August 5, 2025 • 58 mins
Dr. Hervé Damas shares his transformative journey from NFL player to cannabis wellness pioneer, sparked by his mother's cancer recurrence and her powerful challenge to him to find his true purpose. His path through medical school, personal health struggles, and ultimately walking away from a lucrative radiology career demonstrates the power of betting on yourself when facing life's greatest challenges.
References:Dr. Damas CBD
https://www.instagram.com/doctordamas/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/drdamascbd/?hl=en
Dr. Herve Damas On Benefits Of CBDhttps://youtu.be/rT5iQOopTv0?si=YcwA-G3l3MFOehEV
#FlowertothePeople: How CBD May Be Able to Help With PMS With Dr. Damashttps://youtu.be/JKgqIT9TjPo?si=MT4bEpAEEtPW4Ewi
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Angella (00:02):
So, guys, we promised you a part two with Dr Damas
Hervé Damas and we're going togo into how this.
Actually, it was both thephysical pain that came from his
sports injury blew out his kneeand the emotional pain of
hearing that his mother wasagain, her breast cancer had
(00:27):
come back, and how that now sethim up for the second, even more
amazing phase of his life.
Leslie (00:36):
It's almost like a fourth phase of his life, so
many phases.
It's like how old are you,brother, how old are you again
Come on now, for real, thoughfor real though he's been
drinking that fountain of youth,he's been using some kind of
potions and cream.
Let me tell you, don't, let mefind out, don't, let me find out
(00:56):
.
Angella (00:58):
So, continue with your story please.
Dr Damas (01:02):
Oh man.
So, yeah, this was tough.
I was, you know, this was was2000, I want to say it was 2002,
2003.
I was, you know, teaching attrenton state, everything, oh
you know, comfortable life here.
I am professor, you know,everything's smooth.
I'm like on, you know, I'mdoing my whole thing and uh, I
(01:23):
just get a call, random call,from for my brother.
Oh, you know, we used to callmy mother, the old lady.
Oh, you know, old lady, shehasn't been feeling well well
over the weekend, you know, shejust really couldn't breathe and
I called the ambulance todayand I was like what?
Like I thought she just had acold and he's like.
That's what I thought too, youknow, and so and so there were
(01:44):
some really, I think in thatpart of it there were some
interesting things that happened.
So she winds up getting sent toa hospital.
Far, I think it was called likeQueens General at the time.
I don't know what it's callednow, but we were living in
Springfield Gardens.
They took her to the hospital,like half an hour away, yeah, on
(02:05):
like I don't know where.
It was York Boulevard.
I can't remember.
This place was terrible, like Iremember this and I wasn't in
medicine at the time.
But I just remember walkinginto this room and it was just
like a bed.
It was just my mom in a bed andit was like you know, there was
nothing else in there.
And I was like you know, therewas nothing else in there and I
was like I guess she's going tobe leaving.
Like you know, this doesn't looklike you're keeping her it's a
(02:29):
typical underfunded, you knowcity hospital, and so she's
there, she can't breathe.
And the second day I think wewere there, you know, I came to
see her.
This is the most, and I hope Iget to see this guy one day in
life, because I mention him allthe time.
You're not a resident, it'sround.
(02:49):
You're not a resident, you'reround.
Sure sure.
I didn't know what any of thiswas at that time.
Right, I just knew there was agroup of people that would come
into the room.
Leslie (02:59):
And then they turn and leave.
Yeah, Talk amongst themselves.
Dr Damas (03:02):
Yeah, this is one guy, um, and he was like a, you know
, he was like an arab or anindian guy, I can't really
remember this one and he stopsand he goes.
Hey, I gotta tell you something.
That was like what's up?
He's like if I tell you this,you cannot tell anybody that I
said this to you.
I, I will deny that I said thisto you and I was like yeah,
(03:26):
well, that's a way to start.
Leslie (03:27):
Yeah, sure, yeah.
What are you talking?
Dr Damas (03:30):
about Right and he goes.
Your mom doesn't have pneumonia, goes.
I looked into history.
She had a history of breastcancer.
He goes.
I've seen this before on myother rotations.
She probably has her.
You know, her breast cancer isback.
You know, yada, yada, yada.
And then he says to me if Iwere you, I would get her out of
(03:51):
this hospital as fast as I can.
And I was like what?
And he was like if you?
tell anybody I told I didn't sayit yeah, I did not say it, but
he's like I've seen before andthat's not what she does not
have pneumonia.
So I'm like you know, again,I'm naive to all this and I'm
like this is crazy.
(04:11):
So I have a good friend of minewho played football tech too.
He's a cardiologist, anindividual cardiologist at
Jersey City Medical Center now.
But good friend of mine oh, I'mSean, and I'm like Sean, like I
, just my mom is in the hospital.
This dude just blah, blah, blah.
At this time he was doing likehis residency or fellowship at
(04:32):
New York Presbyterian and he'slike what?
And I'm like that's what thedude said to me and he's like we
got to get her out of there.
Leslie (04:37):
Yeah, so he calls, he makes some connections.
Dr Damas (04:38):
They do a hospital.
He gets his program.
Director makes some connections.
They do a hospital.
He gets his program.
Uh.
Director makes some calls, theydo a hospital, hospital
transfer to get my mom in a newyork presbyterian which is right
across from the memorial sloankettering, one of the best
cancer centers.
And as soon as they get her inthere, boom, they tap her, they
(04:58):
take about like two liters offluid off of her.
She couldn't breathe.
Like it was crazy and like eveneverybody was like oh my god,
how is she even still alive?
Leslie (05:07):
and I was like two leaders of fluid in her lungs
and they're sitting on hergiving her antibiotics, god damn
it you know that was like.
Dr Damas (05:18):
So I was like what is going on?
I was like this is, this iscrazy, like out of nowhere.
And I'm constantly now callingmy friend.
So every time we have a littleconference with the physicians,
I'm calling Sean hey this iswhat they said.
Leslie (05:33):
What does that mean?
Dr Damas (05:35):
What does that mean?
And during that time, I feltvery I would say incomplete or
inadequate, because I was like,wait a minute, I can't do
anything for my mother.
I don't understand what's goingon.
I should be able to do more inthis situation, like I have the
means, I have the wherewithal.
I'm this powerful person?
Yes, yeah, I'm powerless rightnow.
(05:58):
Thank goodness I have Sean,right.
But I was like this is not good.
I don't like this whatsoever,right, I'm unable to help her
out.
And so my cousin told me that Iwas in the car with her one day
and she said I looked her inthe face.
Now I'm going to get emotional,I don't remember this.
But she said I looked her inthe face and I said I feel
(06:19):
powerless right now.
I'll never let this happenagain.
I remember this right now.
I'll never let this happenagain.
I remember this.
And she I remember when yousaid that and she said I know
this guy.
She goes.
I don't know what he's up to,but he means it.
So I don't remember that but shesays that to me all, that she's
like I remember you sitting inthe car with me saying that I
will never feel this like, yeah,this power again.
(06:43):
And so about, uh, two yearslater, um, I used to go see my
mom all the time and now youknow, she's going through it,
like she's going through it,she's going to chemo, she's
going radiation she's goingthrough the pain.
I'm now like I had to give heran enema.
She's constipated, she's onmorphine for pain, she's itching
(07:06):
.
You know she's not doing well.
Sometimes I come see her, she'sdrooling and you know she's
gotten to the point where she'slike I had enough.
So this is at the point in herlife like I've had enough of all
this stuff.
And meanwhile I'm like you knowthis is a lot for me too like
I'm here you know this is a lotfor me too Like I'm here to,
like you know, giving my motherenemas.
I never thought this would belike you know what I'm saying.
(07:30):
And I'm like, and I'm looking atmy mother and she's scratching
and half the time she's likedrooling and I'm like I don't
understand what's going on here.
And she one day I'm in thereand she goes come, let me talk
to you.
And I'm like, and you know, youknow your mom, we all know our
mothers.
There's a certain way that theyspeak to you yeah that you know
(07:51):
this is going to be a littlebit hard you gotta lean
Leslie (07:55):
in there.
Dr Damas (07:56):
Yeah, right, so I remember, I, I remember the
whole thing because she had thisbig, she was always cold and
she was chilly, she had a hat on, she had lost all her hair and
so you know she had all thatstuff going on, um, and she's
like you know, I love that youcome around and see me all the
time.
You're such a wonderful and Iwas like, oh, you're buttering
(08:18):
me up there's an ask I was like,I know there's an app, what do
I need to buy?
Like, what do I got to puttogether?
Leslie (08:27):
I was like I know you need some food or something you
need to build for me.
Dr Damas (08:36):
So he's like listen, she goes, this stuff that you're
doing here with like the bodyand the physical fitness and
stuff, like she goes.
I see you're doing here withlike the body and like the
physical fitness and stuff, likeshe goes I see you coming, I'll
go, are you happy?
And I was like I got a greatjob.
Um, like you know, I run my ownthing.
I'm writing, I'm blah, blah,blah, this and that, and then
(08:57):
she's like okay, cool, we are.
She goes, are you happy?
I was like I don't have aproblem.
You know I don't have anyproblems.
I just bought a new truck.
It's mad expensive.
I'm living life.
And she's like you stillhaven't answered my question.
And I was like I wasn'temotionally ready for this kind
of conversation.
Leslie (09:28):
And she's like the time is now.
I need to speak to you rightnow.
Dr Damas (09:32):
Listen, she said and this is going to tie back to
before she says to me when youplay football, there was a thing
about you, she goes.
There was a whole thing aboutyou the way you walk, the way
you move, the way you approachlife, she goes.
You are a different person, shegoes.
Now you're kind of just glidingthrough life, being everything
(09:54):
she goes.
But I remember she goes.
I remember you had a fire aboutyou.
There was another thing, andshe goes why are you just doing
what you're doing now?
And I was like what are youtalking about?
Like, you know, I got a goodjob, it's comfortable.
And she goes yeah, but you'retoo young to be chilling out
(10:16):
right now.
So at the time I was 32, shewas like and I was like what?
And she goes why don't you godo something that you really
want to do?
Oh, yeah, oh, it's like likewhat, like what?
Leslie (10:30):
are you talking about?
Dr Damas (10:32):
she goes well, didn't you want to be an astronaut?
And I was like, yeah, when Iwas a kid, I'm too old for that,
like that, that's like thatship has sailed right.
And she goes uh, yeah, youcan't get in, there's age limits
, like it's a whole thing.
I was like mom, I'm out of thatthing.
Right, she goes well.
Didn't you like architecture?
And I was like that was theclass I took at tech.
(10:54):
I liked the drawing and stuff,but I didn't really like it
Because I did enjoy like thetechnical drawing.
You know stuff that you doingtech, right, yeah, technical
join, yeah, yeah.
And then she said, well, whatis stuff you're doing with the
body?
Now?
You're into health and fitnessand taking care of people and
all this stuff.
She was won't you become adoctor?
(11:14):
And I was like a doctor.
Like at my age I was like adoctor.
He was like you know how muchschool?
I remember saying you know howmuch school I gotta go back and
do all that.
And she goes to me and this iswhere she got me.
She goes well.
You never struck me as the kindof guy that was afraid of hard
work and I was like, ooh.
Angella (11:38):
They'll do it to you.
It's like ooh, you just getweak.
Leslie (11:42):
How long?
She dropped the phone.
What Mic drop.
Dr Damas (11:51):
Yes, I was like you know what, like, if that's my
objection, you know, let methink about it.
I went home and I thought aboutit.
I called my brother, patrick,who's an attorney, and I was
like yo, patrick, I think Imight go to medical school.
It was like 11 o'clock at nightand he's like I think I might
(12:11):
like, like you know, give upeverything, go to medical school
.
It was like 11 o'clock at nightand he's like I think I might
like, like you know, give upeverything, go to medical school
.
And he's like, oh, that soundsgreat.
I, yeah, and I'm held up thephone on me and I was like what?
Angella (12:23):
what just happened?
It was 11 o'clock at night.
Now he probably was.
Leslie (12:29):
He probably was on a date, had somebody there.
He's like my crazy brother, getoff this phone.
Dr Damas (12:37):
I thought he was going to be like some brother, Like
what you want to do what?
Or like, oh, that sounds stupid.
Right right, right, you can doit.
They hung up.
It was like 15 seconds and I'mlike I don't even know.
So I went to sleep the nextmorning 15 seconds and I'm like
I don't even know.
So I went to sleep 15 seconds,yeah, it wasn't even like so.
Next morning I thought about itand I was like you know what
(12:58):
she's right?
Um, let's go.
And um, well, fortunately shewanted to pass in August of 2004
.
And then that's when she passed, august of 2004.
That's when I, uh, I, I waslike it's time for me to go to
school.
Um, so I packed up my stuff.
I had already I had fallen inlove with florida, used to come
(13:20):
down here to miami, come onvacation.
