- Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt was a typical evening as Amanda Brady chatted with her 16-year-old and eldest of three children, Lee. As the two sat in Lee’s room talking and sharing laughs, Amanda spotted a Post-It note stuck to the wall. Small, handwritten scribbles outlined some of the goals Lee wanted to accomplish that year. One goal in particular stood out to Amanda. It read, “Come out as pansexual by the end of the school year.” “I was totally confused because I had no idea what pansexual meant,” Amanda recalls. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), pansexual describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction of people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Soon after this, Lee asked his family to refer to him by the gender-neutral pronoun “they” while also noticeably becoming more isolated and depressed. The turning point It was during senior year of high school when Lee started self-harming and was eventually hospitalized because of suicidal ideation. “The hospitalization was rock bottom for our family, but it was also a blessing in disguise,” says Amanda. In talking with a counselor at the hospital, Lee opened up about identifying as transgender. While there, Lee, who was born female, also firmly stated that he wanted to be referred to as “he” or “they” and changed his name from Liana to Lee. “My husband and I were willing to support him in whatever he wanted to do,” says Amanda. “We told him that we loved him whether they were ‘her’ or ‘him.’” Amanda, who works as a clinical director of nursing at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), was determined to support her son and help him get through this dark time. Amanda says her family sought therapy, got Lee treatment for depression and anxiety and found an endocrinologist to start him on testosterone. “It hurt my feelings when I found out,” Amanda says admittedly, “but I never said I didn’t want him to be a boy. I always said I wanted him to be happy and that I would help the best way I could.” Amanda also joined AAMC’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender, Queer, Intersex or Asexual (LGBTQIA) Business Resource Group, a group of employees who joined together based on shared characteristics or life experiences. She wanted to glean from others ways she could better support her son. “The easiest part for me was when he cut his hair and started wearing male clothes because growing up I was a tomboy,” Amanda laughs as she reflects. “The hardest part was not knowing how to help him through the emotional state. He didn’t want to open up at all because he thought we wouldn’t understand.” Acceptance, communication and support Danny Watkins grew up in a small community in Allegany County and was raised in a traditional Catholic family. He told his parents he was gay when he was 15. To his dismay, he was faced with unacceptance and was unwillingly ‘outed’ to the rest of his family members. Traumatized, Danny tried not to be gay for the next two years to cope with pressure at home. At age 17, his family found out he was dating a boy and the family discord from years before resumed. “I felt very isolated and lonely,” he recalls. “It’s as if I were a giant air balloon that couldn’t fit in any situation. I was just barely functioning and trying to get through the day. I didn’t have the support I needed at home so I relied heavily on my friends. They became my support system I needed to survive until the relationship with my family started to slowly get better over the next couple years.” Danny pursued a career in nursing, moved out at 19 and worked at an inpatient psychiatric unit. He is now the director of clinical operations at Pathways, AAMC’s substance abuse and mental health treatment facility. “Working in mental health has really opened my eyes to suicidality in the LGBTQ community.” Four in 10 LGBT youth say the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBT people, according to the HRC which surveyed more than 10,000 LGBT-identified youth ages 13-17. An estimated 26 percent of LGBT youth say problems they face include not feeling accepted by their family, having trouble at school or with bullying, and coming out or being open. Danny advises parents with an LGBTQ child to work on acceptance first. “You should always support your child and try to approach them from a non-judgmental place,” he says. He also recommends keeping the lines of communication open and meeting your child’s friends as important steps to take. “Reassure your child that you love them and that you support them, no matter who they are inside.” Danny also advises parents to find a good support system by joining local support groups and finding a counselor in the school or community who can provide support and resources. Silver lining Amanda and her husband have fully accepted their son’s decision to come out as transgender. Amanda is also observing Lee becoming more comfortable with himself. Lee is currently a freshman in college. She says he is growing facial hair for the first time. “He has really blossomed,” she adds. Even as someone who has an LGBT child, Amanda admits she still doesn’t know all there is to know about the community but is committed to furthering her understanding so she can continue to support her son. “If you isolate your child because you don’t see eye to eye, that’s a very boring and lonely existence to live,” she says. “Love your child for who they are, that’s the bottom line.” Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists offers care for diverse mental health needs for adults and children ages six years and older. For more information, visit myAAMG.org/mental-health-specialists.0
- Senior CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBeing a caregiver is an important and demanding job. As the level of care your loved one needs increases, it may be time to consider whether a nursing home is the next logical step. “Each situation is unique,” says AAMC Associate Chair of Medicine Jeanette Abell, MD. “It depends a lot on the person, family, overall condition and symptoms. In general, it might be time if there are home safety issues, problems with falling or needs beyond what the caregiver can provide.” It may also be time to consider a nursing home or extra support if you are experiencing burnout as a caregiver. Caregiver burnout can include feelings of frustration or anxiety, physical illness or negative impacts on your other relationships. “These situations are never easy. One of the most important things is letting caregivers know that it’s OK to ask for help,” says Dr. Abell. It’s normal to feel stressed, guilty or anxious. It’s important to get appropriate support for what you need. You can’t continue to be a caregiver if you are not healthy yourself. If it doesn’t seem like quite the right time to move your