Check out our November newsletter!
November 2021
A collection of thoughts and stories to educate, entertain and inspire. THE BIGTURKEY DITCH DISASTER NEVER A DULL MOMENT AT OUR FAMILY’S THANKSGIVING! P ACKARD P RESS K E The
I come from a family with 13 siblings, so it’s only right that we divvy up the cooking on Thanksgiving. Usually, each of us brings a few favorite dishes to the table each year, and we take turns handling the turkey. As the youngest boy of the
as pretty as what you see in the magazines, but the meat fell right off the bone — no carving necessary — and was a real treat to eat! That success made me feel like the Gordon Ramsay of
my hopes up for some applause, but when I unwrapped the foil and bag, everyone collectively shouted, “Eww!” There it was, a pink, melted mess of half- cooked turkey. I had hope that all was not lost since there were two more turkeys. Sadly, all three were disasters! Fortunately, someone had brought a ham and we had
plenty of sides to go around. The nephews ran the birds over to various family ovens, and we ended up eating turkey alongside dessert that year. I haven’t tried a pit turkey since that fateful Thanksgiving, but I think I’ll be able to do it right next time. My problem wasn’t the pit or the number of turkeys. It turns out that frozen turkeys take much, much longer to cook.
family, the bird doesn’t often wind up on my list, but a few years ago, I volunteered to take it on — mistakenly, it turns out! My confidence came courtesy of my wife’s brother Alan. You see, the previous year, my wife and I had visited all her family in Arizona for Thanksgiving. Alan enjoys cooking, and like me, he’s always up for doing things the hard way if it results in a better meal. So, we joined forces to make a ridiculously complicated Thanksgiving turkey. I’m pretty sure he was inspired by the way Hawaiians cook up whole pigs at their luaus. We started by digging a 4-foot pit outside in the dirt and lighting a bonfire at the bottom. When it burned down to coals, we wrapped the bird in a heatproof bag to seal in the juices, trussed it up in tin foil (the Hawaiians use banana leaves, but I have more faith in Reynolds Wrap), and tangled the bundle in a big ball of chicken wire. Lastly, since we were going to bury the bird, we attached a straightened-out coat hanger as a handle. When we were finished, the thing looked like a giant silver cherry! Alan lowered it into the ground by its stem, then we covered it with dirt and let it cook for more than 10 hours. Come dinner time, we dug out our prize to discover an absolutely wonderful turkey! It didn’t look
turkey wrangling. So, of course, the next year, I volunteered to cook all the turkeys for the big Packard family Thanksgiving here in Texas. I planned to use the same method for the three turkeys, and I recruited some nephews to help me out. Right away, things didn’t go quite according to plan. The night before Thanksgiving, we started digging (it
takes way longer to dig a trench than it does a pit!). We were out in the yard with battery- powered spotlights, and we finally finished wrapping and burying the birds around 4 a.m. That meant that instead of cooking for 10–12 hours, the birds only had about eight hours on the coals before we had to dig them up for the noon feast.
Ever since then, I’ve only been in charge of carving the turkey. If people are lucky, I bring in a pot of my turkey gumbo. It’s always a hit, and I’m happy to share the recipe. Just email me at Newsletter@packardfirm.com .
If you’re on turkey duty this year, I hope you pull it off better than I did!
Win a FREETurkey for YourThanksgiving Table! Turn to Page 3 to learn how to enter the Packard Law Firm turkey giveaway. There are three birds up for grabs!