It was like if I was ever goingto leave new york, I moved to
miami.
So she passed away.
August 2004, november 2004,.
I was in Miami Election day.
The whole Bushcore, amyChastain.
Angella (13:36):
Yeah.
Dr Damas (13:38):
Driving to U-Haul.
Listening to all of that on theradio.
I got here in November 2004.
In January 2005, I enrolled atFlorida International and
started my pre-med, my post-baccprogram.
Leslie (13:57):
Oh my God, oh my God.
Dr Damas (14:01):
February 2005,.
I was, like you know, an oldpre-med.
I guess I was 33-year-old, with18-year-olds pre-med.
I guess I was 33 year old with18 year olds.
I had my oldest son miles.
November of 2005.
Oh my gosh, I was working at ata gym.
I was running a gym.
(14:22):
I was like I had to keep likepaying the bills.
I was older, I was likecouldn't stop it.
So I was like commuting toschool, coming back picking up
miles from these.
Sometimes I actually broughtmiles to school, coming back
picking up miles.
Sometimes I actually broughtmiles to school with me in a
stroller Like this is like real.
That he was like in class.
Leslie (14:40):
Oh my gosh.
Dr Damas (14:41):
In class with my kid in the stroller when are we
writing?
This book.
Leslie (14:46):
When are we writing this book?
You probably have a couple ofbooks about you already, right?
Dr Damas (14:52):
Yeah, Brother Miles, yeah, Miles went to school.
Miles went and shout out toMiles he's going to Hobart and
Smith this week, so he's 21 now,or so 19.
19 years old.
Leslie (15:04):
Hey Miles, hey Miles.
Dr Damas (15:06):
Yeah, it'll be 20 in November and so, and then you
know, then came the next timesomebody told me I couldn't make
it.
I had my pre-med advisor at FIUhe's supposed to write your
letters and all that stuff andhe told me.
He told me his brother'shilarious.
He wasn't a brother, but I'mgonna call him a brother.
(15:26):
Yeah, that man is hilarious now, but he pissed me off.
Don't make Dr Thomas mad.
Yeah, yeah.
Leslie (15:32):
That man is hilarious now, but he pissed me off hey
don't make Dr Thomas mad.
Angella (15:36):
That's the thing, don't make him mad.
Dr Damas (15:38):
You won't like him when he's mad.
It's funny because that's mynickname with my frat I'm the
Hulk they call.
You wouldn't like me when I'mangry.
You won't like him when he'sangry.
That man told me I should be anurse or a physical therapist
and I was like but why?
I was like but I want to be adoctor, why would I be a nurse
(15:59):
or therapist?
So he said you're too old, hegoes, they're not gonna accept
you to any school, blah, blahthis.
And then I was like don't youremember telling that?
Yeah, if you ever tell me whatI can or cannot do?
But I didn't say that nicely, itwas some expletive.
Wow, don't you.
I was like are you out of yourgoddamn mind?
(16:20):
You're supposed to be writingmy letter and you're telling me
what I can't, are you crazy?
So I went to my professors, Iwent around him and I went
directly to my professors and II was like that jackass said
he's not going to write myletters.
And they were like what?
You're like the best student inthe class because I was busting
it out too right with a kid andworking and this, yeah, exactly
(16:42):
, so I got to do my thing, so umwhat's crazy that I only got.
Leslie (16:47):
This is painful to hear what they're doing to us.
This is painful.
Dr Damas (16:54):
I got admitted to one US medical school which was NOVA
Southeastern.
Now here, it was an osteopathicschool.
At the time there was adifference between allopathic MD
schools and DO schools.
I didn't want to be anosteopath, I didn't know much
about it.
I didn't want to be anosteopath, I didn't know much
about it.
Yeah, I got into a bunch offoreign schools and they were in
(17:15):
Nova, had told me okay, we'regoing to put you next year,
you're going to get in thefollowing year.
It's like, bro, I'm already 37,you know, say now, this has
been four years of me going topre-med now and doing all this
stuff.
Yeah, yeah, you take twoclasses at a time.
It wasn't all through, right,oh my.
Leslie (17:31):
God, our stories are so similar.
Dr Damas (17:35):
Yeah, so that's crazy, right.
So I wound up going to schoolin Nevis in the Caribbean, a
school called Medical Universityof the Americas Nevis, all
right.
I went there class presidentfor a couple years there did the
whole thing.
Leslie (17:50):
Of course you were, of course you were Of course you
were.
Dr Damas (17:57):
If you stuck around any longer, you'd be the dean of
students.
Leslie (18:04):
Anybody doubt it?
Dr Damas (18:07):
I didn't know.
I don't run for these things,right?
They just nominate me.
Yeah, what happened was this isinteresting.
When got back to Chicago, we doour clinicals in Chicago, my
surgery attending one day justsaid to me hey, man, like like
you're so good with your handsand operating room this and that
(18:27):
, and you're really in tune.
I had done a report on a triplea repair abdominal aortic
aneurysm and he was like man,you just like, it's like I think
you would love this thingcalled interventional radiology.
When I was like I never heardof that homeboy, yeah, and he's
like.
I got a cool friend and one ofthem he's a buffalo bills fan.
He would love to meet you.
(18:47):
I, you should go check it out.
I went and did ir rotation,fell in love with ir, completely
fell in love with ir.
Yeah, this is the thing.
So wound up doing my wholething.
You're matched into radiology,did my?
Leslie (19:02):
all right, let me just say.
Let me just say something thatmost of the people don't know.
Obviously, as a physician, Iunderstand, understand.
So I'm, in order to do yourradiology residency, your first
year, you have to choose whatthey call a.
In your intern year, you haveto do either medicine internal
(19:23):
medicine or you have to dosurgery general surgery, or they
have these things called aprelim year, where you do a lot
of little things.
Guess which one is the mostchallenging to do, especially if
you don't want to be a surgeonthis brother picks to do general
surgery.
That means you're standing inthe OR doing suturing and
(19:44):
retracting and he doesn't evenwant to be a surgeon because you
just do that for a year.
I chose internal medicinebecause anesthesiologists are
weird.
Angella (19:55):
We're the internists of the OR.
Leslie (19:58):
So I'm like I'm doing internal medicine.
This brother says I guess I'lljust do surgery for a year.
Dr Damas (20:04):
Yeah, okay.
Leslie (20:06):
That's crazy, a surgery intern.
You never sleep.
Dr Damas (20:11):
No, I didn't.
You never sleep no.
Leslie (20:11):
I didn't.
You never sleep and you gotmiles Anyway.
Dr Damas (20:18):
I had a youngest son, Apollo.
He's named after the Apollospace mission.
Angella (20:22):
Oh my gosh, you're killing me over here, you're
killing me.
Dr Damas (20:27):
And so yeah, but you know, they didn't have me doing
a lot of retracting.
I actually I did a lot.
They actually tried to get meto stay on.
You tried to get me to um, toswitch the vascular, uh, but I
was like no, this is really, youknow, like no, no, no, no we
will give you it.
(20:48):
I was.
I'm straight.
This is like a whole lot.
I'm going back to Florida, I'mgoing to stay in New York and
then.
So in between that time, whathappened was?
Angella (21:01):
Yeah, get to the CD, because this is the we need to
learn.
Dr Damas (21:06):
I started getting headaches, really bad headaches,
and I wasn't able to sleep.
I mean, they were likedebilitating headaches.
Um, it felt like somebody wasputting their like fingers into
my skull, rip my.
I was unbearable and then Iwasn't able to sleep.
So I started likeself-medicating tylenol I was
thinking benadryl, go to sleepand I was doing all this stuff.
(21:28):
My head was killing me and, um,I started getting anxiety.
This is while I was in Chicagoduring my clinical years in med
school, so I'm like I'm fallingapart at the seams.
So I was really, with all theevenings I go in and I'm like
something is wrong.
It was a sister who was.
She was a pediatrician and Iwas like, hey, there's something
(21:49):
wrong.
I was like every time I walkinto a room my heart is beating
fast and I don't know whatthat's about Right, I was like I
don't know what that's about.
And that's not you?
Leslie (21:59):
Yeah, that's not you.
Dr Damas (22:01):
And I was like I got headaches and like I can't sleep
and like I've been losingweight.
I was like this is like I'mdelirious, you know.
And so she like they hooked meup.
She hooked me up with some ofher colleagues.
I was seeing an endocrinologist, a neurologist, I saw a
psychiatrist.
I was doing it and then I hadanother surgery.
(22:23):
So I wound up on Xanax, seroquel, oxy's and Perks whole surgery.
I couldn't take the Oxys andPerks.
They like that was the worstfeeling ever.
I couldn't tolerate the Xanax,which is an anti-anxiety
medication, out of it.
So I couldn't tolerate that.
(22:43):
I was just like in bad shape.
So I was like post-surgical, Icouldn't get anything for my
pain.
So I was just like I'm justgoing to take Tylenol, forget it
, I'll just suck it up.
I'm not sleeping, I can't takethese Xanax.
If I take the Benadryl, I'mgroggy throughout the day, like
I can't get anything and I'mstill super nervous, like
something's wrong.
(23:04):
So let me tell you how bad itwas.
And then this is something thatpeople with medicine I failed
the step two, clinical skills.
There's a.
There's a board exam where it'sbasically a test of english
profession.
You just got to go in there andlike just ask you see a patient
and then type a note like it'snot, like you don't have to do.
(23:25):
I had not slept one in threehours and maybe three and a half
, four weeks per night.
So when I got into that thinglike I didn't know what I was.
Leslie (23:34):
I literally yeah, yeah, you were really breaking down my
whole thing was allowed,illegible.
Dr Damas (23:41):
I think they gave me like feedback and they were like
yo, we can't even.
I was like I'm like I can speakenglish now.
So I was like messed up and thewoman I was dating at the time
she was the one that kept onsaying you should try some weed,
it'll help you go to sleep.
And I was like that'spreposterous because I'm in med
school.
I'm a doctor, yeah yeah, andthey're giving me all the tests
(24:04):
they give me and that's notsomething that they talk about,
absolutely not.
And then it went on threemonths later.
She was like you know, peoplesay they smoke weed and they go
to sleep.
And I was like are you crazy?
Yeah, they'll be like, yeah,you get kicked out of school,
you get arrested and that stuffdoesn't work.
It wasn't until I went to thatand I like failed that basic
test which was like you can'tlike a.
(24:26):
You know that's crazy, likesomebody at my level and not
bigging myself up, but but mylevel yeah.
That's not something that youthat's not like a thing.
You knew something was wrong.
That wasn't you.
Yeah, I was asking people.
I knew something was wrong whenI went, like I was like
something's wrong, like I can'twalk into a room.
Leslie (24:45):
Help me, help me.
Dr Damas (24:47):
Yeah.
So I finally I was like youknow what, let me go try this
weed stuff out.
So I went to see one of theboys at med school.
I was like yo man, I want tobuy some weed.
And he was like you, you wantto buy some weed.
I was like yeah, and he waslike oh man.
Leslie (25:05):
It's about to go down.
Angella (25:07):
We got him.
Dr Damas (25:10):
Mr Goody Two-Shoes.
Angella (25:14):
He's human after all.
Dr Damas (25:17):
I've grown to this dude spot to buy the weed and my
entire mind is making scenarioslike I'm going to get arrested.
It's going to be in news Likeformer NFL players arrested for
buying weed.
Leslie (25:29):
You're in there shaking.
You're going to people likethis what.
Dr Damas (25:34):
I tell you what I bought the weed, my ex, she
rolled it up.
I didn't even really smoke alittle bit in the high school
yeah, yeah, I coughed most ofthe time to this day.
I don't smoke yeah I don't smokea smoker.
Um, I coughed.
I went to sleep, I slept 12hours and I was like that's a
(25:55):
coincidence, I don't believe it.
So then the next night, Ismoked again.
I choked most of the most ofthe time I was doing.
I slept 10 hours.
It's like I don't believe it.
So the third night, the thirdnight, I didn't smoke.
I was up to four o'clock in themorning.
I was like this is no good.
Leslie (26:15):
Somebody's telling you buddy.
Dr Damas (26:17):
The fourth night, which was a Sunday, got to be at
the hospital for rotations.
In the morning I was like I'mgoing to smoke.
I smoked, I went to sleep.
I got to the hospital I wasn'tnervous anymore Like I was.
I wasn't like nervous, I wascalm.
Calm, my headache was gone andI was like there's no way, this
(26:37):
is a coincidence.
So then I started like googlingstuff.
At the time I learned how tomake my own tea, so the ganja
tea.
Going back to that part one, Ilearned it because I don't like
to smoke, so I learned how toboil my own tea.
So I had a little bottle of teain my fridge.
Every night I would come home,I'd practice whatever my
suturing, whatever it is Ineeded to do, read whatever I
(26:59):
needed to read.
I'd drink my little tea an hourbefore bed, lights out, wake up
in the morning, refresh, and Iwas like, oh my God, game
changer Game changer Gamechanger, yeah, and I was like.
