Greetings and boy, has it been a while. I love writing my blogs and have missed doing so, but things have been busier than expected. The last time I sat down to write a blog, I started by talking about the April eclipse. I never finished that blog, and now the eclipse seems as distant as the complete lunar eclipse in Charleston back in 2017!
In addition to the eclipse, a topic in that unfinished blog was also about self-care in the lead-up to Mother's Day; happy belated Mother's Day, BTW! I was touting the importance of tending to self, which is so important to be able to perform at your best level. Oftentimes we are so busy worrying about and caring for others that we neglect our own well-being. The importance of sleep hygiene, good nutrition, exercise, relaxation, or meditation cannot be over-emphasized for disease prevention. Jeanne and I have been working to provide helpful content on the wellness Instagram page, and we hope you are enjoying the tips!
One of the reasons I have been off the blog grid is that I've experienced some life-changing events, or at least life-changing for my daughter. As many of you know, she has been a collegiate tennis player at the University of Florida for the last 2 years. She has loved Florida, her friends, and roommates, and has excelled in the classroom, but let's just say that the tennis program left a bit to be desired, especially this season. As someone who always preached "don't give up or give in," I had to take a big gulp when my daughter told me she was going to enter the transfer portal. (I've also had to take a crash course in how the transfer portal even works!) After hearing Sophie's reasons, I agreed that the situation at Florida with regards to tennis was untenable. Sometimes doing the same thing over and over is just insanity. To move on is not failure or weakness, but intelligence, strength, and resiliency.
When reflecting on recent events and the transfer portal, my mind, of course, went back to the time that Sophie decided to accept her offer at Florida. It was during Covid. My husband was in the advanced stages of his battle with ALS, shutdowns were everywhere, and college visits were prohibited. NCAA rules were very restrictive due to Covid. It was a crazy time for everyone, but especially for my family, and I realize now how they impacted Sophie's college decision back then. Her decision to leave at this time has filled me with a mixed bag of emotions. I have experienced sadness, frustration, and anger over recent events at Florida as well as fear about what the future looks like. But there is also excitement and hope for the future. The maturity, positivity, and determination displayed by my daughter has made me so proud. I can now attest that the hardest thing we are tasked to do as parents is to let go and hope that our children's decisions work out for them. It's crushing to see our children suffer. Sophie chose Florida, which did not work out from the tennis perspective, but she has developed and grown so much, and made such wonderful connections and friends, that by no means was that decision a mistake (albeit difficult at times). I look forward to what the future holds!
Sophie was not alone in being impacted by Covid during the college application process. Studies are now coming out about the degree of grade inflation that has emerged post-Covid. It seems as though our educational systems have been forever changed. While we may not think about Covid as we go through our daily lives anymore, the effects of Covid are everywhere. Another reason that I have been on a hiatus from the blog is that I have been pretty busy with patient care. I have been doing some more reconstructive work in conjunction with one of the area's best thoracic surgeons. I have been honored to help her with some very challenging cases. She and I have talked about the complexity of the cases she is seeing, and she has been left to wonder whether these new findings are Covid related, due to the new immunologic cancer therapies, or both. Regardless, bizarre findings are emerging. It does make you scratch your head.
The ability to assist with these big reconstructive cases has also made me appreciate what an incredible specialty plastic surgery is. The field of plastic surgery encompasses the whole body, head to toe, and addresses both cosmetic and reconstructive concerns. The patients are of all demographics (all ages, backgrounds, etc.), and I have learned so much from my patients through the years. I am humbled and honored to be a plastic surgeon. As we go into Memorial Day weekend, I must mention all of our military personnel who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us and our freedom. As we enjoy our BBQs and boat rides this weekend, I hope we don't forget to honor all of those heroes who deserve our highest praises. God Bless America! And to show my appreciation, please see the attached special/flash sale!
Please follow us on social media since sometimes we only post flash sales on those sites!
'Til next time,
Heidi Williams
PS: can't leave without a song for the week. It was one of my husband's favorites. Rusted Root - Send Me On My Way. This song came to me and maybe it was some sort of a sign from above.
I also came across these when tidying up his study this weekend. It made me chuckle. As a diehard Gamecock, he always hated the Gators!
PPS: and if you're looking for a little inspiration, click below for a little something from Matthew McConaughey!
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