Born in Cuba, my family and I emigrated to the free world as political refugees. I was presented with opportunities to widen my knowledge by learning in five different countries, the Latin American and European cultures in four different languages. My education was both in Florida, and, in the country I resided, which, is eventually where I graduated in Medicine at the Northeastern Catholic University in the Dominican Republic. This was followed by Internal Medicine training at the University of Chicago Cook County Hospital, University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital, and, subsequent training in Cardiology at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Subsequently, I experienced the privilege of caring for seniors in their sixth to ninth decade of life during my practice in Palm Beach followed by a group practice in Fort Smith, Arkansas, a move that was prompted by the creation of a beautiful family.
The transition in medical care from the small-town doctor to the rapid intrusion of managed care is not one that I was able to accept. The result was in addition to the American Board of Medicine certification in Internal Medicine, Certification in Cardiology, and finally, Sleep Medicine Board Certification. With love and dedication, I was blessed to work with a wonderful team and founded one of the few freestanding Sleep Clinics and Sleep Lab centers in the country. This experience convinced me of the need to become more interested and passionate about the entire life cycle of the individual. In other words, a return to becoming more aware of the home life, the quality of their sleep, the family, and occupations that make each of our patients, unique. The insistence in my asking for the presence of the significant other involvement in the initial and subsequent follow-up visits with our patient was a humbling experience that opened my eyes to the need to return the basics, patience, understanding, and communication, frequently altered in this new world of technology and regulations imposed on all medical providers.