So one day I was just like, ifI'm going through this, imagine
(27:21):
how many other people are goingthrough this.
And I was thinking to myselfand I am not someone who didn't
have access, I had access to allthe doctors, all the tests,
everybody.
They were like they liked.
They liked me, right, theyliked me.
It was like I like you, Boy,you're one of us, Like I got you
, it wasn't anything like thatwe had access to everything and
(27:45):
it was terrible for me.
And then I hear about theconcussion thing.
I didn't know this and theywere like.
Then I hear about theconcussion thing with them.
I didn't know this and theywere like.
Then I started hearing about oh, you know some of the stuff
that you.
You know that you'reexperiencing a whole bunch of
other dudes that played footballby having the same issues
headaches- you know insomniaright Like anxiety movement.
(28:07):
I was like there's no way,that's important.
Like to do that like how is itthat, like all of these dudes
are going through that and I'mby myself?
I'm like I'm completely faraway from the game.
Angella (28:19):
What's the common denominator here?
Dr Damas (28:21):
yeah, right.
And so at that point I remembersaying to myself when I get a
chance, there is some work forme to do here.
Cause I know what it did for mylife, cause I was really trying
my best, I went and I saw help.
I went to see you know I was, Iwas on, you know, anti-anxiety
(28:42):
yeah you you did what you, youdid everything you could do.
They asked me to do.
I was going by the book anddoing it was making things work.
Angella (28:52):
And you believed it too.
That's the thing you believedEvery time you tried something.
You believe that, okay, thishas got to work.
Dr Damas (29:00):
This is the thing I was doing.
Like you know, I was doing 24hour urine things.
Somebody thought I had like anadrenal tumor, like feel I was
doing all kinds of stuff, typesof stuff.
So I was getting it all done andthen come to find out you know,
now that I look, you know weput this all together was and I
(29:21):
really believe this in my heartthe reason that you know I did
get the knee injury was so Ididn't destroy my brain enough
that I could maintain mycognizance.
You know, I really believe thatand you know a lot of people
said that to me and my closefriends circle, like everything
that you've done in life hasbrought you to this.
(29:43):
From the experience with my momand watching her go through her
treatment and constipation andthe itching and the withdrawals
and the drooling, you know,towards the end of life, just
kind of like you know havingmedication options that just
didn't do well for her and herat one point saying I want to
see a naturopath.
Leslie (30:02):
You had to see it all.
You had to see it all, and thenyour mom had to tell you Irve,
I don't see the joy mom had totell you, irve, I don't see the
joy, yeah, so that's how thisall came about, you know.
Dr Damas (30:16):
So I take care of a lot of football players.
That's how I started A lot ofthe dudes.
You know, I actually had myteammates, my former teammates,
like both, you know, college andthe pros were my patients,
family members, my own familymembers.
My father, you know, wentthrough a lot the last couple of
years.
He just got home, end stagerenal disease he was, you know,
(30:40):
he had a foot amputation, he hada stroke and I walked into that
hospital.
I swear to god, he and he knowsthis, he knows that when he goes
to see a doctor, the firstthing he says my son's a doctor,
call him.
So I get these calls all thetime.
Every time he goes to the ER hegoes something.
He goes call my son the doctor,right, and then I'm able to
(31:02):
have conversations with myfather's physicians that I
couldn't have with my mother'sphysicians.
You know which is somethingthat I remember, my mother's
physicians.
You know which is somethingthat I remember, like you know
and you know.
So it's all kind of come fullcircle.
You know, I take care of myteammates, I take care of my
family.
(31:22):
You know I'm able to.
You know I'm a big advocate.
I'm a member of the NFL formerplayers chapter in South Florida
.
I'm the health and wellnesscaptain, so I take care of a lot
of the guys in terms you know,their medical conditions and
their families.
I've had to do interventionsfor guys who've been suicidal
and guys who've had breakdowns,like their wives have called me
(31:45):
and like we need you.
He's not going to talk toanybody else.
I had, you know, one of thecheerleaders from from tech the
other day, who was thecheerleader when I was there.
She called me and had somestuff going on with people in
her family.
She was like I need you.
I'm like, oh, wow, what's that?
So, you know, I'm able to be ina space with my experience and
(32:10):
my, my expertise that I'm ableto add a certain amount of, um
validity and and and rationalthinking to this space.
Um, not a.
I'm not like the snoop dog ofthis.
You know, I'm not like the come, smoke, weed and have a good
time?
Angella (32:26):
yeah, because I know that that's not what you're
about you.
You actually create likespecialized.
Dr Damas (32:35):
If you have a problem, I'll go try to find a solution.
I've done a research study onCBD and the quality of life in
retired professional athletes.
I've worked with Mike Tyson'scannabis company and, as a
matter of fact, he was in one ofthe chapters of the study, you
know.
So you know, going back to whatwe talked about in part one,
you know, and what I talkedabout on the radio is that you
(32:59):
know, we as a people wesometimes have to go it alone
because, like I kind of had todo the same thing, right, I
tried all this stuff and it'slike it ain't working.
Angella (33:11):
Yeah Right, it makes you think you're crazy, yeah,
yeah.
Dr Damas (33:17):
And so you know, having the ability to speak to
somebody or having a resourcethat you can trust, you know
that's reliable, that's commonsense.
I don't look for, you know,silver bullets.
There are no silver bullets.
I think that the the breadth ofmy experience when it comes to
health and wellness and what Iwas doing running the wellness
(33:38):
centers, teaching how you know,health and exercise, science,
exercise, physiology all thatstuff doing research and now
being can be, you know, being aradiologist.
Gen surge played, like all allthat stuff.
Yeah, I had a stroke.
I ran out.
You know I read his CT.
You know, with neurologists Iwas like, you know.
(33:59):
So you know it's positioned meto do what I'm doing and I'm
grateful to be able to do that,and that's what it is.
Leslie (34:10):
You have been, I think, divinely positioned to be just
who do that and that's what itis.
You have been, I think,divinely positioned to be just
who you are.
And whenever I've had theoccasion to hear you, when I see
you now, I can see it in youand your mom, your mom, would be
so, not just proud, becausethat's normal, but when you live
(34:38):
your joy, when you live yourjoy, it's so obvious in your
walk, it's obvious in yourspeech.
Yeah, you're doing what youwere here to do, I believe.
I believe.
Dr Damas (34:54):
Yeah Right, and it took me some time to get.
You know I had to give up.
You know I'll give you anotherstory with somebody.
You know I had to give up.
My radiology position for thehospital was like hey, there's
no like cannabis.
You're not going to domarijuana and yeah, we don't do
(35:15):
that we don't have to give thatup stuff yeah, you literally had
to walk away from that.
I had to walk away when Iremember my program director, I
had a whole thing with thehospital, like discussions with
like the VP of the hospital andthey were like bro, cut the crap
with this marijuana thing.
I'm serious.
We had like meetings, mybrother, patrick, the attorney,
(35:36):
the one I called I was like Iwant to be a doctor, he was
representing me, he was myattorney.
The one I called I was like Iwant to be a doctor, he was
representing me, he was myattorney with the hospital.
And then eventually I walkedinto my program director's
office the chief of radiology,and you know we were talking and
he was like why don't you justlike, why don't you just stop
(35:58):
with this weed stuff?
Angella (36:00):
Like that's all.
They saw it as Black man withweed stuff.
Yeah.
Dr Damas (36:07):
And I was like, yeah, I can't do it Right, and before
that you were a mess.
Leslie (36:11):
You may not have even finished the program.
You were a mess.
You wouldn't have left whole,not as a whole person.
Dr Damas (36:18):
You know what he said to me.
You know what he said to me.
And when he said to me, he saidto me so, like, honestly, he
goes to me.
So what are you gonna do?
What?
At your age, you start all over.
That's what he said to meanother one another one.
I looked, you know, I looked himright in the face.
I remember that.
And I looked him right in theface.
(36:39):
I I remember that.
And I looked him right in theface.
I said to him if I'm going tobet on anybody, I'm going to bet
on myself.
And I went home that day.
I called Patrick.
I said hey.
Leslie (36:47):
Patrick, that's going to be the name of this episode.
If I'm going to bet on anyone,I'm betting on myself.
Dr Damas (36:54):
I told you to say and I called Patrick, I called
Patrick, and and I calledPatrick, I called Patrick and I
was like, hey, patrick, I needto talk to you.
And he was like, yeah, I'vebeen thinking about it.
So, like yo, patrick, man, I'mready to turn in my resignation.
He was like, yeah, I was goingto tell you.
(37:14):
So Patrick was like I was goingto tell you that, like, do you
want to use, like, if you're sointo this cannabis and marijuana
, why are you holding on to thisradiology thing?
He's like if that's what youreally want to do, just go do
that Live your joy.
Leslie (37:28):
Live your joy.
Dr Damas (37:30):
It took me some time to let go of, like you know,
because I've worked so far, ofcourse, dedicated so much time
to it.
Yeah, all this stuff.
I mean it dedicated so muchtime to it.
Yeah, there's all this stuff.
I mean it's like this new kindof field and you're going out on
your own.
You're kind of like creating apath all by yourself that like
no one's walking really walkingfor and like you know, and
(37:51):
you're giving up a whole lot offinancial security.
That was another thing too,right so it's like I'm walking
away from you, know you're notwalking away from like regular,
like you know family.
You're walking away from you,know you're not walking away
from like regular, like you know, family practice.
Leslie (38:03):
You're walking away from radiology money.
You're ready Radiology moneySure.
Angella (38:06):
Listen, if you probably had loans and all of
this.
Yeah, this isn't the first timeyou've given up, that you've
turned away from one thing to gotowards.
You know it's wow and you saidyou.
You did that was it.
You said yeah I'm betting onmyself I'm betting on myself.
Dr Damas (38:30):
I went in all, it went all in, you know, started my
own business, learned a newskill set.
You know, just spent all mymoney, did the whole thing, lost
all my money, built it back up.
There's one point I was likeman.
I remember one point where Ilost all my money and I was like
, oh my God.
Leslie (38:50):
What have I done?
Dr Damas (38:52):
What have I done?
Leslie (38:53):
And.
Dr Damas (38:54):
I was like, wait a minute.
Oh boy, this is how it goes.
There is supposed to bedifficulty and it's the people
that survive this part of itthat can get up and go.
Those are the ones that make it.
So you may come.
You got to learn, you got tofigure out where you need help,
what you got wrong, all thethings.
You pick it up, homeboy, andget it going again.
(39:14):
And now you know, eight yearsin, things are great.
You know things are great.
Business is booming.
I everything is thrive.
You know everything is thriving.
We're gonna do a big expansionthis year.
A whole lot of stuff and, um,you know, I'm like I guess it is
was my path and so yeah, yeah,you know.
(39:37):
And who knows what's who?
Who knows what's?
You know what's the best partof it?
I tell you the best part of it.
I tell you the best part of itis that my kids Wait, there's
more.
Yeah, so you know, miles worksat the office.
He does reception front deskfor me.
That's his job, Right.
So, like you know, my kids havebeen like part of the journey.
So they've seen this entirething.
(40:00):
They've seen they were there.
Okay, we had a whole bunch ofmoney and they were there one
christmas when I was like, hey,bro, we don't have them.
A dad lost all the money.
Okay, so we're gonna have alittle more intimate and you
know what?
That was one of their favoritechristmases really.
So, like, hey, remember thattime when we all just had a
whole bunch of little stuff, itwasn't like this big,
(40:21):
extravagant thing.
And so they've traveled with meto speaking engagements.
They go to all the nfls, likeeverybody knows them.
You know like they'll come, yes.
So they've had an opportunity.
They've met a whole bunch ofpeople.
They've had an opportunity tolisten to me talk.
As a matter of fact, they'vethey've done a lot of charity
(40:41):
events with me and like they'lltalk to you, they, they will
talk to you about this as, like,subject matter experts oh my
god isn't that something.
Oh yeah, you know they'll talkto you about the criminalization
, they'll do all that stuff, andso I'm happy like they're not
kind of like shackled byprohibition or the concept that
(41:04):
you can't make your own path.
That you can't do your ownthing Right.
Leslie (41:09):
So you know they're free thinkers now because they've
had to, you know, and I'm likego do whatever you want, that's
what you want.
Dr Damas (41:15):
They're free thinkers.
I will tell you that those twoguys are free thinkers.
And like they will.
You're not going to stop them.
Leslie (41:24):
And how old is Apollo.
Angella (41:28):
So, Apollo is going to be 10, August 21st Shout out to
Apollo hey Apollo, hey Apollo.
So, dr Damas before.
Leslie (41:35):
I don't want to miss first of all.
Could you tell people how toreach you?
Don't want to miss first of all, could you tell people how to
reach you?
And then I just want um you totell us a little bit more about
um dr damas, wellness and whatyou just a just an overview yeah
, so you can find us online.
