Chronic Pain Specialist in Flushear, TX

FULSHEAR — Amber Jones is still processing it all.

How do you explain what happened that wasn’t supposed to happen?

Jones, in her second year as Fulshear High’s head athletic trainer, beat breast cancer in December of 2020, at 28 years old, when she was a trainer at Buda Johnson High in central Texas.

Jones endured 10 rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. From diagnosis to being cleared, it lasted a year.

Afterward, as precaution, Jones did everything doctors recommended to prevent reoccurrence.

She had all stomach fat up to her breasts removed. She underwent a nipple-sparing mastectomy, which removes all breast tissue without removing the nipple, skin or areola.

Any tissue left behind was susceptible to cancer returning.

“I was like, no, yeah, it’s OK,” Jones said. “You can have it.”

HOUSTON HS FOOTBALL: Games to watch in Week 11

When the Fulshear job opened, Jones, a Rosenberg native who graduated from Terry High School in 2010, jumped on it. She wanted to be closer to family.

But, perhaps just as important, Fulshear inspired a new beginning.

“Before, I felt like I was just living. Just existing,” Jones said. “Go to school, work for a paycheck. But was I actually living? I felt like I was living in fear a little bit. Kind of safe. I felt like this was God’s way of giving me a restart.”

During a routine checkup in late September, the rebirth came to a crushing halt.

Two areas of suspicion were detected in Jones’ left breast, where the cancer was discovered the first time. Two biopsies were conducted. One was dead tissue. The other was cancerous.

Doctors are in the process of figuring out how and why the cancer returned.

“I don’t know if anybody or anything can help you prepare for any type of diagnosis of anything,” said Jones, 32. “But I also don’t think they prepare you for life after, like learning your new normals of what you can and can’t do, or how looking at yourself in the mirror messes with you emotionally.”

Fulshear is honoring Jones prior to kickoff of Friday’s football game against Foster. The team will wear black jerseys with pink lettering. Parents purchased players’ jerseys for $65. That money will go back to Jones, as companies have sponsored to donate money toward the jerseys.

The cheer and dance teams will wear pink-out shirts, and $5 from every shirt sale goes back to Jones.

The shirts read, “Her fight is our fight.”

Chargers football players and coaches are also donating money for each pink item they wear. Jones will be presented a check before the game.

Head cheer coach Tara Smith, whose mother dealt with breast cancer, helped organize Friday’s event with head football coach Nick Codutti.

“It’s not just about wearing pink in October,” Smith said. “It’s more than that. I think this really shows kids that it’s not just about awareness, but you want to do something about it. You can’t take the pain away or make her better, but you can show you care.”

‘This was not supposed to happen, and it did’

After being diagnosed a second time, Jones said she felt comfortable telling her story.

“I had taken all the steps, talking to my oncologist and breast surgeon, to take the path of least reoccurrence,” Jones said. “So many checkups passed. I thought I was OK. I’m shocked.

“But I also feel this is for a reason and that now is my time to be more of an advocate. I was already an advocate, but now I can be more of one because I’m like science. This was not supposed to happen, and it did.”

Jones was reluctant to tell coaches and students at Fulshear. She wanted anything but to be a burden.

“Life is crazy for everybody,” she said.

But when Jones disclosed her diagnosis, she was met with empathy, not sympathy.

“I think the initial reaction was what could we do to make sure she’s loved and cared for,” Smith said. “She doesn’t just work here. We’re a family here. I think it’s big for her to know she has the support without her having to say a word.”

Fulshear coaches made it a ‘we’ thing, Jones said.

“They let me know they were here, they are going to support me,” she said. “And that’s, really, been district wide. I know if there’s anything I need, I can reach out to them and they’ll figure something out. It’s such comfort to know you have family everywhere around you.”

Smith said Jones has a heart of gold. She’s in the fieldhouse early, leaves late. She credits Jones for initiating an all-inclusive environment in the athletics department.

“From the cheer side of things, cheerleaders don’t get recognized in the athletic world a lot of times, but her and her trainers set the precedence of every athlete is treated the same,” Smith said. “She changed that mindset here.”

Smith said she feels Jones deals with her diagnosis internally. There is no sign she lets it affect her day-to-day life.

“She still puts the kids first,” Smith said.

Smith knows it is a delicate situation to handle, especially when teenagers are involved.

