Health and Humor Go Hand in Hand

Cover - Health and Humor Go Hand in HandBy Chelsea Pine

After talking with two providers at Cone Health MedCenter Kernersville, I discovered that health and happiness go hand in hand. The secret? According to Cone Health MedCenter doctors Sean Hommel and Thomas Thekkekandam, living well is about being active and enjoying life.

Originally, both Dr. Hommel and Dr. Thekkekandam had different agendas before coming into the world of medicine. Dr. Hommel started with Chemical Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Realizing that his future probably meant sitting behind a desk and working with few people, Dr. Hommel made plans for Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Later, he completed his residency at Wake Forest Family and Community Medicine in Winston-Salem and has since joined Cone Health where he now sees 20 patients a day and is happily on his feet.

Dr. Thekkekandam, on the other hand, had high hopes of being a fighter pilot in the Air Force. Lacking perfect vision, like most of us, brought about a Plan B. Dr. Thekkekandam set new sights on consolidating a career with a passion for fitness. Since studying Biochemistry at UNC Chapel Hill and graduating from Ross University School of Medicine, Dr. Thekkekandam has plunged into sports medicine and orthopedics. Liking the challenge that every single body is different, Dr. Thekkekandam enjoys the ‘art’ of medicine–finding the right approach for the right person.

Both doctors believe in preventive and rehabilitative medicine. This means looking for ways to avoid surgery and prescriptions, given that one’s body gets the attention it requires. First, staying fit and eating right will cancel out a lot of possible problems. This also keeps the body strong, so if injury does occur, the body is able to heal better and faster. Although both doctors have different specialties and patients, their message stays consistent. Below, I put these doctors to the test and got to know a little more about the guys in the scrubs.

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Q:  What drew you to Kernersville?

Dr. T:  I interviewed at several practices, but I wanted to do both primary care and sports medicine, which is what Cone Health offered. Another advantage was that I was born and raised in Greensboro, so Kernersville was an easy segue for me.

 

Dr. H:  I liked the idea of working in a suburban area. I grew up in a small town, a quarter of the size of Kernersville, so I desired going back to a sense of community. Kernersville gave me just that.

 

Q:  If there was one thing you could tell or ask of your patients, what would it be?

Dr. T:  Right, understand that there is nothing you could ask, expose, or tell us that we have not already seen. So please do not be embarrassed.

 

Dr. H:  Besides arriving 15 minutes before your appointment? I’m kidding, but always feel free to seek our help. We are up for anything.

 

Q: What is the secret to living a long life?

Dr. T:  Stay active, try not to be stressed and overwhelmed by what life throws at you.  And of course, keep up to date on screening measures recommended by your physicians.

Dr. H:  I would actually like to change that question. It is more quality vs quantity. Focus on being optimistic. We can control how we perceive our world and that will lead to a better quality life.

Q: What is your best advice for your patients and the general public?

Dr. T:  Again, remain active because staying conditioned will help keep you from getting injured.

 

Dr. H:  Surround yourself with supportive and positive people–and work for Cone Health. (joke)

Q:  What is your favorite past-time activity to do in Kernersville?

Dr. T: I enjoy cruising around and going to car shows, which Kernersville actually has a lot of.

 

Dr. H: I like indulging in Prissy Polly’s BBQ. Before Cone Health, I came to Kernersville for my rotations, but on the weekends I would drive back from Winston just to eat there.

 

Q: What is the funniest thing you have been asked as a doctor?

Dr. H:  I was asked by a mother if I would go rough up her son because he had been disrespecting her.  That is not quite my job.

 

Dr. T:  Right, then send him over to my sports medicine office! I had a couple of 70-year-old women request that I wear bright red scrubs only when they came to see me.

Q: And did you wear the bright red scrubs?

Dr. T:  Yes, I did–and they continued to come back. Surround yourself with happiness!

 

Q: What has been your favorite memory at Cone Health MedCenter Kernersville?

Dr. H:  It was my first week here. At the end of the day I get to my car to find a parking ticket from security threatening that I would be towed if I did not register my car. So I rushed back inside and found my colleagues cracking up. I discovered that my new office family had a great sense of humor that thankfully continues to keep things interesting on a daily basis.

 

Dr. T:  As for my favorite moment, this would probably be graduation from sports medicine fellowship, knowing I had the world ahead and that formal training was finally over after 12 years!

 

Speaking with these two just goes to show, in the chaotic world that doctor’s offices attract, even those with the greatest pressure can remain light-hearted and strong-hearted. Health and happiness can certainly be acquired–you just have to work on it every day. Keeping your body active, if only for an hour a day, can benefit your muscles and bones, but also releases stress and increases happiness.

Certain measures and routines can make a huge difference as we age. Walking outdoors will give you cardio, fresh air, and a greater sense of being as you take pride in the quaint town that we call home.

Cone Health MedCenter Kernersville offers a wide range of services which include: family medicine, sports medicine, women’s healthcare, heart care, outpatient rehabilitation, oculofacial plastic surgery, neurosurgery, lab and advanced imaging services, as well as behavioral and occupational health. Call 336.992.1770 or visit www.MedCenterKernersville.com to learn more about Cone Health Primary Care. The office is located at 1635 NC Hwy 66 South, near Bishop McGuinness High School. The primary care office at MedCenter Kernersville is open five days a week and treats a variety of ailments from colds that will not go away, to sports medicine concerns like dislocated shoulders.

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