Dr Damas (41:54):
um, it's simple website drdamascom.
You can just type in dr, likedr, dr damascom, or you can
spell it outR-D-A-M-A-S dot com.
Or you can spell it outD-O-C-T-O-R-D-O-M-A-S dot com.
It also reaches by phone833-362-3262, 833-362-3262.
Whichever way, we like hearingfrom people because it lets us
(42:15):
know what people are looking for, what solutions they're looking
for so it'll give meinspiration for things to
discuss on the radio, things toresearch and write about, or
even product formulations.
You know we're makingsuppositories now and we're
(42:36):
doing that because we've hadpatients who've had prostate
cancer and women withendometriosis.
And hemorrhoids and a wholebunch of stuff.
So like if you come to us andtell us we've had a patient who
had a nephrectomy because oflupus nephritis, so we actually
wrote about CBD,post-nephrectomy and how that
involves, how that affects sothat's like an article on our
(42:59):
website Not only the lupus butrenal function and cannabinoid.
Leslie (43:04):
Well, so I'm definitely going to contact your office.
I've been suffering fromarthritis in my knees and I am
not having knee replacements Iain't going down like that but
I've been doing physical therapyand all and I find that it's
not really working and stuff.
I don't take the NSAIDs becauseI've donated my kidney, so I
(43:26):
don't take NSAIDs and Advil andall of that.
So that might really CBD orsome other formulation from you
can might be helpful for me.
Dr Damas (43:36):
So you know we also do like I mentioned before.
It was really important.
I'm not a magic bullet kind ofperson, right?
so we're, you're realistic, yeah, right, and so there is more
than just like the little thingthat's by all, my knee hurts and
that's that.
And so we have a nutritionistthat works with our patients.
(44:00):
They aren't.
So if you come in and you knowthe nutrition is very important,
you know, unfortunately may youused to sound like uh, crazy
talk, but I think we've all kindof accepted the fact that the
food is poisoning us in manyways.
Leslie (44:13):
Yeah, I think we all know that now yeah, yeah, yeah,
right, and so you know.
Dr Damas (44:18):
So we have a nutritionist that that works
with us, and then we have otherholistic practitioners.
We have a massage therapist.
We do some sound healing, whichis something that I got exposed
to which I was like what areyou guys talking about?
But you know, when I read aboutit a little bit more and I was
like man, I used to getultrasound treatments all the
time when I played sports.
They used to just take theultrasound and rub it against my
(44:41):
muscles, and that was like,well accepted, like hey, we're
using sound waves to heal you.
And now you have the bowls andthe singing and the singing
bowls and all the big walks.
So we do that, we do meditations, we do yoga, and so we kind of
try to find ways for people domeditations, we do yoga, and so
(45:03):
we kind of try to find ways forpeople practice, yeah, find of
give you options and ways foryou to a heal yourself in a way
that you're comfortable, thatallowing aligns with your kind
of philosophy and your wholebeing, whether it's intellectual
, spiritual, emotional.
We know through research thatpeople have better outcomes if
they believe in the treatmentmodality right.
So if you tell somebody to takemedications and they don't want
(45:26):
to take it, it ain't going towork out well for them.
They're either not going totake it as prescribed, you're
going to lose them to follow up.
They ain't going to come backright, they're going to suffer
other things.
They might, you know, havemental health triggers because
you're doing, they're doingsomething they don't believe in
and they feel like they're beingforced and so you know, having
opportunities for people to havea little bit more
(45:48):
self-determination, a little bitmore control and realistic,
realistic things.
We ain't you know, we'recompletely curing anything.
We're not doing surgery rightyeah, we're giving you a manager
manage your life that's what itis management and optimization
yes, yeah, yes yeah and so, andthen we involve cannabis in that
and the nutrition and theexercise yeah and the meditation
(46:11):
and all those good things, sothat you know if you're not
sleeping well, maybe it's notbecause you know, maybe it's
because you're just stressed outand you don't need.
And you don't need it.
And I forgot to tell you.
They gave me ambient too forsleep and I was like this is the
worst.
Don't ever, ever give me thiskeep that crap away from me yeah
(46:36):
.
So, like you know, maybe theperson doesn't need an ambient
right, maybe they just need tolearn how to manage their
thoughts, maybe they need anemotional release, right.
Maybe they just need a place tojust feel safe.
You know, they'll feel safe,right?
Or maybe they feel alone, andthat's the thing.
Angella (46:53):
Maybe they just need a vibrator.
Dr Damas (46:55):
I mean yes exactly, we made a CBD intimate oil and a
THC.
Angella (47:04):
Oh my goodness, that's interesting.
Dr Damas (47:07):
Yeah, so that's something that my patients talk
to me about.
Like, hey, listen, I'm havingsome issues.
We've had, you know, I've hadpatients who've had vaginismus.
You know, it just spasms.
I've had people who've been thevictims of sexual trauma
(47:28):
veterans, both male and femalewho are now like, hey, you know,
as a result of this ptsd yeah,and you know, not just the pts
but the sexual assaults andthings like that that, hey, I'm
not as intimate as I would liketo be, it hurts, it doesn't feel
good.
Right, this and that ass.
He was like man, don't you makesomething for people, don't you
(48:02):
help people?
I swear to God.
Angella (48:06):
Your kids will come for you.
They will come for you.
He was scratching.
Dr Damas (48:10):
He was scratching and he was like, hey, don't you make
stuff, man, you need somethingfor me.
Look at me.
Angella (48:20):
You say you're a doctor.
Leslie (48:21):
Why don't you raise me Ain't?
Dr Damas (48:23):
you a doctor, I can cut my elbow, dad, it's true, I
made a CBD body rub.
Leslie (48:31):
That's hilarious.
I get it, I get it.
So let me tell you what we'regoing to do.
Ang is in North Carolina, I'min New Jersey.
We're coming to Miami.
Angella (48:44):
We're coming to Miami.
Leslie (48:45):
We're coming to Miami, you're stuck with us Tech nights
.
Angella (48:49):
that's right.
Dr Damas (48:51):
Listen, I was in Mozambique and I met somebody
that went to tech.
Leslie (48:58):
I'm telling you we are everywhere.
You see tech t-shirtseverywhere.
Angella (49:02):
Everywhere right, listen, at the coffee shop.
There's a coffee shop that Iwalk to, I go to really often,
and the owner's husband saw mein a tech t-shirt and he said
you went to tech.
And I said this is a youngerguy, maybe, I don't know, maybe
in his early 40s, and he says,like my uncle used to teach at
(49:41):
brooklyn tech.
Dr Damas (49:42):
Mr anger, you know it's amazing, it's a beautiful
experience for a lot of us,because one thing about that
place is that it doesn't put uhboundaries around you.
Very true value, very true.
Leslie (49:57):
Exactly that's your mind dream, very true.
And the exposure to foundryshop technical drawing chemistry
.
I was an organic chemistrymajor.
Dr Damas (50:10):
You know, industry all of these
Leslie (50:13):
things, Mr Aeronautics, what does the sister start to?
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah.
What?
Dr Damas (50:22):
You know the great thing about that place too.
It was, like you know, in themidst of the chaos of New York
City at that time right Arespite?
Yeah, in the classroom.
You're in there, it was safe.
You could just be a student.
Angella (50:35):
That's right Right.
Dr Damas (50:37):
It wasn't like all that stuff, you could like be a
student there, and you know, alot of people were trying to do
their thing too.
So there was like other peoplearound you that were like, hey,
man, I'm trying to, I'm tryingto make it too.
You know, we're all trying tolike make it right.
So it wasn't like, uh, you know, of course you had your
slackers and this and that but alot of people.
Angella (50:57):
But that wasn't the culture of the place.
The culture of the place wasyou go hard.
Dr Damas (51:03):
You know what I mean.
Angella (51:05):
You do it.
You didn't feel like anoutsider when you were a real
geek.
You know what I mean.
It was just.
It was the culture of the place.
Your classmates expected you toexcel.
Leslie (51:17):
And we still had fun.
Dr Damas (51:19):
And it was still fun.
Yeah, yeah we had a lot of funand that's like you know.
I think that's why people areso proud of the school.
I'd say it's like you know.
Sure you know I wear more techstuff than I do hofstra stuff I
know me too.
Leslie (51:33):
I'm not connected to my college I've never.
Angella (51:35):
I've never been back to a penn reunion.
I've gone to the school, butI've never been back to a Penn
reunion.
I've gone to the school, butI've never been back to a Penn
reunion.
Dr Damas (51:41):
However, that's where my boy Sean went to.
Angella (51:44):
Oh, he went to UPenn.
Oh, really, there we go therewe go.
Leslie (51:47):
I went to City College and Brandeis University.
Angella (51:51):
Diehard, diehard.
Leslie (51:52):
Tech In.
Angella (51:53):
Massachusetts.
Dr Damas (51:54):
Yeah, really, I give more money to Tech, Like they
call me up like that.
Leslie (51:58):
I give more money to tech.
Angella (51:58):
Exactly.
Well, I told you, I saw you onthe list.
Leslie (52:02):
You ain't lying.
Dr Damas (52:03):
It's not even a hard sell.
I saw Dr Irving DeMoss.
Leslie (52:09):
and then I said Ange, wait a minute, that's the dude
we were laughing with last night.
Angella (52:17):
That was so good, and here you are.
Dr Damas (52:20):
I want to know like so you hear me on the show all the
time right All?
The time, but after Fridaynight it didn't connect.
It was like seeing the game.
Leslie (52:29):
It never, it never.
Let me tell you why it neverconnected.
First of all, this is a techreunion.
He ain't connected to techFirst of all.
We're in New York City.
He ain't connected to techFirst of all.
We're in New York City.
He ain't in New York City.
He's on the radio.
First of all.
I mean, you're this personableguy in the center of people and
(52:53):
everybody's around you talkingand we're at the bar and the
brother and the coach is sayingthis guy bought, everybody weed,
so you ain't the guy from.
He's the guy Sirius XM.
He's the guy.
He's the NFL player, that thatcoach just told me about yes,
and then I'm like it all clickedand it was like oh my goodness.
Angella (53:17):
You saw the light bulb above her head.
Leslie (53:19):
It was like.
You.
We were having light bulb aboveher head.
It was like you, yeah.
Dr Damas (53:25):
Yeah, you guys some drinks.
That's the important.
Did you have some drinks?
Leslie (53:27):
We certainly did.
We certainly did.
Yeah, we had a ball andremember you were talking to a
young lady who was also greatand fun, and I'm like, are you
guys together and he and he andshe and fun?
And I'm like, are you guystogether?
And she's like, no, this is myfriend from school.
Like I'm not Like this guy.
Dr Damas (53:45):
No, I've known this girl for 30 years.
We've known each other for 35years.
Leslie (53:51):
This is my buddy right here, oh hell, no, that was.
We had a great time.
Do you get back to?
Dr Damas (53:57):
the city often no it's not Exactly.
I do, but we still got a housein Queens.
So my pop, still lives there.
We go back, I go.
I used to go all the time.
He just got out of nursing home, out of Glen Cove.
So after a year and a halfstroke and amputation I go
(54:18):
regularly To the point where I'mlike I got some really frequent
flyer miles.
Leslie (54:23):
I don't even know what to do with them.
Well, good Fly would be wild.
Dr Damas (54:28):
But yeah, I go to New York regularly.
Okay, All right.
Leslie (54:32):
We'll see each other again soon.
Angella (54:34):
I'm sure We'll see you guys in Miami.
Dr Damas (54:36):
Right, Listen, you're not doing your job on me.
If you come to Miami, make sureyou got some bail money.
Leslie (54:46):
Oh, it's going to be that kind of party, Dr Thomas.
Dr Damas (54:48):
Listen.
Leslie (54:53):
I'm still working.
Dr Damas (54:55):
I got to be in the OR at 7.
Am you remember those?
Leslie (54:58):
days.
Dr Damas (54:59):
She's an anesthesiologist.
She got anesthesiology money,don't worry about it.
Angella (55:04):
That's right.
Dr Damas (55:06):
It doesn't bring me a checkbook.
She got anesthesiology money.
We know all right.
Leslie (55:14):
Oh my God, this is a pleasure there's a saying in med
school.
Dr Damas (55:17):
There's a saying in med school, right, it's like the
road to happiness is spelledr-o-a-d.
Okay stands for radiology,radiology, ophthalmology,
anesthesiology and dermatology.
That's an anesthesia, hey.
I ain't no fool I had plenty ofmedical school bills.
Angella (55:42):
I ain't no fool.
Leslie (55:44):
It's so funny because I initially thought about internal
medicine and with my debt, Isaid I couldn't afford to be an
internist.
You know, it's a shame that ithas to be like that because
there's a shortage of primarycare docs.
But I said I had to be aspecialist.
I'm glad, I love it, but youknow, I just had too much debt,
(56:04):
you know, yeah, Wow.