loved one to care outside the home, Dr. Abell notes that there are several options to consider. She suggests adding support in “layers.” These could include making sure your house is safe, having someone to go grocery shopping or cook meals, or putting in place an alert system to notify the right people if your loved one falls. There are also adult daycare facilities, where older adults can go during the day for socialization, recreation, meals, and occupational or physical therapy. When possible, Dr. Abell suggests discussing your loved one’s wishes ahead of time. Have a conversation with your loved one and write down who should make healthcare decisions when he or she is unable to do so. Additionally, you may want to research and visit care facilities in your area, so you are prepared before a crisis strikes. “There is a real disconnect in the importance of these conversations and who is actually having them,” says Dr. Abell. “That’s why it’s important to have these conversations before a crisis. I like to refer to them as ‘kitchen table conversations.’” Author Jeanette Abell, MD, is the AAMC Associate Chair of Medicine. Originally published Dec. 5, 2016. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.0
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs access to electronics continues to grow among teens and preteens, there’s a disturbing trend that some have dubbed the “hate virus”: cyberbullying. “Cyber bullying is very dangerous because it often occurs in silence. Many times kids are cyber bullied starting at a young age and it can go on for years without parents being aware of the torment that their child is going through,” says Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists. “It is extremely important for parents to be aware of their child’s online activities, including who they are speaking to, where they met these people, and do they know them in real life. “Parents should consistently check in with children regarding online activities to make sure they are safe, and to allow children an opportunity to share with them information about what is happening in their cyber world and if anything or anyone is causing them to feel depressed or anxious,” she says. “This is an epidemic,” concurs Doyle Batten, supervisor of school security for Anne Arundel County Schools. Doyle says that around-the-clock online access means victims can’t escape their tormentors after school, and that nearly all of the physical confrontations he sees at school can be traced to online interactions. “From a mental health standpoint and from a violence-prevention standpoint this is the most urgent thing I’ve seen.” Parents and guardians are the most important safeguards against cyberbullying fallout. That means being equipped to step in well before teasing, taunts or intimidation create a life-threatening problem. Here are some ways to keep on top of potential problems: How to help your child avoid cyberbullying • Awareness and access: As adolescents have near-universal online access, it may be more realistic to monitor their online use rather than to deny access. Be aware of the social media sites your child uses, and make sure you have passwords to accounts and devices. • Communicate: Have regular, open-ended conversations about online activities with your child, and discuss responsible online behavior, such as never sharing personal information and that what you post may stick around forever. • Encourage reporting: Young people should feel safe talking about cyberbullying, whether they are being victimized or someone they know is. Explain to younger children that reporting cyberbullying isn’t tattling. • Know the signs: A sudden drop in grades, frequent illness, withdrawing from friends or school activities, sleep and appetite changes, and extreme irritability are all warning signs that something is wrong. It could be cyberbullying. What to do if your child is a victim of cyberbullying • Listen: Some mean or hurtful attacks may not seem serious to an adult, but they can be very serious to a young person. Victims need to feel heard. • Question: Without judging, ask open-ended questions to understand the underlying cause. • Report: Contact a teacher, school counselor and/or administrator. If the bullying involves physical threats or is sexual in nature, it should be reported to the police. • Understand the law: Cyberbullying doesn’t always rise to the level of a crime. If you think it may, talk to the police or a school safety officer for guidance. In cases of sexually suggestive or explicit materials, kids and parents need to understand that both the bully and the victim may be implicated in a crime if the victim is a minor and willingly took or distributed explicit photos of himself or herself. • Seek help: Bullying can pose a serious threat to physical and mental health. Your child may need professional help developing coping mechanisms, social skills, assertiveness, or friendship skills to prevent and guard against cyberbullying. What to do if your child is the cyberbully • Teach empathy: Some bullies think it’s funny to tease or hurt someone online. In some cases they simply don’t realize the impact of their activity and need to be taught to empathy. • Seek help: Sometimes children bully because of low self-esteem or because they are being bullied. If your child is bullying as a way to cope with his or her own emotions, seek the help of a mental health professional. • Teach consequences: Parents need to stress that bullies may lose their phones or online accounts. They may face legal charges. If their bullying behavior is sexual in nature it can lead to the bully being registered as a sex offender. RESOURCES AAMG Mental Health Specialists AAMC’s outpatient mental health clinic on Riva Road offers mental health services, including a counseling group for kids from 12 to 17 to discuss issues such as bullying self-esteem, body image, family dynamics, school stress and more. 410-573-9000 Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency Warmline 24/7 information, assistance and referrals 410-768-5522 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Student Safety Hotline 877-676-9854 AACo PD Speak Out App Allows anyone to discretely contact Anne Arundel County school police officers http://aacopdspeakout.myapp.name Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline 800-422-0009 Author Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, is a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists, located in Annapolis. To reach her, call 410-573-9000. Originally published Nov. 13, 2015. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.0