“Kids have different backgrounds,” Smith said. “Some of them have lost a parent or someone they love to this. I have a girl on my cheer squad who lost a parent to breast cancer. When she found out, it hit really close to home. We have to show Amber we care for her while also giving her space.”

Cleopatra and Pearl

Jones said her life has not changed much.

She tries to eat healthier. More salad, vegetables and fruit. Fewer fried foods.

But otherwise, life is the same, other than a few down days here and there when she “just doesn’t have it.”

It has been a chore balancing a hectic work life with knowing she needs to slow down and listen to her body more.

“It’s really hard,” Jones said. “The kids help me fight through it. I try my hardest to give what I can give when I’m here. But there will be some days when I just am not going to have it. And the kids know that. And they know I’m still here for them, rooting for them.”

On those days where she is away from work to take a break or rest, Jones sits outside with her dogs, Cleopatra and Pearl, and listens to the birds chirp. She likes to feel the wind. She lets nature engulf her.

“Sometimes I don’t give myself enough time to just be still and take in what is around me,” Jones said. “I have to tell myself it’s OK to be sad. It’s OK to be frustrated. It’s OK to feel overwhelmed. Who wouldn’t?”

When people ask what she needs, Jones tells them she doesn’t know.

Prayers would help. A hug is welcomed. Encouragement is nice. A pat on the back can be everything.

“Because I honestly do not know,” Jones said. “I’m still processing everything.”

Life is minute to minute.

“I have my ups and downs,” Jones said. “Sadness, frustration, worry. But I’ve beat this and done it before, and I can do it again.”

Jones has an appointment with her breast surgeon on Nov. 3. She is hoping to have more answers then.

For now, Jones fights and pushes. She has so much to live for. Family and friends. Her dream of one day being an athletic trainer for the Rockettes in New York City. Fulshear High School. Her student trainers, who have worked tirelessly to ensure Jones does not have to do anything more than she has to.

“To anybody, male or female, old or young, it’s so important to advocate for themselves and their body,” Jones said. “You know you. You know when something’s not right. Find somebody who listens. And live each day like it’s your last.”

Children of America, Educational Childcare® Opens its First of Five Planned Preschools

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Children of America® (COA), today announced the official opening of its Fulshear location in Fort Bend county. The new facility will bring COA's unique proprietary early education programming to the community and provide a trusted and nurturing learning environment to the working families of Katy, Fulshear and Cinco Ranch areas.

Official Open Date Tuesday Oct 10th 6:00 AM-6:30

Join Us for Our Meet & Greet - Monday OCT 9, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Founded in 1998, COA has remained steadfast in its mission to: Provide educational childcare solutions to working families through quality programming, flexibility, convenience, and value for the communities we serve.

"Our entire organization is committed to providing a consistent brand experience across the board, enriching the health, well-being and education for all the children in our care – we expect this school to deliver similar commitments," says CEO Ted Hockenberry. "At the helm, as the COA Director, we have Dominique Beltman, M.Ed., a Florida transplant with 10 years in educational childcare, ensuring an engaging environment and trained the COA way."

Children of America also brings its one-of-a-kind educational philosophy, COA Mind & Body Matters. Mind & Body Matters approaches early learning through COA's four proprietary programs: COA Just Read, Presidential Fitness, COA Nutrition, STAR Curriculum (Success Through Academic Readiness), and many enrichment programs that have proven to dramatically impact the lives of young children. Children of America's educational curriculum is a product of years of research and development in early childcare.

For more information about COA centers and programs, please visit childrenofamerica.com.

About Children of America

Children of America operates facilities throughout Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company expansion plans include several locations in the Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee areas with an additional (4) more locations in Texas over the next few (1-3) years. COA offers the highest level of childcare for children ages six weeks to twelve years of age. The premier programs include infant care, toddler care, nationally renowned preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, before-and-after school care, and summer camp. An industry pioneer, Children of America is a subsidiary of World Wide Child Care Corp. Visit childrenofamerica.com for more information or interact with COA on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Contact

Lynne D'Andrea, Children of America, 1 954-683-4428, [email protected], https://www.childrenofamerica.com/

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SOURCE Children of America

The Katy and Fulshear areas have experienced exponential population increases and development in the last five years. As residential communities are built to accommodate growth, local governments, regional organizations and environmental agencies must work together to create symbiosis between environmental conservation and development, officials said.

The combined population of the six ZIP codes making up Community Impact’s Katy market—77493, 77494, 77441, 77449, 77094 and 77450—rose 25.19% from 2015-20, reaching 388,036 residents in 2020, per U.S. Census Bureau data.

