The Palisadian-Post presents an homage to Will Rogers’ column, “Will Rogers Says,” with a column by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne—on life in the “greatest town in America.”

‘Teachers’

Six months ago at Veterans Gardens, the plants weren’t green enough. Weren’t full enough.

We brought in a new landscaper. An artist’s soul. We walked through the garden. He put his weathered hands deep in the dirt.

He said our garden didn’t need new plants. We needed better soil. He said it’s all about the soil. He said with great soil, plants can blossom beyond their wildest dreams.

——–

This morning I walked through that same garden. It’s now beaming with green, lush, full-of-life plants.

I was pulled back in time to the soil in a different garden. Grade school days.

When my parents went to year-end parent-teacher conferences at St. Francis Xavier, my brother and I preemptively layered on a thick stack of underwear under our pajamas, covering our rumps—preparing for the bad news that was sure to walk in that door.

My third-grade class? Three classrooms. Forty-six kids in each one. They hadn’t invented air conditioners yet.

My parents sat me down at home.

They told me my teacher, Mrs. Husfield, said she moved my seat across the room so I’d stop staring out the window all day long.

She told my parents she didn’t know what to do with me.

She said she was on the fence about either recommending holding me back a year—or having me skip a grade.

A few days later in class, in a quiet moment, Mrs. Husfield came up behind me at my desk.

She whispered in my ear, “You keep looking out that window. I have a feeling you’re going to find what you’re looking for.”

Never forgot that.

——–

My creative writing teacher in high school, John Wheeler, gave me an F on my first paper. He told me safe gets me an F in his class.

Told me to write something that looked like a mirror. Opened my eyes to the essence of creativity.

——–

Down the river at college at the University of Kentucky. A sophomore biology professor stood in front of our class and said he was a teacher so he could tell this one story a year.

Showed us a picture of a scab.

Told us how it worked. How you cut your arm and an army from your body somehow, some way, all gather on that very spot to do its work.

First, the army builds a tent over the scab. Then they get to work. They call in the “medics” squad in your body. They see what’s wrong, talk about it, fix it and stitch up the cut. No medicines necessary.

After they’re all done, they bring back the crew to tear down the tent over the scab.

Down comes the tent, and you’re good as new.

He said, “There, right there. There’s the wonder of life. There’s a Picasso. Right on your arm.”

He was a doorway to a lifetime gift of searching for that wonder in the boundless treasure chest of science.

——–

And the richest bed of soil? Right in my own childhood home, selflessly tilled by my mom and dad.

The lover and the boxer.

A dad who would look us seven kids in the eyes as we walked out the back door—and say like he was Russell Crowe in “Gladiator,” “Be a Dunne.”

And a mom who would walk me to my bike, kiss me on the head and tell me to “be kind.”

My mom said that the greatest two gifts a parent can give their child are love, and greatest of them all—respect.

——–

Teachers sure come in all shapes and sizes. Brothers, sisters, friends, coaches, co-workers, authors, bosses, gardeners.

The great ones steer our lives.

Just enough that we barely know it, but just enough to make all the difference.

It seems to me most teachers teach nouns.

You know, like the names on the doors and books. The main thing they make you do is memorize stuff. The better you memorize it, the better grades you get.

The great teachers teach you verbs.

To dream. To find the wonder. To open your eyes—and reach. They take a book and make it about you. Your story.

And the rare, really great ones make you discover someone in you—who you didn’t even know you were.

——–

If you wouldn’t mind, I hope you take a moment right now.

Thirty seconds.

I’ll start my watch.

Try to look back at those teachers—in your remarkable journey.

And give thanks for our rich, rich soil—right under our feet.

Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com or jimmydunne.substack.com.

By DAMON RASKIN, M.D. | Special to the Palisadian-Post

Q:I was recently diagnosed with sciatic nerve pain. Most days I am able to do most of my regular things, but sometimes, like when walking, the pain seems to catch up with me. What are some things I can do to manage the pain?

I just saw a 53-year-old male patient last week who came to see me because of a sharp, shooting pain starting at his left buttock and traveling down his left leg all the way to his foot. This pain had been going on for the last two weeks, and he would get “electrical shock” sensations intermittently depending on his activity, with occasional numbness and tingling in the leg. This description is classic for sciatic nerve pain.

Sciatic pain is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve, which is the longest nerve in the body. It runs from the lower back through the hips, buttocks and down each leg.

Managing sciatic pain effectively requires a combination of treatments that address both the symptoms as well as getting to the underlying cause of the condition. This type of pain is a manifestation of a larger issue, such as a herniated disc in the back or other spine conditions, including spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease.

I have seen many patients with this condition over the years, and the pain can range from mild to so severe that it impedes their activities of daily living.

For immediate relief, it is important to modify your activities to avoid aggravating the situation. Short periods of rest can help, but prolonged inactivity can worsen the pain.

Instead, engage in light activities, and avoid sitting or standing for extended periods. Use a comfortable chair with proper lumbar support and avoid lifting heavy objects, like your 6-year-old child.

Applying cold packs can reduce inflammation and numb the sharp pain associated with sciatica, but I find cold therapy works best in the first 48 hours after pain onset. After that, switching to heat therapy, such as a heating pad or a hot tub, can help relax tight muscles and improve blood flow to the area.

As far as medications are concerned, a good first step is to try over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines such as Advil or Aleve. Tylenol may also be a helpful adjunct, but always speak to your healthcare provider before taking anything to see if these medications are OK for you to try.

Long-term management of sciatic pain would include physical therapy and stretching exercises. A good physical therapist is adept at creating a personalized exercise program to strengthen the muscles supporting your spine, improve flexibility and reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve. Core strengthening exercises can also stabilize the lower back and help prevent future flare-ups.

Maintaining good posture is crucial in managing sciatic pain, and ergonomic adjustments in the workplace, such as using a standing desk or special chairs, may help reduce lower back strain.

While most cases of sciatica improve with conservative treatment, please seek medical attention if the pain persists more than a few weeks, worsens over time or is accompanied by severe symptoms such as severe weakness of the leg, or bowel or bladder incontinence. In these more severe cases, treatments may include steroid injections into the spine, nerve blocks or even surgery.

As you can see, managing sciatic pain effectively requires a balanced approach that includes both immediate relief strategies and long-term management techniques. Speak to your healthcare provider for the perfect plan for your case, as no two patients are the same.