Listen, we can talk all nightlong.
I appreciate your time.
You are the bombcom and seetech nights forever.
Listen, I got my gear.
(56:27):
We appreciate you so much we do,and we'll leave a link to all
of your information and yourwellness center and all of that,
and then at some point in factI'm going to I'll send you the
videos that we have of that, ofthat night.
Dr Damas (56:42):
All right, but I'm going to get sexy to send you
guys a little goodie packagefrom us.
Oh, thank you so much, we'reready, yeah, yeah.
Angella (56:53):
We're trying to do things right, right, we're,
we're, we're, we're just reallycommitting to taking care of our
bodies, mental, physical selvesbetter.
And so this is just in time.
And when Leslie says we'regoing to see you in Miami, we're
going to see you in Miami.
Dr Damas (57:12):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
I told you bring some of thatanesthesiology bail money, the
bail money.
Listen, I'm going to back awayfrom you guys.
Leslie (57:28):
Clowns, I'll provide the weed like the coach said, that
guy got the weed though a atanother point I'm to tell you a
story about how.
Ange and I were flying home onetime oh my.
Lord.
Dr Damas (57:44):
What you did to me.
That's for another time whatyou did to me.
Angella (57:47):
The next time when we see you in Miami Exactly.
Leslie (57:50):
We'll tell you that story.
Anyway, thank you guys forlistening.
This has been another episodeof Black Boomer Besties from
Brooklyn, brooklyn, brooklyn,bye.
So, guys, we promised you a part two with Dr Damas
Hervé Damas and we're going togo into how this.
Actually, it was both thephysical pain that came from his
sports injury blew out his kneeand the emotional pain of
hearing that his mother wasagain, her breast cancer had
(00:27):
come back, and how that now sethim up for the second, even more
amazing phase of his life.
Leslie (00:36):
It's almost like a fourth phase of his life, so
many phases.
It's like how old are you,brother, how old are you again
Come on now, for real, thoughfor real though he's been
drinking that fountain of youth,he's been using some kind of
potions and cream.
Let me tell you, don't, let mefind out, don't, let me find out
(00:56):
.
Angella (00:58):
So, continue with your story please.
Dr Damas (01:02):
Oh man.
So, yeah, this was tough.
I was, you know, this was was2000, I want to say it was 2002,
2003.
I was, you know, teaching attrenton state, everything, oh
you know, comfortable life here.
I am professor, you know,everything's smooth.
I'm like on, you know, I'mdoing my whole thing and uh, I
(01:23):
just get a call, random call,from for my brother.
Oh, you know, we used to callmy mother, the old lady.
Oh, you know, old lady, shehasn't been feeling well well
over the weekend, you know, shejust really couldn't breathe and
I called the ambulance todayand I was like what?
Like I thought she just had acold and he's like.
That's what I thought too, youknow, and so and so there were
(01:44):
some really, I think in thatpart of it there were some
interesting things that happened.
So she winds up getting sent toa hospital.
Far, I think it was called likeQueens General at the time.
I don't know what it's callednow, but we were living in
Springfield Gardens.
They took her to the hospital,like half an hour away, yeah, on
(02:05):
like I don't know where.
It was York Boulevard.
I can't remember.
This place was terrible, like Iremember this and I wasn't in
medicine at the time.
But I just remember walkinginto this room and it was just
like a bed.
It was just my mom in a bed andit was like you know, there was
nothing else in there.
And I was like you know, therewas nothing else in there and I
was like I guess she's going tobe leaving.
Like you know, this doesn't looklike you're keeping her it's a
(02:29):
typical underfunded, you knowcity hospital, and so she's
there, she can't breathe.
And the second day I think wewere there, you know, I came to
see her.
This is the most, and I hope Iget to see this guy one day in
life, because I mention him allthe time.
You're not a resident, it'sround.
(02:49):
You're not a resident, you'reround.
Sure sure.
I didn't know what any of thiswas at that time.
Right, I just knew there was agroup of people that would come
into the room.
Leslie (02:59):
And then they turn and leave.
Yeah, Talk amongst themselves.
Dr Damas (03:02):
Yeah, this is one guy, um, and he was like a, you know
, he was like an arab or anindian guy, I can't really
remember this one and he stopsand he goes.
Hey, I gotta tell you something.
That was like what's up?
He's like if I tell you this,you cannot tell anybody that I
said this to you.
I, I will deny that I said thisto you and I was like yeah,
(03:26):
well, that's a way to start.
Leslie (03:27):
Yeah, sure, yeah.
What are you talking?
Dr Damas (03:30):
about Right and he goes.
Your mom doesn't have pneumonia, goes.
I looked into history.
She had a history of breastcancer.
He goes.
I've seen this before on myother rotations.
She probably has her.
You know, her breast cancer isback.
You know, yada, yada, yada.
And then he says to me if Iwere you, I would get her out of
(03:51):
this hospital as fast as I can.
And I was like what?
And he was like if you?
tell anybody I told I didn't sayit yeah, I did not say it, but
he's like I've seen before andthat's not what she does not
have pneumonia.
So I'm like you know, again,I'm naive to all this and I'm
like this is crazy.
(04:11):
So I have a good friend of minewho played football tech too.
He's a cardiologist, anindividual cardiologist at
Jersey City Medical Center now.
But good friend of mine oh, I'mSean, and I'm like Sean, like I
, just my mom is in the hospital.
This dude just blah, blah, blah.
At this time he was doing likehis residency or fellowship at
(04:32):
New York Presbyterian and he'slike what?
And I'm like that's what thedude said to me and he's like we
got to get her out of there.
Leslie (04:37):
Yeah, so he calls, he makes some connections.
Dr Damas (04:38):
They do a hospital.
He gets his program.
Director makes some connections.
They do a hospital.
He gets his program.
Uh.
Director makes some calls, theydo a hospital, hospital
transfer to get my mom in a newyork presbyterian which is right
across from the memorial sloankettering, one of the best
cancer centers.
And as soon as they get her inthere, boom, they tap her, they
(04:58):
take about like two liters offluid off of her.
She couldn't breathe.
Like it was crazy and like eveneverybody was like oh my god,
how is she even still alive?
Leslie (05:07):
and I was like two leaders of fluid in her lungs
and they're sitting on hergiving her antibiotics, god damn
it you know that was like.
Dr Damas (05:18):
So I was like what is going on?
I was like this is, this iscrazy, like out of nowhere.
And I'm constantly now callingmy friend.
So every time we have a littleconference with the physicians,
I'm calling Sean hey this iswhat they said.
Leslie (05:33):
What does that mean?
Dr Damas (05:35):
What does that mean?
And during that time, I feltvery I would say incomplete or
inadequate, because I was like,wait a minute, I can't do
anything for my mother.
I don't understand what's goingon.
I should be able to do more inthis situation, like I have the
means, I have the wherewithal.
I'm this powerful person?
Yes, yeah, I'm powerless rightnow.
(05:58):
Thank goodness I have Sean,right.
But I was like this is not good.
I don't like this whatsoever,right, I'm unable to help her
out.
And so my cousin told me that Iwas in the car with her one day
and she said I looked her inthe face.
Now I'm going to get emotional,I don't remember this.
But she said I looked her inthe face and I said I feel
(06:19):
powerless right now.
I'll never let this happenagain.
I remember this right now.
I'll never let this happenagain.
I remember this.
And she I remember when yousaid that and she said I know
this guy.
She goes.
I don't know what he's up to,but he means it.
So I don't remember that but shesays that to me all, that she's
like I remember you sitting inthe car with me saying that I
will never feel this like, yeah,this power again.
(06:43):
And so about, uh, two yearslater, um, I used to go see my
mom all the time and now youknow, she's going through it,
like she's going through it,she's going to chemo, she's
going radiation she's goingthrough the pain.
I'm now like I had to give heran enema.
She's constipated, she's onmorphine for pain, she's itching
(07:06):
.
You know she's not doing well.
Sometimes I come see her, she'sdrooling and you know she's
gotten to the point where she'slike I had enough.
So this is at the point in herlife like I've had enough of all
this stuff.
And meanwhile I'm like you knowthis is a lot for me too like
I'm here you know this is a lotfor me too Like I'm here to,
like you know, giving my motherenemas.
I never thought this would belike you know what I'm saying.
(07:30):
And I'm like, and I'm looking atmy mother and she's scratching
and half the time she's likedrooling and I'm like I don't
understand what's going on here.
And she one day I'm in thereand she goes come, let me talk
to you.
And I'm like, and you know, youknow your mom, we all know our
mothers.
There's a certain way that theyspeak to you yeah that you know
(07:51):
this is going to be a littlebit hard you gotta lean
Leslie (07:55):
in there.
Dr Damas (07:56):
Yeah, right, so I remember, I, I remember the
whole thing because she had thisbig, she was always cold and
she was chilly, she had a hat on, she had lost all her hair and
so you know she had all thatstuff going on, um, and she's
like you know, I love that youcome around and see me all the
time.
You're such a wonderful and Iwas like, oh, you're buttering
(08:18):
me up there's an ask I was like,I know there's an app, what do
I need to buy?
Like, what do I got to puttogether?
Leslie (08:27):
I was like I know you need some food or something you
need to build for me.
Dr Damas (08:36):
So he's like listen, she goes, this stuff that you're
doing here with like the bodyand the physical fitness and
stuff, like she goes.
I see you're doing here withlike the body and like the
physical fitness and stuff, likeshe goes I see you coming, I'll
go, are you happy?
And I was like I got a greatjob.
Um, like you know, I run my ownthing.
I'm writing, I'm blah, blah,blah, this and that, and then
(08:57):
she's like okay, cool, we are.
She goes, are you happy?
I was like I don't have aproblem.
You know I don't have anyproblems.
I just bought a new truck.
It's mad expensive.
I'm living life.
And she's like you stillhaven't answered my question.
And I was like I wasn'temotionally ready for this kind
of conversation.
Leslie (09:28):
And she's like the time is now.
I need to speak to you rightnow.
Dr Damas (09:32):
Listen, she said and this is going to tie back to
before she says to me when youplay football, there was a thing
about you, she goes.
There was a whole thing aboutyou the way you walk, the way
you move, the way you approachlife, she goes.
You are a different person, shegoes.
Now you're kind of just glidingthrough life, being everything
(09:54):
she goes.
But I remember she goes.
I remember you had a fire aboutyou.
There was another thing, andshe goes why are you just doing
what you're doing now?
And I was like what are youtalking about?
Like, you know, I got a goodjob, it's comfortable.
And she goes yeah, but you'retoo young to be chilling out
(10:16):
right now.
So at the time I was 32, shewas like and I was like what?
And she goes why don't you godo something that you really
want to do?
Oh, yeah, oh, it's like likewhat, like what?
Leslie (10:30):
are you talking about?
Dr Damas (10:32):
she goes well, didn't you want to be an astronaut?
And I was like, yeah, when Iwas a kid, I'm too old for that,
like that, that's like thatship has sailed right.
And she goes uh, yeah, youcan't get in, there's age limits
, like it's a whole thing.
I was like mom, I'm out of thatthing.
Right, she goes well.
Didn't you like architecture?
And I was like that was theclass I took at tech.
(10:54):
I liked the drawing and stuff,but I didn't really like it
Because I did enjoy like thetechnical drawing.
You know stuff that you doingtech, right, yeah, technical
join, yeah, yeah.
And then she said, well, whatis stuff you're doing with the
body?
Now?
You're into health and fitnessand taking care of people and
all this stuff.
She was won't you become adoctor?
(11:14):
And I was like a doctor.
Like at my age I was like adoctor.
He was like you know how muchschool?
I remember saying you know howmuch school I gotta go back and
do all that.
And she goes to me and this iswhere she got me.
She goes well.
You never struck me as the kindof guy that was afraid of hard
work and I was like, ooh.
Angella (11:38):
They'll do it to you.
It's like ooh, you just getweak.
Leslie (11:42):
How long?
She dropped the phone.
What Mic drop.
Dr Damas (11:51):
Yes, I was like you know what, like, if that's my
objection, you know, let methink about it.
I went home and I thought aboutit.
I called my brother, patrick,who's an attorney, and I was
like yo, patrick, I think Imight go to medical school.
It was like 11 o'clock at nightand he's like I think I might
(12:11):
like, like you know, give upeverything, go to medical school
.
It was like 11 o'clock at nightand he's like I think I might
like, like you know, give upeverything, go to medical school
.
And he's like, oh, that soundsgreat.
I, yeah, and I'm held up thephone on me and I was like what?
Angella (12:23):
what just happened?
It was 11 o'clock at night.
Now he probably was.
Leslie (12:29):
He probably was on a date, had somebody there.
He's like my crazy brother, getoff this phone.
Dr Damas (12:37):
I thought he was going to be like some brother, Like
what you want to do what?
Or like, oh, that sounds stupid.