- Employee SpotlightGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOn a cold December morning, Lori Freedman, Medicare billing systems and audit coordinator, was on her way to work. As Lori pulled into her office parking lot, she saw an elderly woman standing next to a parked car who seemed nervous. Concerned, Lori approached her. “It took her a few minutes to explain what had happened, but she thought she had been involved in an accident,” Lori explains, adding that she recalls the road being icy that morning. “She probably narrowly missed the accident but the entire situation had upset her.” The woman insisted on waiting outside for her husband to pick her up. “I let her borrow my phone because we couldn’t figure out how to use hers,” Lori says. “After she called her husband, I offered her to come inside because it was cold, but she was still very upset by what had happened and wanted to wait until her husband came for her.” Half an hour went by and Lori couldn’t stop thinking about the woman. She told her manager what happened before heading outside to check on her. “I didn’t feel comfortable not knowing what had happened and whether her husband found her or not,” Lori says. The woman was still standing outside waiting for her husband. Lori decided to wait with her. “We talked probably for 20 minutes,” she says. “She told me she was from Germany, and she met her husband during World War II before they got married and moved to the United States. She was an amazing person and I could have listened to her all morning.” More time passed and the woman’s husband had not arrived. Lori was able to convince the woman to let her drive her home. Upon their arrival, the woman’s husband was relieved to see his wife safe and sound. “He was frantic because he didn’t know how to find her,” Lori explains. “They were worried about each other and it was so nice to get them together.” A few days later, the woman came back to the office to deliver a big tray of cookies as a thank you for Lori’s act of kindness. “We are all here to help people and our community,” says Lori. “My manager understood what was happening and I was glad I could help her. That’s why I love working here, because who I am as a person aligns with the organization’s mission and culture.” Lori, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, moved to the Eastern Shore years ago. Once she had raised her children, she was ready to go back to work. And coming from a healthcare background, working at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) seemed like a perfect fit. Eleven years later, she says she knows she made the right choice. “I started in patient Financial Services in 2008 and I made a jump to Reimbursement for a couple of years before I came back to the department where I started,” she says. “The people who work here and even the projects we’ve chosen and community outreach we do has helped to sustain our culture.” Lori, who has won two Champion Awards, says that her colleagues and the people she gets to work with every day are what have kept her at AAMC for so long. “I left this department and came right back voluntarily,” she says. “I love the people I work with and I love the leadership we have. More than anything, I think my job is fun. All of those factors are important to me.” Pro tip: “At the heart of it, you truly have to love what you do, the people you work with and who you’re serving.” If you know a great individual or a fantastic team going above and beyond to make a difference, make sure to let us know! Looking for a career in health care? We invite you to join a diverse and collaborative team of professionals working together to innovate the future of health care for our entire region. Check out our career opportunities.0
- Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWomen are more likely to experience bladder control problems, also known as urinary incontinence. Many women think that accidental leakage is a normal part of aging. While incontinence is common, it is not normal. The good news is there are many options for help, and most women who get treatment see their symptoms improve. Here are a few treatment and self-help options to help you manage incontinence. Maintain a healthy weight and diet. Carrying extra weight adds stress to your pelvic floor and impacts function of the nerves and muscles in your genital tract. Also, find a healthy balance of fluid intake to stay hydrated without overdoing it. This can reduce your trips to the bathroom. You also want to drink the right kinds of fluids. Beverages like coffee, tea and energy drinks with artificial sweeteners can irritate your bladder and create a sudden urge to ‘go.’ Live an active lifestyle. Fitness plays an important role in managing your incontinence. While high-intensity exercises can increase your risk of incontinence by placing pressure on your pelvic floor, regular physical activity keeps you normal. Kegel exercises, with or without the help of a physical therapist or professional trainer, can also help you better control your pelvic floor muscles and help with leakage. Try physical therapy for the pelvic floor. Pelvic physical therapy can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and aid in function of the organs that support your pelvic floor. Physical therapy might include pelvic floor contractions for urge control as well as stretching and strengthening exercises to help decrease pain. Therapists can also help you with proper Kegel technique to make sure you are getting the full benefit of the exercise. Talk to your doctor about medication to help control symptoms. There are several medications available to help manage the muscle spasms in your bladder that cause incontinence. Your doctor can help you learn both the risks and benefits of using medication. Talk to your doctor about minimally invasive surgery treatment. If other treatments fail to improve your symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgery to treat incontinence has advanced to include minimally invasive options. Minimally invasive surgery allows for a faster recovery and quick return to daily activities. Most surgical patients leave the hospital less than 24 hours after surgery. Urogynecology is a field of medicine dedicated to the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including incontinence, in women. Places like Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) Women’s Center for Pelvic Health have urogynecology doctors to help patients of all ages optimize and maintain pelvic wellness. Don’t let incontinence take away from your quality of life. Talk to a urogynecologist about a treatment plan specific to your symptoms. Author Kay Hoskey, MD, is a urogynecologist with AAMC Women’s Center for Pelvic Health. Her office can be reached at 443-481-1199. Originally published Aug. 28, 2017. Last updated Sept. 1, 2025.0
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
View your Dashboard
Messages
Billing Summary
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Insurance Summary
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?