7'2019- RECALL OF PTSD- Lake Medina Waterski- the day the boat malfunctioned. and ran over Madison's foot

PTSD: I never wrote of this incident before. But, I have flashbacks and major nightmares of that terrible day. . . that terrible accident. 7/2/2018 The boat that I drove Madison on to waterski in Lake Medina malfunctioned and when I went to pick her up the steering column stuck on right and wouldn't turn left no matter how hard I pulled. The exertion and pressure I pulled left on that fucking boat's steering wheel was the hardest I ever pulled. But, it stuck right and as the fates allowed, the only damage to my beautiful Madison. was a 4cm X 2cm thick cut into her heel. She was never hit on the head, no fractures, no damage to her body, neck or head. But, the pain and suffering that caused us in PTSD still haunts us. We rushed to UT San Antonio health system emergency room 50 minutes away and they stitched her heel and she was better. Thank G-d was watching her that day. My beautiful Madison is alive and well in 7th grade and is amazing!!!

COVID -19

It has been a very eerie, weird, long 3 months. After spring break(3-17-2020), schools, work, life has been cancelled. The stock market crashed and made a HUGE recovery. I think people have been realizing that although health is a priority for people around the world, we all need to get back to our lives and LIVE. July 1st, we will find out how schools will reopen on August 17th, for Madison (7th) and Hannah (4th). This is a weird summer as well. We decided not to do overnight camp this year (It would have been Madison's 4th and Hannahs 2nd summer at Lonehollow) But, the camp would have been to stressful for Jacqueline. Instead, it has been the summer of lying around and watching too many internet videos and being lazy. Hopefully, some organized structure in the fall will get everyone back in gear. We need to be learning and education needs to become a priority again.

5/16/2020

I’ve read two books,” On both sides of the wall“ by vladka meed (Jewish harriett Tubman of the ghetto resistance. “The coffee trader” David liss, set in 17th century Amsterdam about a Jewish immigrant from Portugal who was a commodities trader and brought coffee en masse to Northern Europe. He and his family were persecuted by the Iberian monarchs during the Spanish Inquisition of the previous century.

Quarantine 3/17/2020-5/22/2020

We are caught in the middle of a very contagious virus that has crossed the world and infected many in the population in a matter of weeks albeit days. The pandemic is not a particularly virulent to most who may just be minor carriers of the virus to people that go into severe dyspnea(difficuly breathing), fever, and die. The Coronavirus or SARS causes the disease COVID 19. It began in late 11/2019 in Wuhan China where the Chinese government tried to cover it up and quarantined their population to cause some to die. Some fled to Northern Italy and Spain where the contagion spread then to the West coast of US and to NYC. Since 3/6/2020, the US government has shut down EVERYTHING. Schools, business, including all dentists. The problem with this scenario is that the CURE (quarantining people in their homes) has prevented some from catching the disease. However, it has caused big business to stumble, but, many small businesses are going under. The effect has been disasterous on many small businesses in the United States. $350 billion dollars has already been depleted from a program called the Paycheck protection program that I did not receive any money from. I asked for a $27,000 grant out of this for my business to pay my rent and employees and was denied this money, because Amerant bank said the money from the US Treasury ran out. The virus' spike protein attacks the ACE2 receptor. Depending on how much ACE2 receptors you have and if you are taking hypertension meds, that is going to make MORE ace2 receptors and allow more COVID virus to attack those receptors. Therefore, there are more vulnerabilities. Elderly, sick people, asthmatics and heart disease patients are more prone to much more virulent symptoms.

3. Actually, the initial wave of deaths from the pandemic in the first half of 1918 was relatively low. It was in the second wave, from October through December of that year, that the highest death rates were observed. A third wave in spring of 1919 was more lethal than the first but less so than the second. Scientists now believe that the marked increase in deaths in the second wave was caused by conditions that favored the spread of a deadlier strain. People with mild cases stayed home, but those with severe cases were often crowded together in hospitals and camps, increasing transmission of a more lethal form of the virus.