Right right, right, you can doit.
They hung up.
It was like 15 seconds and I'mlike I don't even know.
So I went to sleep the nextmorning 15 seconds and I'm like
I don't even know.
So I went to sleep 15 seconds,yeah, it wasn't even like so.
Next morning I thought about itand I was like you know what
(12:58):
she's right?
Um, let's go.
And um, well, fortunately shewanted to pass in August of 2004
.
And then that's when she passed, august of 2004.
That's when I, uh, I, I waslike it's time for me to go to
school.
Um, so I packed up my stuff.
I had already I had fallen inlove with florida, used to come
(13:20):
down here to miami, come onvacation.
It was like if I was ever goingto leave new york, I moved to
miami.
So she passed away.
August 2004, november 2004,.
I was in Miami Election day.
The whole Bushcore, amyChastain.
Angella (13:36):
Yeah.
Dr Damas (13:38):
Driving to U-Haul.
Listening to all of that on theradio.
I got here in November 2004.
In January 2005, I enrolled atFlorida International and
started my pre-med, my post-baccprogram.
Leslie (13:57):
Oh my God, oh my God.
Dr Damas (14:01):
February 2005,.
I was, like you know, an oldpre-med.
I guess I was 33-year-old, with18-year-olds pre-med.
I guess I was 33 year old with18 year olds.
I had my oldest son miles.
November of 2005.
Oh my gosh, I was working at ata gym.
I was running a gym.
(14:22):
I was like I had to keep likepaying the bills.
I was older, I was likecouldn't stop it.
So I was like commuting toschool, coming back picking up
miles from these.
Sometimes I actually broughtmiles to school, coming back
picking up miles.
Sometimes I actually broughtmiles to school with me in a
stroller Like this is like real.
That he was like in class.
Leslie (14:40):
Oh my gosh.
Dr Damas (14:41):
In class with my kid in the stroller when are we
writing?
This book.
Leslie (14:46):
When are we writing this book?
You probably have a couple ofbooks about you already, right?
Dr Damas (14:52):
Yeah, Brother Miles, yeah, Miles went to school.
Miles went and shout out toMiles he's going to Hobart and
Smith this week, so he's 21 now,or so 19.
19 years old.
Leslie (15:04):
Hey Miles, hey Miles.
Dr Damas (15:06):
Yeah, it'll be 20 in November and so, and then you
know, then came the next timesomebody told me I couldn't make
it.
I had my pre-med advisor at FIUhe's supposed to write your
letters and all that stuff andhe told me.
He told me his brother'shilarious.
He wasn't a brother, but I'mgonna call him a brother.
(15:26):
Yeah, that man is hilarious now, but he pissed me off.
Don't make Dr Thomas mad.
Yeah, yeah.
Leslie (15:32):
That man is hilarious now, but he pissed me off hey
don't make Dr Thomas mad.
Angella (15:36):
That's the thing, don't make him mad.
Dr Damas (15:38):
You won't like him when he's mad.
It's funny because that's mynickname with my frat I'm the
Hulk they call.
You wouldn't like me when I'mangry.
You won't like him when he'sangry.
That man told me I should be anurse or a physical therapist
and I was like but why?
I was like but I want to be adoctor, why would I be a nurse
(15:59):
or therapist?
So he said you're too old, hegoes, they're not gonna accept
you to any school, blah, blahthis.
And then I was like don't youremember telling that?
Yeah, if you ever tell me whatI can or cannot do?
But I didn't say that nicely, itwas some expletive.
Wow, don't you.
I was like are you out of yourgoddamn mind?
(16:20):
You're supposed to be writingmy letter and you're telling me
what I can't, are you crazy?
So I went to my professors, Iwent around him and I went
directly to my professors and II was like that jackass said
he's not going to write myletters.
And they were like what?
You're like the best student inthe class because I was busting
it out too right with a kid andworking and this, yeah, exactly
(16:42):
, so I got to do my thing, so umwhat's crazy that I only got.
Leslie (16:47):
This is painful to hear what they're doing to us.
This is painful.
Dr Damas (16:54):
I got admitted to one US medical school which was NOVA
Southeastern.
Now here, it was an osteopathicschool.
At the time there was adifference between allopathic MD
schools and DO schools.
I didn't want to be anosteopath, I didn't know much
about it.
I didn't want to be anosteopath, I didn't know much
about it.
Yeah, I got into a bunch offoreign schools and they were in
(17:15):
Nova, had told me okay, we'regoing to put you next year,
you're going to get in thefollowing year.
It's like, bro, I'm already 37,you know, say now, this has
been four years of me going topre-med now and doing all this
stuff.
Yeah, yeah, you take twoclasses at a time.
It wasn't all through, right,oh my.
Leslie (17:31):
God, our stories are so similar.
Dr Damas (17:35):
Yeah, so that's crazy, right.
So I wound up going to schoolin Nevis in the Caribbean, a
school called Medical Universityof the Americas Nevis, all
right.
I went there class presidentfor a couple years there did the
whole thing.
Leslie (17:50):
Of course you were, of course you were Of course you
were.
Dr Damas (17:57):
If you stuck around any longer, you'd be the dean of
students.
Leslie (18:04):
Anybody doubt it?
Dr Damas (18:07):
I didn't know.
I don't run for these things,right?
They just nominate me.
Yeah, what happened was this isinteresting.
When got back to Chicago, we doour clinicals in Chicago, my
surgery attending one day justsaid to me hey, man, like like
you're so good with your handsand operating room this and that
(18:27):
, and you're really in tune.
I had done a report on a triplea repair abdominal aortic
aneurysm and he was like man,you just like, it's like I think
you would love this thingcalled interventional radiology.
When I was like I never heardof that homeboy, yeah, and he's
like.
I got a cool friend and one ofthem he's a buffalo bills fan.
He would love to meet you.
(18:47):
I, you should go check it out.
I went and did ir rotation,fell in love with ir, completely
fell in love with ir.
Yeah, this is the thing.
So wound up doing my wholething.
You're matched into radiology,did my?
Leslie (19:02):
all right, let me just say.
Let me just say something thatmost of the people don't know.
Obviously, as a physician, Iunderstand, understand.
So I'm, in order to do yourradiology residency, your first
year, you have to choose whatthey call a.
In your intern year, you haveto do either medicine internal
(19:23):
medicine or you have to dosurgery general surgery, or they
have these things called aprelim year, where you do a lot
of little things.
Guess which one is the mostchallenging to do, especially if
you don't want to be a surgeonthis brother picks to do general
surgery.
That means you're standing inthe OR doing suturing and
(19:44):
retracting and he doesn't evenwant to be a surgeon because you
just do that for a year.
I chose internal medicinebecause anesthesiologists are
weird.
Angella (19:55):
We're the internists of the OR.
Leslie (19:58):
So I'm like I'm doing internal medicine.
This brother says I guess I'lljust do surgery for a year.
Dr Damas (20:04):
Yeah, okay.
Leslie (20:06):
That's crazy, a surgery intern.
You never sleep.
Dr Damas (20:11):
No, I didn't.
You never sleep no.
Leslie (20:11):
I didn't.
You never sleep and you gotmiles Anyway.
Dr Damas (20:18):
I had a youngest son, Apollo.
He's named after the Apollospace mission.
Angella (20:22):
Oh my gosh, you're killing me over here, you're
killing me.
Dr Damas (20:27):
And so yeah, but you know, they didn't have me doing
a lot of retracting.
I actually I did a lot.
They actually tried to get meto stay on.
You tried to get me to um, toswitch the vascular, uh, but I
was like no, this is really, youknow, like no, no, no, no we
will give you it.
(20:48):
I was.
I'm straight.
This is like a whole lot.
I'm going back to Florida, I'mgoing to stay in New York and
then.
So in between that time, whathappened was?
Angella (21:01):
Yeah, get to the CD, because this is the we need to
learn.
Dr Damas (21:06):
I started getting headaches, really bad headaches,
and I wasn't able to sleep.
I mean, they were likedebilitating headaches.
Um, it felt like somebody wasputting their like fingers into
my skull, rip my.
I was unbearable and then Iwasn't able to sleep.
So I started likeself-medicating tylenol I was
thinking benadryl, go to sleepand I was doing all this stuff.
(21:28):
My head was killing me and, um,I started getting anxiety.
This is while I was in Chicagoduring my clinical years in med
school, so I'm like I'm fallingapart at the seams.
So I was really, with all theevenings I go in and I'm like
something is wrong.
It was a sister who was.
She was a pediatrician and Iwas like, hey, there's something
(21:49):
wrong.
I was like every time I walkinto a room my heart is beating
fast and I don't know whatthat's about Right, I was like I
don't know what that's about.
And that's not you?
Leslie (21:59):
Yeah, that's not you.
Dr Damas (22:01):
And I was like I got headaches and like I can't sleep
and like I've been losingweight.
I was like this is like I'mdelirious, you know.
And so she like they hooked meup.
She hooked me up with some ofher colleagues.
I was seeing an endocrinologist, a neurologist, I saw a
psychiatrist.
I was doing it and then I hadanother surgery.
(22:23):
So I wound up on Xanax, seroquel, oxy's and Perks whole surgery.
I couldn't take the Oxys andPerks.
They like that was the worstfeeling ever.
I couldn't tolerate the Xanax,which is an anti-anxiety
medication, out of it.
So I couldn't tolerate that.
(22:43):
I was just like in bad shape.
So I was like post-surgical, Icouldn't get anything for my
pain.
So I was just like I'm justgoing to take Tylenol, forget it
, I'll just suck it up.
I'm not sleeping, I can't takethese Xanax.
If I take the Benadryl, I'mgroggy throughout the day, like
I can't get anything and I'mstill super nervous, like
something's wrong.
(23:04):
So let me tell you how bad itwas.
And then this is something thatpeople with medicine I failed
the step two, clinical skills.
There's a.
There's a board exam where it'sbasically a test of english
profession.
You just got to go in there andlike just ask you see a patient
and then type a note like it'snot, like you don't have to do.
(23:25):
I had not slept one in threehours and maybe three and a half
, four weeks per night.
So when I got into that thinglike I didn't know what I was.
Leslie (23:34):
I literally yeah, yeah, you were really breaking down my
whole thing was allowed,illegible.
Dr Damas (23:41):
I think they gave me like feedback and they were like
yo, we can't even.
I was like I'm like I can speakenglish now.
So I was like messed up and thewoman I was dating at the time
she was the one that kept onsaying you should try some weed,
it'll help you go to sleep.
And I was like that'spreposterous because I'm in med
school.
I'm a doctor, yeah yeah, andthey're giving me all the tests
(24:04):
they give me and that's notsomething that they talk about,
absolutely not.
And then it went on threemonths later.
She was like you know, peoplesay they smoke weed and they go
to sleep.
And I was like are you crazy?
Yeah, they'll be like, yeah,you get kicked out of school,
you get arrested and that stuffdoesn't work.
It wasn't until I went to thatand I like failed that basic
test which was like you can'tlike a.
(24:26):
You know that's crazy, likesomebody at my level and not
bigging myself up, but but mylevel yeah.
That's not something that youthat's not like a thing.
You knew something was wrong.
That wasn't you.
Yeah, I was asking people.
I knew something was wrong whenI went, like I was like
something's wrong, like I can'twalk into a room.
Leslie (24:45):
Help me, help me.
Dr Damas (24:47):
Yeah.
So I finally I was like youknow what, let me go try this
weed stuff out.
So I went to see one of theboys at med school.
I was like yo man, I want tobuy some weed.
And he was like you, you wantto buy some weed.
I was like yeah, and he waslike oh man.
Leslie (25:05):
It's about to go down.
Angella (25:07):
We got him.
Dr Damas (25:10):
Mr Goody Two-Shoes.
Angella (25:14):
He's human after all.
Dr Damas (25:17):
I've grown to this dude spot to buy the weed and my
entire mind is making scenarioslike I'm going to get arrested.
It's going to be in news Likeformer NFL players arrested for
buying weed.
Leslie (25:29):
You're in there shaking.
You're going to people likethis what.
Dr Damas (25:34):
I tell you what I bought the weed, my ex, she
rolled it up.
I didn't even really smoke alittle bit in the high school
yeah, yeah, I coughed most ofthe time to this day.
I don't smoke yeah I don't smokea smoker.
Um, I coughed.
I went to sleep, I slept 12hours and I was like that's a
(25:55):
coincidence, I don't believe it.
So then the next night, Ismoked again.
I choked most of the most ofthe time I was doing.
I slept 10 hours.
It's like I don't believe it.
So the third night, the thirdnight, I didn't smoke.
I was up to four o'clock in themorning.
I was like this is no good.
Leslie (26:15):
Somebody's telling you buddy.
Dr Damas (26:17):
The fourth night, which was a Sunday, got to be at
the hospital for rotations.
In the morning I was like I'mgoing to smoke.
I smoked, I went to sleep.
