PATIENT PULSE
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15373 Innovation Dr. #175 | San Diego, CA 92128 | (858) 675-1133 12171 World Trade Dr. | San Diego, CA 92128
The standard imagery surrounding the holidays, at least in this country, is decidedly wintry. Santa wears a warm fur coat and drives a sleigh, after all, and almost every piece of holiday media takes places in chilly environments. It’s “The Polar Express,” not “The Tropical Railway,” and a “winter wonderland,” not a “Shangri-La summer.” For those of us who live a little closer to the equator, it can be enough to create some cognitive dissonance. There is a sense of disorientation if you, like me, are a transplant from more temperate parts of the map. I grew up in New England, and our holidays were set in a world like those of a Norman Rockwell painting, a Bing Crosby song, or a Robert Frost poem without all the dark undertones. We’d wake up early, when it was still bitter cold. My brother and I weren’t allowed to stir our dad until 6 a.m. but we were often up long before that. To pass the time, we went down and stared at the tree, patiently waiting for the moment when our presents would be revealed. One year, I remember we were up at what had to be 3 or 4 in the morning. My mom, dad, or Santa himself had turned the porch light on, illuminating the gently falling snow outside. It was as picturesque as it gets, the stuff of holiday movie magic. So you can imagine the disconnect I felt when I moved to San Diego, and suddenly, December was more likely to surge into the triple digits than fall to freezing. What do you mean we can walk the beach on Christmas morning without needing an Everest-level parka? You’re telling me the best light displays are on boats, not houses? How does Santa even survive down here without passing out from heat stroke? After an adjustment period — at first, I couldn’t even tell that the stores were decorated for the holidays because my brain couldn’t compute a sunny holiday display — I’ve come to realize that while the atmosphere may be THE SUN MAY BE SHINING BUT YOU CAN’T MELT THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT
way, way different, the holiday spirit is the same. During this time of year, people are out on in droves to spread cheer and enjoy the festivities. There are countless San Diego-specific holiday traditions, some of which you can read about on Page 4 of this newsletter. Today, the holidays feel just as natural, and just as magical, with shorts on as they do in a Christmas sweater. I do miss the snow, though. Well, maybe not really. I don’t miss shoveling snow, I don’t miss driving in snow, and I don’t miss its habit of altering plans. Come to think of it, I guess what I really miss is the idea of snow and that moment when you wake up and the blanket of white is perfectly undisturbed, save for maybe a few animal prints trailing off into the distance. Very quickly, though, it becomes brown, salty, and malformed. Perhaps I’m lucky, then, that most of my coldest and snowiest holiday experiences can live on in my memory, where even mountains of snow don’t require any shoveling.
Happy holidays, everyone! Whether you prefer them cold and chilly or sunny and warm, we can all agree that they’re a special time.
–Beth Scalone
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SHARE YOUR WISDOM IN A MEMOIR a memoir can be the perfect way to spend your time. As you gain enough distance from life events to grow useful perspectives, the stage is set for self- discovery and transformation. Even more so, your life experiences can give valuable insights to readers of all ages and circumstances. That’s why biographies and memoirs are such popular genres — reading about real people helps others understand the world and how they can live in it. DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? To get started, pick a theme. Ask yourself these questions, “What message do I want to leave with my readers? What do I want them to feel or understand by reading my words?” From there, select anecdotes that support your theme. Make sure they’re clear and cohesive. Then, write like you would a fictional novel or story. Show, don’t tell, and keep readers invested by having a narrative arc, whether it flows chronologically or jumps back and forth in time. Remember, this is not a time to air dirty laundry; it’s a time to reflect, grow, and share your experiences with the world.
The urge to leave behind a legacy is an inherent human instinct. Whether you accomplish this by raising children, building a successful company, or starting a charitable organization, the desire to share your wisdom should not go unfulfilled. If none of these options work for your lifestyle, writing a memoir may be a good option. A memoir not only tells your story but also passes on the wisdom you’ve gained from your many experiences and offers a unique perspective to inspire future generations. Writing can be a therapeutic exercise at a time when your life may be changing due to retirement or your kids growing up and leaving the house. And because personal reflection is a natural occurrence with age, writing
CONGRATULATIONS, BRITANI QUINDOZA!
Ever wonder how our office works so well? The answer is we have a great team, and we are excited to announce a key member of that team, Britani Quindoza, as our new office manager! You may know her as the friendly voice on the phone or the warm smile at the front desk. We know her as the queen of organization and attention to detail. Britani initially joined the team at North County Water and Sports Therapy Center as a physical therapy aide/front office assistant in 2014. Her interest in physical therapy stemmed from her love of sports and dance. Britani attended college at Cal Poly Pomona in 2008, where she majored in exercise science. In 2014, Britani transferred to Point Loma Nazarene University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in applied health sciences in 2015. Britani likes to say she grew up (professionally) at NCWSTC, going from a physical therapy aide to front office assistant to office manager as of November 2019. Britani was born and raised in San Diego. She grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos where she now raises her own kids. Britani loves all things fun in the sun. She enjoys miniature road trips and outdoorsy adventures with her husband and two kids, and she loves taking her kids to amusement parks, teaching them new sports, having movie nights, going stand-up paddleboarding, and finding different ways to keep her family active all while enjoying the beautiful city they live in.