Moreover, data from demographic firm Population and Survey Analysts estimates 104,595 new housing units will be built in Katy ISD and Lamar CISD between 2021-31.

Coastal Prairie Conservancy President Mary Anne Piacentini said she believes many developers know preserving the environment is essential, but she urges them to also consider flood mitigation.

“By law, [developments] have to have [flood] detention,” she said. “Our question is, is it enough detention?”

The nonprofit, which aims to protect and restore the native coastal prairie, is working with local governments and regional entities such as the Houston-Galveston Area Council to align conservation efforts, Piacentini said.

The cities of Katy and Fulshear have also both passed parks plans to promote nature-focused spaces for recreation and flood relief.

Mindful amenities

Communities in Katy and Fulshear are more often utilizing natural features and systems as cost-effective alternatives to traditional infrastructure, said Rob Bamford, general manager for master-planned communities Cross Creek Ranch and Cross Creek West by Johnson Development Corp.

“At a minimum, 20% of our land ends up with open space, parks, trails and detention lakes,” Bamford said.

An article from the National Recreation and Parks Association’s January 2021 publication, Parks and Recreation, said Houston began to dedicate more resources to preserving natural spaces after multiple flooding events and with the increased use of parks amid COVID-19.

For example, Cross Creek Ranch’s Flewellen Creek restoration project was completed in November 2020. Designed by ecological conservation company BioHabitats, it reconnected the 15,000-linear-foot stream to its flood plain after it had seen severe erosion from years of agricultural use and development.

It is now the centerpiece of the 3,200-acre community, Bamford said. A nature system is planned for Cross Creek West, which will add 3,110 homes between 2021-31, per PASA data.

“Water conservation is a real goal of ours, given that this commodity has become very expensive,” Bamford said.

Curt Beasley, field operations manager for the southwest division of homebuilder D.R. Horton, said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s September 2018 Atlas 14 study of rainfall data has also influenced changes in detention requirements for these communities.

The study was conducted after Hurricane Harvey hit in August 2017, and rainfall values from the report are used to determine future flood risks and manage development in flood plains for the national flood insurance program.

“Developments that are happening now versus eight years ago have a greater chance of withstanding hurricane flooding,” Beasley said, referring to increased detention standards.

City plans

Coupled with nature-based amenities by residential developments are the cities’ efforts to restore and preserve the native ecosystem as their populations increase.

Fulshear Mayor Aaron Groff said stormwater conveyance and preserving the native trees and vegetation are pivotal environmental concerns while the city continues to grow.

“The challenge is how quickly can we get the [storm]water to the creeks that surround the city,” Groff said.

The city of Fulshear, where census data predicts the population will rise by nearly 81% between October 2022 and October 2027, has changed its zoning and density regulations to encourage preservation.

Groff said developers must dedicate 1 acre of green space for every 60 dwelling units. If 300 apartment units were built on 15 acres, it would require 5 acres of open space.

“We encourage communities to preserve ... those natural resources and even as far as taking it into our city development ordinances,” he said.

To this end, the city of Fulshear’s 2019 Parks and Pathways master plan suggested the city integrate more pedestrian trails throughout the city.

The city will complete its 11.5-acre Bessie’s Creek project in 2024, where 50% of the natural habitat will be preserved. The area is within the 100-year flood plain along Bessie’s Creek—south of Rogers Road and between the Pecan Ridge and Del Webb communities—and will feature detention and native vegetation, per plan documents.

Meanwhile, Katy finalized its parks master plan in October. One objective in the plan is installing a multipurpose facility at Leyendecker Landing, Kendig Keast Collaborative President Gary Mitchell said at an Oct. 13 meeting.

The site for Leyendecker Landing is located along the east side of Pitts Road and already serves as a stormwater detention area. Katy plans to build upon that to create a recreation space.

The city will use its 2021 parks bond to fund the project, though exact costs have not yet been determined.

Aligning goals

Native lands of the Texas Coastal Prairie spanned across the state 200 years ago; those lands have been reduced to less than 1% of its original size with most nestled within the Katy Prairie Preserve, Piacentini said.

“The Katy Prairie itself went all the way from Loop 610 to the Brazos River, up above [Hwy.] 290 and below up to about [FM] 1093,” she said. “It was a vast ecosystem with wetlands and grasslands and trees along the stream corridors basically as far as the eye could see on the horizon.”