I got to the hospital I wasn'tnervous anymore Like I was.
I wasn't like nervous, I wascalm.
Calm, my headache was gone andI was like there's no way, this
(26:37):
is a coincidence.
So then I started like googlingstuff.
At the time I learned how tomake my own tea, so the ganja
tea.
Going back to that part one, Ilearned it because I don't like
to smoke, so I learned how toboil my own tea.
So I had a little bottle of teain my fridge.
Every night I would come home,I'd practice whatever my
suturing, whatever it is Ineeded to do, read whatever I
(26:59):
needed to read.
I'd drink my little tea an hourbefore bed, lights out, wake up
in the morning, refresh, and Iwas like, oh my God, game
changer Game changer Gamechanger, yeah, and I was like.
So one day I was just like, ifI'm going through this, imagine
(27:21):
how many other people are goingthrough this.
And I was thinking to myselfand I am not someone who didn't
have access, I had access to allthe doctors, all the tests,
everybody.
They were like they liked.
They liked me, right, theyliked me.
It was like I like you, Boy,you're one of us, Like I got you
, it wasn't anything like thatwe had access to everything and
(27:45):
it was terrible for me.
And then I hear about theconcussion thing.
I didn't know this and theywere like.
Then I hear about theconcussion thing with them.
I didn't know this and theywere like.
Then I started hearing about oh, you know some of the stuff
that you.
You know that you'reexperiencing a whole bunch of
other dudes that played footballby having the same issues
headaches- you know insomniaright Like anxiety movement.
(28:07):
I was like there's no way,that's important.
Like to do that like how is itthat, like all of these dudes
are going through that and I'mby myself?
I'm like I'm completely faraway from the game.
Angella (28:19):
What's the common denominator here?
Dr Damas (28:21):
yeah, right.
And so at that point I remembersaying to myself when I get a
chance, there is some work forme to do here.
Cause I know what it did for mylife, cause I was really trying
my best, I went and I saw help.
I went to see you know I was, Iwas on, you know, anti-anxiety
(28:42):
yeah you you did what you, youdid everything you could do.
They asked me to do.
I was going by the book anddoing it was making things work.
Angella (28:52):
And you believed it too.
That's the thing you believedEvery time you tried something.
You believe that, okay, thishas got to work.
Dr Damas (29:00):
This is the thing I was doing.
Like you know, I was doing 24hour urine things.
Somebody thought I had like anadrenal tumor, like feel I was
doing all kinds of stuff, typesof stuff.
So I was getting it all done andthen come to find out you know,
now that I look, you know weput this all together was and I
(29:21):
really believe this in my heartthe reason that you know I did
get the knee injury was so Ididn't destroy my brain enough
that I could maintain mycognizance.
You know, I really believe thatand you know a lot of people
said that to me and my closefriends circle, like everything
that you've done in life hasbrought you to this.
(29:43):
From the experience with my momand watching her go through her
treatment and constipation andthe itching and the withdrawals
and the drooling, you know,towards the end of life, just
kind of like you know havingmedication options that just
didn't do well for her and herat one point saying I want to
see a naturopath.
Leslie (30:02):
You had to see it all.
You had to see it all, and thenyour mom had to tell you Irve,
I don't see the joy mom had totell you, irve, I don't see the
joy, yeah, so that's how thisall came about, you know.
Dr Damas (30:16):
So I take care of a lot of football players.
That's how I started A lot ofthe dudes.
You know, I actually had myteammates, my former teammates,
like both, you know, college andthe pros were my patients,
family members, my own familymembers.
My father, you know, wentthrough a lot the last couple of
years.
He just got home, end stagerenal disease he was, you know,
(30:40):
he had a foot amputation, he hada stroke and I walked into that
hospital.
I swear to god, he and he knowsthis, he knows that when he goes
to see a doctor, the firstthing he says my son's a doctor,
call him.
So I get these calls all thetime.
Every time he goes to the ER hegoes something.
He goes call my son the doctor,right, and then I'm able to
(31:02):
have conversations with myfather's physicians that I
couldn't have with my mother'sphysicians.
You know which is somethingthat I remember, my mother's
physicians.
You know which is somethingthat I remember, like you know
and you know.
So it's all kind of come fullcircle.
You know, I take care of myteammates, I take care of my
family.
(31:22):
You know I'm able to.
You know I'm a big advocate.
I'm a member of the NFL formerplayers chapter in South Florida
.
I'm the health and wellnesscaptain, so I take care of a lot
of the guys in terms you know,their medical conditions and
their families.
I've had to do interventionsfor guys who've been suicidal
and guys who've had breakdowns,like their wives have called me
(31:45):
and like we need you.
He's not going to talk toanybody else.
I had, you know, one of thecheerleaders from from tech the
other day, who was thecheerleader when I was there.
She called me and had somestuff going on with people in
her family.
She was like I need you.
I'm like, oh, wow, what's that?
So, you know, I'm able to be ina space with my experience and
(32:10):
my, my expertise that I'm ableto add a certain amount of, um
validity and and and rationalthinking to this space.
Um, not a.
I'm not like the snoop dog ofthis.
You know, I'm not like the come, smoke, weed and have a good
time?
Angella (32:26):
yeah, because I know that that's not what you're
about you.
You actually create likespecialized.
Dr Damas (32:35):
If you have a problem, I'll go try to find a solution.
I've done a research study onCBD and the quality of life in
retired professional athletes.
I've worked with Mike Tyson'scannabis company and, as a
matter of fact, he was in one ofthe chapters of the study, you
know.
So you know, going back to whatwe talked about in part one,
you know, and what I talkedabout on the radio is that you
(32:59):
know, we as a people wesometimes have to go it alone
because, like I kind of had todo the same thing, right, I
tried all this stuff and it'slike it ain't working.
Angella (33:11):
Yeah Right, it makes you think you're crazy, yeah,
yeah.
Dr Damas (33:17):
And so you know, having the ability to speak to
somebody or having a resourcethat you can trust, you know
that's reliable, that's commonsense.
I don't look for, you know,silver bullets.
There are no silver bullets.
I think that the the breadth ofmy experience when it comes to
health and wellness and what Iwas doing running the wellness
(33:38):
centers, teaching how you know,health and exercise, science,
exercise, physiology all thatstuff doing research and now
being can be, you know, being aradiologist.
Gen surge played, like all allthat stuff.
Yeah, I had a stroke.
I ran out.
You know I read his CT.
You know, with neurologists Iwas like, you know.
(33:59):
So you know it's positioned meto do what I'm doing and I'm
grateful to be able to do that,and that's what it is.
Leslie (34:10):
You have been, I think, divinely positioned to be just
who do that and that's what itis.
You have been, I think,divinely positioned to be just
who you are.
And whenever I've had theoccasion to hear you, when I see
you now, I can see it in youand your mom, your mom, would be
so, not just proud, becausethat's normal, but when you live
(34:38):
your joy, when you live yourjoy, it's so obvious in your
walk, it's obvious in yourspeech.
Yeah, you're doing what youwere here to do, I believe.
I believe.
Dr Damas (34:54):
Yeah Right, and it took me some time to get.
You know I had to give up.
You know I'll give you anotherstory with somebody.
You know I had to give up.
My radiology position for thehospital was like hey, there's
no like cannabis.
You're not going to domarijuana and yeah, we don't do
(35:15):
that we don't have to give thatup stuff yeah, you literally had
to walk away from that.
I had to walk away when Iremember my program director, I
had a whole thing with thehospital, like discussions with
like the VP of the hospital andthey were like bro, cut the crap
with this marijuana thing.
I'm serious.
We had like meetings, mybrother, patrick, the attorney,
(35:36):
the one I called I was like Iwant to be a doctor, he was
representing me, he was myattorney.
The one I called I was like Iwant to be a doctor, he was
representing me, he was myattorney with the hospital.
And then eventually I walkedinto my program director's
office the chief of radiology,and you know we were talking and
he was like why don't you justlike, why don't you just stop
(35:58):
with this weed stuff?
Angella (36:00):
Like that's all.
They saw it as Black man withweed stuff.
Yeah.
Dr Damas (36:07):
And I was like, yeah, I can't do it Right, and before
that you were a mess.
Leslie (36:11):
You may not have even finished the program.
You were a mess.
You wouldn't have left whole,not as a whole person.
Dr Damas (36:18):
You know what he said to me.
You know what he said to me.
And when he said to me, he saidto me so, like, honestly, he
goes to me.
So what are you gonna do?
What?
At your age, you start all over.
That's what he said to meanother one another one.
I looked, you know, I looked himright in the face.
I remember that.
And I looked him right in theface.
(36:39):
I I remember that.
And I looked him right in theface.
I said to him if I'm going tobet on anybody, I'm going to bet
on myself.
And I went home that day.
I called Patrick.
I said hey.
Leslie (36:47):
Patrick, that's going to be the name of this episode.
If I'm going to bet on anyone,I'm betting on myself.
Dr Damas (36:54):
I told you to say and I called Patrick, I called
Patrick, and and I calledPatrick, I called Patrick and I
was like, hey, patrick, I needto talk to you.
And he was like, yeah, I'vebeen thinking about it.
So, like yo, patrick, man, I'mready to turn in my resignation.
He was like, yeah, I was goingto tell you.
(37:14):
So Patrick was like I was goingto tell you that, like, do you
want to use, like, if you're sointo this cannabis and marijuana
, why are you holding on to thisradiology thing?
He's like if that's what youreally want to do, just go do
that Live your joy.
Leslie (37:28):
Live your joy.
Dr Damas (37:30):
It took me some time to let go of, like you know,
because I've worked so far, ofcourse, dedicated so much time
to it.
Yeah, all this stuff.
I mean it dedicated so muchtime to it.
Yeah, there's all this stuff.
I mean it's like this new kindof field and you're going out on
your own.
You're kind of like creating apath all by yourself that like
no one's walking really walkingfor and like you know, and
(37:51):
you're giving up a whole lot offinancial security.
That was another thing too,right so it's like I'm walking
away from you, know you're notwalking away from like regular,
like you know family.
You're walking away from you,know you're not walking away
from like regular, like you know, family practice.
Leslie (38:03):
You're walking away from radiology money.
You're ready Radiology moneySure.
Angella (38:06):
Listen, if you probably had loans and all of
this.
Yeah, this isn't the first timeyou've given up, that you've
turned away from one thing to gotowards.
You know it's wow and you saidyou.
You did that was it.
You said yeah I'm betting onmyself I'm betting on myself.
Dr Damas (38:30):
I went in all, it went all in, you know, started my
own business, learned a newskill set.
You know, just spent all mymoney, did the whole thing, lost
all my money, built it back up.
There's one point I was likeman.
I remember one point where Ilost all my money and I was like
, oh my God.
Leslie (38:50):
What have I done?
Dr Damas (38:52):
What have I done?
Leslie (38:53):
And.
Dr Damas (38:54):
I was like, wait a minute.
Oh boy, this is how it goes.
There is supposed to bedifficulty and it's the people
that survive this part of itthat can get up and go.
Those are the ones that make it.
So you may come.
You got to learn, you got tofigure out where you need help,
what you got wrong, all thethings.
You pick it up, homeboy, andget it going again.
(39:14):
And now you know, eight yearsin, things are great.
You know things are great.
Business is booming.
I everything is thrive.
You know everything is thriving.
We're gonna do a big expansionthis year.
A whole lot of stuff and, um,you know, I'm like I guess it is
was my path and so yeah, yeah,you know.
(39:37):
And who knows what's who?
Who knows what's?
You know what's the best partof it?
I tell you the best part of it.
I tell you the best part of itis that my kids Wait, there's
more.
Yeah, so you know, miles worksat the office.
He does reception front deskfor me.
That's his job, Right.
So, like you know, my kids havebeen like part of the journey.
So they've seen this entirething.
(40:00):
They've seen they were there.
Okay, we had a whole bunch ofmoney and they were there one
christmas when I was like, hey,bro, we don't have them.
A dad lost all the money.
Okay, so we're gonna have alittle more intimate and you
know what?
That was one of their favoritechristmases really.
So, like, hey, remember thattime when we all just had a
whole bunch of little stuff, itwasn't like this big,
(40:21):
extravagant thing.
And so they've traveled with meto speaking engagements.
They go to all the nfls, likeeverybody knows them.
You know like they'll come, yes.
So they've had an opportunity.
They've met a whole bunch ofpeople.
They've had an opportunity tolisten to me talk.
As a matter of fact, they'vethey've done a lot of charity
(40:41):
events with me and like they'lltalk to you, they, they will
talk to you about this as, like,subject matter experts oh my
god isn't that something.
Oh yeah, you know they'll talkto you about the criminalization
, they'll do all that stuff, andso I'm happy like they're not
kind of like shackled byprohibition or the concept that
(41:04):
you can't make your own path.
That you can't do your ownthing Right.