• According to tracking from Johns Hopkins, coronavirus cases surpassed 615,000 worldwide, with more than 28,000 deaths. 3/28/2020 While the 1918 flu pandemic killed 195,000 in the US alone in October ONLY. Are we doing better at social distancing now, is the flu more deadly, is the news media making us more scared? I think all of the above.

Great start to a wonderful spring 2020. Hannah turned 9 and Madison is turning 12 March 24th. We are so excited for these wonderful, sweet caring young ladies. We had a great time at the HLSR 2020 and saw chance the rapper and rode the human slingshot!!! It was amazing! Too bad they shut down the rodeo for the rest of the season due to preventing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID 19). Everything is now being cancelled. And the stock market is crashing and oil is down to $30/barrel. So, yeah, great start to the year! Wow! Hopefully this thing gets contained and the economy can get back on track. TO BE CONTINUED. . . .

Less than one month away from a big 2008 baby turning 12!

Less than one month away from a big 2008 baby turning 12 years old! I am so proud of Madison and all her accomplishments. She is getting so mature! I am so proud to be your daddy!!!

How do I get ready for my dental appointment? 1) Brush and Floss 2) Be Prepared to Ask Dr. Smooke whatever questions I have about my teeth since my last checkup. 3) Note if there are any specific problems I have with my teeth. a. you can email Dr. Smooke at smookedentist@yahoo.com b. write them down old fashioned on a paper c. call 713-974-0900 4) If you are getting ready for a filling or crown etc. be sure to eat beforehand, because you will be numb for an hour or so afterwards.

44th birthday- Jan 8, 2020

It was the best birthday ever. My family, friends and patients are the BEST!!

Happy Holidays with the Smooke's 2019!!!

Well the pictures speak volumes! What a fun, busy exciting few months has been for us!! Between, starting 6th grade (SBMS) and 3rd grade (MDE), fall parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years and in a couple weeks it will be Hannah's 9th birthday with the sparkle bus. (Forgot to mention my Houston half marathon coming up with Mike Larsen and Michael Feinberg on January 19th). So, I hope you enjoy all the fun pictures of our busy, hectic life we've been rushing through. Finally a lazy Sunday today that I can regroup and relax and reflect on all the fun that Jacqueline and I have had with our smart, successful girls these past couple months! So, let's get started: Madison wanted to trick or treat with her friends, Natalie, Sophia and Violet as VSCO girls: So, they had the idea of Madison being the metal straw, one was a VSCO girl , one was a sea turtle(yeah, I had NO IDEA what that was - apparently some TIC TOC thing kind of like '90's girls with scrunchies and save the turtles). Jacqueline and Hannah were with Milana and Allesandra as Zombie VSCO girls. I stayed home and passed out Halloween candy! Thanksgiving we had Auntie Erin, Uncle Mike, Aunt Stacy and Jake in town and took lots of pics (Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving reenactment and fun golf course pics) Girls had so much fun with their 4 yr. old cousin, Jacob! Getting to be such a big boy! Hanukkah was (as expected) chock full of amazing presents, including a Barbie house, more Ken dolls, a Razor scooter and a hoverboard (which they HAVE NOT STOPPED riding). Since the weather has been so nice, we have constantly been outside, heating the jacuzzi, running (25 miles per week), playing with friends, Lauren, Sophia, Jules. Natalie and Hannah's friends Maddie, Riley, Violet. Tons of time with their cousin, Emily! She is getting to be such a big girl. We love spending time with cousins Amira and Erin, too! Hannah loved going to the American Girl store. Christmas was amazing complete with a bubbie and poppa Rich sleepover! Lots of presents under the tree. New Years was spent at home with the Cooks, the Cohens, the Weiners, the Larsens, the Knoblauchs. What a fun time!! 2020 promises to be a great future. Finally we capped it all off with a fun Galveston Sunday with Lala at Pleasure Pier on January 5th, 2020. See fun pictures!