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A LOOK AT THE MOST COMMON HUMAN AILMENT
Saint Augustine once called physical pain the “greatest evil” known to man. If you think back as early as you can remember, you’ll probably recall painful episodes involving scraped knees and twisted ankles, among many others. While almost everyone can experience physical pain (more on that later), most of us don’t know a lot about the nature of pain. Experiencing physical pain is hardwired into our evolutionary biology, but not all types of pain are the same. Since almost all physical therapy treatment deals with pain, let’s take a moment to demystify the nature of the beast. WHY WE FEEL PAIN “At the most basic level,” states the Mayo Clinic, “pain begins when particular nerve endings are stimulated.” In other words, pain is a type of signal; it’s our brain’s way of communicating that something is wrong. The world is full of dangers capable of causing us serious, irreparable harm, and when we feel pain, we know to leave those dangers alone. A small percentage of people suffer from a congenital insensitivity to pain. While that sounds like a superpower in theory, it’s a nightmare in practice. If you can’t feel pain, you have to be constantly mindful not to do something that could permanently injure or even kill you. 2 TYPES OF PAIN Pain can be categorized in many ways, but one of the most useful distinctions is between acute and chronic pain. Acute
pain occurs from an injury and subsides once that injury heals. In cases of acute pain, our brain tells us that part of our body is physiologically wounded and in need of repair. If we sprain an ankle, we know to avoid walking on it because it hurts to do so. Treating acute pain often involves protecting and encouraging healing in the injured area while strengthening the surrounding muscles for added support. Chronic pain, which lasts indefinitely and can lack a clear cause, is a murkier subject. Chronic pain is undoubtedly real, but diagnosing and treating it requires more guesswork. Sometimes it is the result of an underlying condition, such as arthritis. In others, it is the result of damage to the nerves, a condition known as neuropathy.
No matter how much or what type of physical pain you suffer, physical therapy can likely help get you on the path to feeling less of it.
TAKE A BREAK
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Gingerbread is a holiday classic of the very first order, but it’s often a construction material rather than a treat. This recipe, on the contrary, is purely for eating.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. Grease a loaf pan with canola oil. 3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1/2 cup canola oil, molasses, brown sugar, eggs, ginger, and cranberries. In a separate bowl, sift and combine flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until blended. 4. Scrape batter into loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. 5. Transfer to a rack, let cool for 20 minutes, slice, and serve.
• • • • • • • • • • • •
1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing
3/4 cup unsulphured molasses 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
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Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
Monday—Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (858) 675-1133 www.waterpt.com
15373 Innovation Dr. #175 San Diego, CA 92128
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
A 100-Degree Holiday?!
2
Tell Your Story and Share Your Wisdom
Congratulations, Britani Quindoza!
3
Why We Feel Physical Pain
Cranberry Gingerbread
4
The Holidays, San Diego Style
LOCAL HOLIDAY TRADITIONS HOW SAN DIEGO SPREADS CHEER
GASLAMP HOLIDAY PET PARADE Where: Gaslamp Hilton Park When: Dec. 15, beginning at 12 p.m.
Despite the appearance of some flurries a decade ago, the last time San Diego had measurable snowfall was all the way back in 1967. Needless to say, then, that the holidays down here don’t much resemble the stuff we see on TV and in the movies, at least in terms of the weather. The sun doesn’t melt the holiday spirit as readily as it does snow, though. San Diegans spread cheer in their own unique way, including with these local holiday staples.
a spot at the new rinkside lounge, Frostbite, cheekily dubbed “a place to chill.” Just because we don’t have snow doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the ice. You can find more info and tickets at HotelDel.com/Events/Skating.
San Diego is a hotbed for well-groomed and well-loved pets. On any given day walking through the Gaslamp Quarter, you’ll probably run across a few pooches who have better self-care routines than most humans. But the Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade takes things to an entirely different level. Doggos dressed as Santa? Check. Feline elves? You bet. Cuteness overload? No doubt about it. GasLamp.org/Events/Pet-Parade has all the details.
BALBOA PARK DECEMBER NIGHTS Where: Balboa Park When: Dec. 6–7
By no means a low-key event — the city expects around 400,000 guests over the course of the festival — Balboa Park December Nights is a San Diego institution. Balboa Park has always been a hub for cultural activity in the city, so it’s a fitting setting for such a gathering. You’ll find it all at December Nights, from shopping and food to light displays and live entertainment. As a bonus, all Balboa Park museums are free during December Nights. Head to SanDiego.gov/ December-Nights for all the details.
SKATING BY THE SEA Where: Hotel del Coronado When: Nov. 22, 2019 to Jan. 5, 2020
No offense to Rockefeller Center, but we believe the best holiday skating rink anywhere in the country can be found at the historic Hotel del Coronado. Where else, after all, can you combine beachside views and ice skating, palm trees and holiday tunes? This year, you can also reserve
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Let it snow Let it snow Let it snow
FROM NORTH COUNTY WATER AND SPORTS THERAPY CENTER! Happy Holidays
Somewhere else ...
Although the weather outside is a bit chilly Give up our flip flops … don’t be silly
Holiday cookies are all made But we still need our shades
‘Tis the season for family and friend celebrations With occasional adult libations
As you keep an eye out for Santa’s reindeer We want to wish you love, joy, and good cheer
2020 arrives as the ball drops And when the champagne pops
Confetti is thrown You reflect on how you have grown
So, what is the next test? Making the new year your best!
Love,
Beth, Britani, Ryann, Jan, Leslie, Tori, Chris, and Brooke
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