The Coastal Prairie Conservancy land trust protects 30,000 acres of coastal lands through conservation agreements with private landowners in Harris, Waller, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Matagorda, Galveston and Jackson counties. The Katy Prairie Preserve, located in Harris and Waller counties, makes up 18,000 of those acres.

“We are still trying to buy land and protect land on the Katy Prairie, but it’s getting more expensive to do so, and Houston is spreading all over,” Piacentini said. “It is going out to places we once thought would not get developed for decades—now they are beginning to surround us.”

In 2020, the H-GAC worked with the conservancy and local officials to develop a regional framework and strategy to support conservation efforts, Piacentini said. Through the initiative, the H-GAC will assist local partners in pursuing funding, per framework documents.

The H-GAC lists several Katy and Fulshear projects as priorities in the initiative, including the 1093 Rails to Trails project, which will extend Fulshear’s Heritage Rail Trails to create a shared-use trail for cyclists along the historic San Antonio and Aransas Railway from Fulshear to Eagle Lake.

The H-GAC is also connecting the conservancy with funders to acquire conservation easements within a 9-square-mile area of the Katy Prairie Preserve, per the initiative.

Groff said he believes it is possible to parallel the area’s population growth with environmental conservation.

“If we do not continue to conserve and preserve what we do have, it’s a detriment to residential development,” he said. “We have to find that balance.”

Features Reporter

Asia joined Community Impact in February 2022. As a features reporter, she covers the South Houston area, including the Heights-River Oaks-Montrose, Bellaire-Meyerland-West University, Katy-Fulshear, Sugar Land-Missouri City, the Bay Area, and Pearland-Friendswood editions. She studied journalism and creative writing at Missouri State University. Before relocating to Texas, Asia was a reporter for the Seattle Medium, one of the city's eldest African American publications. When she's not writing, she's likely trying a new restaurant, practicing self-care or traveling.

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Recognizing the need for specialized pediatric care in northwest Fort Bend County, Texas Children’s Pediatrics today celebrated the launch of its new practice in Fulshear with a ribbon cutting for the community.

The new clinic, which opened Sept. 13, is the 64th Texas Children’s Pediatrics location, with 50 residing in Houston, 13 in Austin, and one in College Station.

The event attracted patient families and hospital leaders, including Michelle Riley-Brown, Executive Vice President and President of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands; Daniel Gollins, President of Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Dr. Stan Spinner, Chief Medical Officer of Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Texas Children’s Urgent Care; and the physician leader of Texas Children’s Pediatrics-Fulshear, Dr. Alexander Gonzalez.

Fulshear Mayor Aaron Groff also attended the ribbon cutting and, along with Texas Children’s administrators, gave brief remarks to the gathered families. He presented a proclamation from the city of Fulshear noting Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 as “Texas Children’s Pediatrics Day” on behalf of the city of Fulshear. Fulshear Councilmembers Sarah Johnson, Jason Knape, Debra Cates and District Director for Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, Paula Gibson, attended the event.

“The journey to get here has been amazing and as we prepared to open this location, we made every decision knowing that Fulshear is one of the fastest-growing communities in our area,” said Wallace. “We knew the families in this community would need access to high-quality pediatric care and all of us at Texas Children’s have promised to deliver just that.”

Texas Children’s Pediatrics-Fulshear — located at 6623 W. Cross Creek Bend Lane — provides convenient, high-quality pediatric care for all children, from birth through 18 years of age. Pediatrician Dr. Christopher Neumann joins Gonzalez in treating patients at this clinic.

“We are thrilled to extend the exceptional care of Texas Children’s Pediatrics to Fulshear and surrounding cities, including Sealy and Columbus, where specialized pediatric services are in great demand,” said Gollins. “Dr. Gonzalez has been a trusted, beloved pediatrician at Texas Children’s Pediatrics for more than a decade. His patients — both old and new — are in wonderful hands as he launches our historic 50th practice in the Greater Houston region.”

Gonzalez noted: “It is a great privilege to join the Cross Creek Ranch community and an honor to welcome pediatric patients and their families to Texas Children’s Pediatrics-Fulshear. I look forward to establishing lasting connections with my new patients and their caregivers, as well as continuing to provide trusted care to my established patients visiting the clinic from Katy.

“I am especially grateful to Texas Children’s for the opportunities I’ve been afforded during my nearly 20 years with the organization,” said Gonzalez. “I never could have accomplished all I have in my career were it not for the support and resources of the nation’s largest children’s hospital.”