Michael Packard Personal Injury Attorney
As family members arrived, I answered endless questions about the turkey and
saw their apprehension. When it was time for the big reveal, everyone gathered around the trench in anticipation. My heart was pounding as I dug up the first bird. I had
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This Helpful Robot Could Reduce Your Knee Pain Meet the Ascend Wearable Robotic Knee Orthosis Fifty years ago, folks expected 2021 to feature flying cars and food pills — but did they predict knee robots? We don’t think so! Defying expectations, the San Francisco-based company Roam Robotics debuted a brand-new smart knee brace this summer that could be a game-changer for knee osteoarthritis patients. Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that impacts millions of people every year. Major symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, and a lack of mobility. Leg braces have long been an option to help reduce that pain by taking pressure off the joint, but the Ascend Wearable Robotic Knee Orthosis isn’t just a brace. It’s a “wearable robot” that takes the benefits of a brace to the next level. Where other braces are static, this smart brace uses algorithms to predict wearer actions and adjust itself throughout the day for maximum pain relief. It also has a lightweight carbon fiber shell, rechargeable batteries, a smartphone-like display, and built-in sensors that “detect user intention in real time to extend and flex the knee and help overcome weakness through precise stabilization.” One clinical study showed the Ascend reduced the pain of knee osteoarthritis patients by 46% on average, and another found more than 65% of participants experienced improved mobility with the brace. It’s a potential substitute for knee replacement surgery. The downside of the Ascend is its cost. According to PCMag, the brace will go for $7,000, although 50%–100% of that cost should be covered by Medicare or private insurance. Still, it is exciting to see a high-tech device come on the market for osteoarthritis sufferers, who could use it alongside physical therapy and other treatments. The future really is here, and it’s likely more companies will follow in Roam’s footsteps. As Roam Robotics CEO Tim Swift told NPR, “I believe we have the ability to change the relationship that people have with robots on a scale that has really never been considered. Our goal is not to build cyborgs. It’s to make people more human than they ever were before.”
Santa Goes to the Dark Side
HowWe Helped Our Client Beat a Liar No one wants to get in a car wreck. But if you do wind up in one, the last person you want on the other side of your steering wheel is a liar. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to our client Faith Martinez. On the day of the crash, Faith was less than a mile from home. She was sitting at a red light, patiently waiting for it to turn green, when it happened — a giant lifted truck careened into her rear bumper. “My back end was completely crushed,” she remembers. Luckily (or so she thought), the person who crashed into her was a nice older man who looked just like Santa Claus. “I wasn’t hurting at the time; I was mostly in shock because I was in an accident, and he was like, ‘We don’t have to call the cops or anything! Everything is good. I’ll just give you my information and you can give me yours,’” Faith recalls. Faith was stunned when her insurance company called her days later. The man had reached out to them — and claimed the crash was Faith’s fault! He even demanded she pay for repairs to his truck.
Faith called us for help, and we committed 110% to helping her navigate this unfortunate situation.
“From the very beginning, Packard was so sweet to me. They called me when I went to my appointments and sent appointment reminders. They were so awesome from the beginning, and they stayed that way through the whole process. They went over every little detail to help me understand what was going on and kept me in the loop, even calling just to check on me,” Faith says.
It was the least we could do! After months of fighting, we won Faith’s case and argued for the maximum compensation.
“Packard never stopped caring, they never stopped trying, and they really wanted what was best for me. Even when it came down to the end, right before I signed my final papers, the team was like, ‘We’ll get you more [money]; we’ll fight harder.’ They did, and we won!” she says.
This summer, the FDA approved the brace, and it should be for sale this winter. To learn more, visit Ascend.health .
Today, Faith is back to her normal life and driving her dream car — a Dodge Challenger. Even against liars, justice always wins out!
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Enter OurThanksgiving Giveaway Today WIN A FREETURKEY FOR YOURTABLE!
Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without a turkey at the center of the table. However, sometimes getting your hands on a bird can be expensive and complicated, especially if you’re dealing with an injury or illness. To make things a bit easier for you this holiday season, our office is giving away THREE Thanksgiving turkeys, absolutely free! There’s just one catch. To enter, we ask that you share three things you’re grateful for this year, one for each turkey in the giveaway! You can put your name in the hat by texting your thankful list to 210-756-5399 or emailing us at Thanksgiving@PackardFirm.com . Just make sure you do it before Sunday, Nov. 21 ! Once you send in your entry, keep an eye on your phone or email (whichever you used to contact us) and our Facebook page
for an announcement of the winners. We’ll draw names on Monday, Nov. 22, and work with you to ensure you get your turkey by Thanksgiving. You can find us on Facebook at Facebook. com/ThePackardLaw Firm .
