headaches. Because it is a stimulant, it should not be used by people who take MAO inhibitors or who have a history of narrow-angle glaucoma or unstable cardiovascular disease. Whether you want a quick way to brighten your look or a glimpse into what a permanent end to droopiness could look like, “Cinderella Drops” are here to give your eyes a brighter look.
We frequently prescribe “Cinderella Drops” to enhance patients’ appearance and visual field. The drops have also been exceedingly helpful to people
Pumpkin Pie French Toast Inspired by AllRecipes.com
INGREDIENTS
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1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil, or as needed 1/2 cup half-and-half 1/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
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to let excess liquid drip back into the bowl, then transfer to the hot skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until done. 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts 8 slices day-old bread Maple syrup, to taste
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A referral is the highest compliment we can receive! Thank you for sending us five referrals this month!
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3 large eggs
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DIRECTIONS
1. Lightly oil a skillet and heat over medium heat. 2. Whisk half-and-half, pumpkin purée, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice together in a bowl. Stir in walnuts until evenly distributed. 3. Place 1 slice of bread in the
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“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” –Winston Churchill
5. Stir batter to redistribute walnuts and repeat with other slices of bread, cooking in several batches if necessary. 6. Serve warm with maple syrup.
bowl and let it soak briefly to coat both sides. Lift bread
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3700 Joseph Siewick Dr., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 620-4300 • EyePlasticMD.com
Inside This Issue
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From Misses to Mastery
2 2 3 3 4
Celebrity Tips for a Better Night’s Rest
On the Mend After Mohs
Inside a Magic Eyelid Lift
Pumpkin Pie French Toast
The Cutthroat Competition Behind Coney Island
THE RIVALRY THAT REDEFINED ENTERTAINMENT CONEY ISLAND’S CUTTHROAT CARNIVAL
RAPID INNOVATION DRIVES CHANGE This competitive spirit drove rapid innovation at Coney Island. Over just a few years, the parks introduced groundbreaking new attractions like the Rotating Barrel, Thunderbolt roller coaster, and the world’s largest Ferris wheel. They transformed the public’s perception of amusement parks, elevating them from sideshows to immersive, technologically advanced experiences. THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN AMUSEMENT PARK The era of Coney Island’s dueling theme parks was short-lived, lasting only from 1904 to 1911, but its impact can still be felt today. The parks’ relentless one-upmanship drove the rapid evolution of the amusement park industry, laying
In the early 20th century, Coney Island was the beating heart of America’s burgeoning amusement park industry. Three rival theme parks — Steeplechase Park, Luna Park, and Dreamland — engaged in fierce, cutthroat competition that dramatically reshaped this iconic destination. A TAWDRY REPUTATION TRANSFORMED Coney Island’s reputation was once far from wholesome. Known as “Sodom by the Sea,” it was considered a tawdry, vice-filled destination. That began to change in 1897 when Steeplechase Park opened. Its founder,
George Tilyou, sought to bring clean fun to the masses, creating a lighthearted atmosphere exemplified by his iconic “Funny Face” caricature. STEALING IDEAS AND UNDERHANDED TACTICS Tilyou’s success soon drew the attention of rival park operators. In 1902, he lured away the founders of the popular “A Trip to the Moon” attraction from the upcoming Luna Park. These underhanded tactics were common, as the parks constantly copied each other’s rides and acts to one-up the competition.
the foundation for the iconic destination Coney Island has become. What began as a vulgar locale became a glittering symbol of American ingenuity and the pursuit of wholesome fun.
While the tactics of these rival parks may have been underhanded, the lasting legacy of their fierce competition is undeniable. The rapid innovations, technological advancements, and shifts in public perception from this crucible of competition continue to shape the amusement park experience today.
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