The clinical care team at Texas Children’s Pediatrics-Fulshear provides a wide range of services, including:

Gonzalez joined Texas Children’s Pediatrics in 2008 and has longstanding relationships with patient families in Katy, where he has served as a pediatrician for 19 years. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and is the former Medical Director and Board Member of Breath of Life Children’s Clinic, which became Texas Children’s Pediatrics-Kingsland. He earned a medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, a doctorate in chemistry from Rice University, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of St. Thomas.

To make an appointment at Texas Children’s Pediatrics-Fulshear, please call 281-885-6000.

Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health.

The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston.

The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO for children; has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country, Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine.

“The inconsistency is the biggest issue right now," Trey Giglio said.

HOUSTON, Texas — A father of a Fulshear High School freshman is frustrated after he said his daughter gets home from school one to two hours after she gets out of class - all because she’s waiting on her bus.

He knows there’s a driver shortage, but said something needs to be done.

Trey Giglio said he’s constantly getting messages from his daughter about the bus being late to pick her up. He said she gets out of class at 3:40 p.m., but is usually still waiting for the bus to pick her up an hour later.

“The inconsistency is the biggest issue right now," Giglio said.

He said it puts her home late in the evening, many times it’s almost dark. On Friday, he said she didn’t get home until 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, she was home at 5:15 p.m. - she said that was earlier than usual. Giglio said this can’t go on.

“Her time is spent between school and homework and nothing else in the extra. There’s no extra time for her at the end of the day," Giglio said.

A bus sits alongside the road next to the high school, advertising the open bus driver positions for Lamar CISD.

In a statement, the district acknowledged the delays:

"The bus driver shortage is a nationwide issue that we (and other districts) have been battling for a while now.

Being a fast-growth district, we are transporting 3,000 more students this year than last year.

And, being a two tiered-system, doesn’t help. We have several comeback routes causing students to either be late to school or arrive home much later in the evening than we prefer.

…all because we can’t hire enough drivers to cover all of the routes that we need.

A comeback route is after a driver has completed a route to campus; they then return to run a bus route that does not have a driver. In the morning, the comeback routes cause students to miss instructional time; in the afternoon, they do not arrive home until 5:30 pm or later.

But, we have a solution. We are moving to a four-tiered system which eliminates the need for some of the routes that we currently have. We are hopeful that once we implement this significant change, we will not be at the mercy of limited drivers.

For a district of our geographical size and enrollment, we can improve student transportation by adjusting our school day hours. In fact, all the districts in our surrounding area operate on three- four- or five-tier system and with considerably less square mileage.

In addition to the nationwide driver shortage, we are currently transporting 3,000 more students than this time last year causing more comeback routes. To get students to and from school safely, the transportation department is required to schedule comeback routes and do turnarounds when there are not enough drivers or buses.

Moving to a four-tier system will allow us to continue to provide transportation to all students who currently receive it. Our district would be able to transport students in a timely manner without eliminating any routes. At the February Board Meeting, the Lamar CISD Trustees approved new school hour. We have designed the following four-tier system, which will be implemented at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. This shift ensures that we have enough drivers for each route and eliminates the need for comeback routes."

New Hourly Schedule:

7:15 AM to 2:40 PM Elementary (Group A)

7:45 AM to 3:10 PM Elementary (Group B)

8:25 AM to 3:50 PM High School

9:05 AM to 4:30 PM Middle School & Junior High

We asked the district to break down the two-tiered vs. four-tiered system. This is their response:

"The two-tier system allows drivers to complete two routes in the morning and afternoon. The average route is between 25 to 35 students. Lamar CISD's current system is elementary schools in tier one and secondary schools in tier two. The average driver transports 50 to 70 students each morning and afternoon.

The four-tier system allows drivers to complete up to four routes in the morning and afternoon. The four-tier system allows the same number of drivers to transport twice the number of students. The four-system elementary schools are divided into tier one and the other half into tier two. The high schools are tier three, and middle/junior high schools are tier four. The average driver would transport 100 to 140 students each morning and afternoon."

Giglio said a fix can’t come soon enough.

“Reach out to the parents, find a way. Even if they started some kind of car pooling with the parents that do pickup, whatever. Just come up with something consistent," Giglio said.

But his daughter told KHOU she’s not sure the new system will change anything for her, saying she would also like the district to put more effort into hiring more drivers and maybe even increasing the incentives.