You can learn more about those organizations at SAFoodBank.org, OperationTurkey.com/ Locations/San-Antonio , and RaulJimenezDinner. com , respectively. If you don’t need assistance, consider giving back with a donation or by volunteering.
This season we can share our thanks by giving. So let’s spread that
If you don’t happen to win one of our turkeys, all isn’t lost. You have a few other ways to access a low- or no-cost Thanksgiving dinner in our area. The San Antonio Food Bank provides thousands of turkey dinners to low-income families every year. You can also look to the San Antonio branch of Operation Turkey or the nonprofit Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner.
love around.
Remember, entering our giveaway is as easy as sharing what you’re thankful for. Text your list to 210-756-5399 or email Thanksgiving@ PackardFirm.com . Your three things can be as simple as “friends, family, and queso” or as detailed as you like. Good luck!
TAKE A BREAK
ROASTED TURKEY
Impress your Thanksgiving guests with this perfectly roasted — and easy — turkey!
Ingredients
1 whole turkey, thawed
vegetable broth
• •
2 cups chicken or
Salt and pepper to taste
•
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. 2. Remove packaging and giblets from inside of the turkey. 3. Place the turkey in a broiling pan breast-side up and rub it with salt and pepper. Pour the broth around the turkey. 4. Place the pan in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 F. Turkey should cook for 12–15 minutes per pound, typically 3–4 hours. 5. Remove the turkey from the oven every 45 minutes and baste it with the broth. 6. Once finished, let the turkey rest for 15–20 minutes before carving and serving.
Cider Cornucopia
Gathering Pies Pilgrims Scorpio
Stuffing Thankful Tradition Veterans
Feast Gales
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1100 NW Loop 410, Ste 100 San Antonio, TX 78213 210-756-5399 | PackardFirm.com/newsletter
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The Big Turkey Ditch Disaster This Helpful Robot Could Reduce Your Knee Pain Take That, Santa! The Packard Family Is Here to Help Your Family Personal Injury Social Security Disability Car Accidents Special Needs Planning
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Win a FREE Turkey for Your Table! Roasted Turkey The Benefits of Positive Relationships
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GOOD FOR MIND AND HEALTH The Benefits of Positive Relationships
Longer Lives Studies have actually shown that when people are involved in positive relationships, they live longer. This is likely attributed to decreased stress, as stress can exact a toll on the entire body. Positive relationships can also encourage us to give up negative habits such as drinking or smoking, which cause many health problems and concerns. Healthy habits can help people live longer lives. Quicker Healing Positive people in our lives can distract us from pain, remind us to take medication, be our advocates, and simply reduce stress. And less stress means healing takes place faster. Those who have a support person feel more confident and prepared to undergo surgeries and fight illnesses as well. Boosted Immune Systems It makes sense — people who have less stress have stronger immune systems. During times of high stress, our bodies are more susceptible to illnesses
because our immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. The stress hormone corticosteroid can also lower the number of lymphocytes available to fight infection. However, when we are in a happy and loving relationship, our bodies produce oxytocin, and we are less likely to get sick. Better Physical Shape Being in a positive relationship, especially a romantic one, can provide the motivation to be the best version of ourselves. This includes our physical condition, too! Having a friend or workout partner to encourage accountability and even push us out of our comfort zone a bit at the gym can keep us motivated. Being in a positive, healthy, and happy relationship means we listen to each other, offer advice, openly communicate without judgment, practice respect and trust, and engage in healthy activities together. So, it’s no surprise that positive relationships work wonders for our health and happiness.
Connecting with other humans in a positive way is one of the most profound experiences we have. That positivity is one of the greatest virtues — it’s contagious, and engaging in happy relationships with others is extremely important not only for our minds but also for our health.
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