Leslie (41:09):
So you know they're free thinkers now because they've
had to, you know, and I'm likego do whatever you want, that's
what you want.
Dr Damas (41:15):
They're free thinkers.
I will tell you that those twoguys are free thinkers.
And like they will.
You're not going to stop them.
Leslie (41:24):
And how old is Apollo.
Angella (41:28):
So, Apollo is going to be 10, August 21st Shout out to
Apollo hey Apollo, hey Apollo.
So, dr Damas before.
Leslie (41:35):
I don't want to miss first of all.
Could you tell people how toreach you?
Don't want to miss first of all, could you tell people how to
reach you?
And then I just want um you totell us a little bit more about
um dr damas, wellness and whatyou just a just an overview yeah
, so you can find us online.
Dr Damas (41:54):
um, it's simple website drdamascom.
You can just type in dr, likedr, dr damascom, or you can
spell it outR-D-A-M-A-S dot com.
Or you can spell it outD-O-C-T-O-R-D-O-M-A-S dot com.
It also reaches by phone833-362-3262, 833-362-3262.
Whichever way, we like hearingfrom people because it lets us
(42:15):
know what people are looking for, what solutions they're looking
for so it'll give meinspiration for things to
discuss on the radio, things toresearch and write about, or
even product formulations.
You know we're makingsuppositories now and we're
(42:36):
doing that because we've hadpatients who've had prostate
cancer and women withendometriosis.
And hemorrhoids and a wholebunch of stuff.
So like if you come to us andtell us we've had a patient who
had a nephrectomy because oflupus nephritis, so we actually
wrote about CBD,post-nephrectomy and how that
involves, how that affects sothat's like an article on our
(42:59):
website Not only the lupus butrenal function and cannabinoid.
Leslie (43:04):
Well, so I'm definitely going to contact your office.
I've been suffering fromarthritis in my knees and I am
not having knee replacements Iain't going down like that but
I've been doing physical therapyand all and I find that it's
not really working and stuff.
I don't take the NSAIDs becauseI've donated my kidney, so I
(43:26):
don't take NSAIDs and Advil andall of that.
So that might really CBD orsome other formulation from you
can might be helpful for me.
Dr Damas (43:36):
So you know we also do like I mentioned before.
It was really important.
I'm not a magic bullet kind ofperson, right?
so we're, you're realistic, yeah, right, and so there is more
than just like the little thingthat's by all, my knee hurts and
that's that.
And so we have a nutritionistthat works with our patients.
(44:00):
They aren't.
So if you come in and you knowthe nutrition is very important,
you know, unfortunately may youused to sound like uh, crazy
talk, but I think we've all kindof accepted the fact that the
food is poisoning us in manyways.
Leslie (44:13):
Yeah, I think we all know that now yeah, yeah, yeah,
right, and so you know.
Dr Damas (44:18):
So we have a nutritionist that that works
with us, and then we have otherholistic practitioners.
We have a massage therapist.
We do some sound healing, whichis something that I got exposed
to which I was like what areyou guys talking about?
But you know, when I read aboutit a little bit more and I was
like man, I used to getultrasound treatments all the
time when I played sports.
They used to just take theultrasound and rub it against my
(44:41):
muscles, and that was like,well accepted, like hey, we're
using sound waves to heal you.
And now you have the bowls andthe singing and the singing
bowls and all the big walks.
So we do that, we do meditations, we do yoga, and so we kind of
try to find ways for people domeditations, we do yoga, and so
(45:03):
we kind of try to find ways forpeople practice, yeah, find of
give you options and ways foryou to a heal yourself in a way
that you're comfortable, thatallowing aligns with your kind
of philosophy and your wholebeing, whether it's intellectual
, spiritual, emotional.
We know through research thatpeople have better outcomes if
they believe in the treatmentmodality right.
So if you tell somebody to takemedications and they don't want
(45:26):
to take it, it ain't going towork out well for them.
They're either not going totake it as prescribed, you're
going to lose them to follow up.
They ain't going to come backright, they're going to suffer
other things.
They might, you know, havemental health triggers because
you're doing, they're doingsomething they don't believe in
and they feel like they're beingforced and so you know, having
opportunities for people to havea little bit more
(45:48):
self-determination, a little bitmore control and realistic,
realistic things.
We ain't you know, we'recompletely curing anything.
We're not doing surgery rightyeah, we're giving you a manager
manage your life that's what itis management and optimization
yes, yeah, yes yeah and so, andthen we involve cannabis in that
and the nutrition and theexercise yeah and the meditation
(46:11):
and all those good things, sothat you know if you're not
sleeping well, maybe it's notbecause you know, maybe it's
because you're just stressed outand you don't need.
And you don't need it.
And I forgot to tell you.
They gave me ambient too forsleep and I was like this is the
worst.
Don't ever, ever give me thiskeep that crap away from me yeah
(46:36):
.
So, like you know, maybe theperson doesn't need an ambient
right, maybe they just need tolearn how to manage their
thoughts, maybe they need anemotional release, right.
Maybe they just need a place tojust feel safe.
You know, they'll feel safe,right?
Or maybe they feel alone, andthat's the thing.
Angella (46:53):
Maybe they just need a vibrator.
Dr Damas (46:55):
I mean yes exactly, we made a CBD intimate oil and a
THC.
Angella (47:04):
Oh my goodness, that's interesting.
Dr Damas (47:07):
Yeah, so that's something that my patients talk
to me about.
Like, hey, listen, I'm havingsome issues.
We've had, you know, I've hadpatients who've had vaginismus.
You know, it just spasms.
I've had people who've been thevictims of sexual trauma
(47:28):
veterans, both male and femalewho are now like, hey, you know,
as a result of this ptsd yeah,and you know, not just the pts
but the sexual assaults andthings like that that, hey, I'm
not as intimate as I would liketo be, it hurts, it doesn't feel
good.
Right, this and that ass.
He was like man, don't you makesomething for people, don't you
(48:02):
help people?
I swear to God.
Angella (48:06):
Your kids will come for you.
They will come for you.
He was scratching.
Dr Damas (48:10):
He was scratching and he was like, hey, don't you make
stuff, man, you need somethingfor me.
Look at me.
Angella (48:20):
You say you're a doctor.
Leslie (48:21):
Why don't you raise me Ain't?
Dr Damas (48:23):
you a doctor, I can cut my elbow, dad, it's true, I
made a CBD body rub.
Leslie (48:31):
That's hilarious.
I get it, I get it.
So let me tell you what we'regoing to do.
Ang is in North Carolina, I'min New Jersey.
We're coming to Miami.
Angella (48:44):
We're coming to Miami.
Leslie (48:45):
We're coming to Miami, you're stuck with us Tech nights
.
Angella (48:49):
that's right.
Dr Damas (48:51):
Listen, I was in Mozambique and I met somebody
that went to tech.
Leslie (48:58):
I'm telling you we are everywhere.
You see tech t-shirtseverywhere.
Angella (49:02):
Everywhere right, listen, at the coffee shop.
There's a coffee shop that Iwalk to, I go to really often,
and the owner's husband saw mein a tech t-shirt and he said
you went to tech.
And I said this is a youngerguy, maybe, I don't know, maybe
in his early 40s, and he says,like my uncle used to teach at
(49:41):
brooklyn tech.
Dr Damas (49:42):
Mr anger, you know it's amazing, it's a beautiful
experience for a lot of us,because one thing about that
place is that it doesn't put uhboundaries around you.
Very true value, very true.
Leslie (49:57):
Exactly that's your mind dream, very true.
And the exposure to foundryshop technical drawing chemistry
.
I was an organic chemistrymajor.
Dr Damas (50:10):
You know, industry all of these
Leslie (50:13):
things, Mr Aeronautics, what does the sister start to?
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah.
What?
Dr Damas (50:22):
You know the great thing about that place too.
It was, like you know, in themidst of the chaos of New York
City at that time right Arespite?
Yeah, in the classroom.
You're in there, it was safe.
You could just be a student.
Angella (50:35):
That's right Right.
Dr Damas (50:37):
It wasn't like all that stuff, you could like be a
student there, and you know, alot of people were trying to do
their thing too.
So there was like other peoplearound you that were like, hey,
man, I'm trying to, I'm tryingto make it too.
You know, we're all trying tolike make it right.
So it wasn't like, uh, you know, of course you had your
slackers and this and that but alot of people.
Angella (50:57):
But that wasn't the culture of the place.
The culture of the place wasyou go hard.
Dr Damas (51:03):
You know what I mean.
Angella (51:05):
You do it.
You didn't feel like anoutsider when you were a real
geek.
You know what I mean.
It was just.
It was the culture of the place.
Your classmates expected you toexcel.
Leslie (51:17):
And we still had fun.
Dr Damas (51:19):
And it was still fun.
Yeah, yeah we had a lot of funand that's like you know.
I think that's why people areso proud of the school.
I'd say it's like you know.
Sure you know I wear more techstuff than I do hofstra stuff I
know me too.
Leslie (51:33):
I'm not connected to my college I've never.
Angella (51:35):
I've never been back to a penn reunion.
I've gone to the school, butI've never been back to a Penn
reunion.
I've gone to the school, butI've never been back to a Penn
reunion.
Dr Damas (51:41):
However, that's where my boy Sean went to.
Angella (51:44):
Oh, he went to UPenn.
Oh, really, there we go therewe go.
Leslie (51:47):
I went to City College and Brandeis University.
Angella (51:51):
Diehard, diehard.
Leslie (51:52):
Tech In.
Angella (51:53):
Massachusetts.
Dr Damas (51:54):
Yeah, really, I give more money to Tech, Like they
call me up like that.
Leslie (51:58):
I give more money to tech.
Angella (51:58):
Exactly.
Well, I told you, I saw you onthe list.
Leslie (52:02):
You ain't lying.
Dr Damas (52:03):
It's not even a hard sell.
I saw Dr Irving DeMoss.
Leslie (52:09):
and then I said Ange, wait a minute, that's the dude
we were laughing with last night.
Angella (52:17):
That was so good, and here you are.
Dr Damas (52:20):
I want to know like so you hear me on the show all the
time right All?
The time, but after Fridaynight it didn't connect.
It was like seeing the game.
Leslie (52:29):
It never, it never.
Let me tell you why it neverconnected.
First of all, this is a techreunion.
He ain't connected to techFirst of all.
We're in New York City.
He ain't connected to techFirst of all.
We're in New York City.
He ain't in New York City.
He's on the radio.
First of all.
I mean, you're this personableguy in the center of people and
(52:53):
everybody's around you talkingand we're at the bar and the
brother and the coach is sayingthis guy bought, everybody weed,
so you ain't the guy from.
He's the guy Sirius XM.
He's the guy.
He's the NFL player, that thatcoach just told me about yes,
and then I'm like it all clickedand it was like oh my goodness.
Angella (53:17):
You saw the light bulb above her head.
Leslie (53:19):
It was like.
You.
We were having light bulb aboveher head.
It was like you, yeah.
Dr Damas (53:25):
Yeah, you guys some drinks.
That's the important.
Did you have some drinks?
Leslie (53:27):
We certainly did.
We certainly did.
Yeah, we had a ball andremember you were talking to a
young lady who was also greatand fun, and I'm like, are you
guys together and he and he andshe and fun?
And I'm like, are you guystogether?
And she's like, no, this is myfriend from school.
Like I'm not Like this guy.
Dr Damas (53:45):
No, I've known this girl for 30 years.
We've known each other for 35years.
Leslie (53:51):
This is my buddy right here, oh hell, no, that was.
We had a great time.
Do you get back to?
Dr Damas (53:57):
the city often no it's not Exactly.
I do, but we still got a housein Queens.
So my pop, still lives there.
We go back, I go.
I used to go all the time.
He just got out of nursing home, out of Glen Cove.
So after a year and a halfstroke and amputation I go
(54:18):
regularly To the point where I'mlike I got some really frequent
flyer miles.
Leslie (54:23):
I don't even know what to do with them.
Well, good Fly would be wild.
Dr Damas (54:28):
But yeah, I go to New York regularly.
Okay, All right.
Leslie (54:32):
We'll see each other again soon.
Angella (54:34):
I'm sure We'll see you guys in Miami.
Dr Damas (54:36):
Right, Listen, you're not doing your job on me.
If you come to Miami, make sureyou got some bail money.
Leslie (54:46):
Oh, it's going to be that kind of party, Dr Thomas.
Dr Damas (54:48):
Listen.
Leslie (54:53):
I'm still working.
Dr Damas (54:55):
I got to be in the OR at 7.
Am you remember those?
Leslie (54:58):
days.
Dr Damas (54:59):
She's an anesthesiologist.
She got anesthesiology money,don't worry about it.
Angella (55:04):
That's right.
Dr Damas (55:06):
It doesn't bring me a checkbook.
She got anesthesiology money.
We know all right.
Leslie (55:14):
Oh my God, this is a pleasure there's a saying in med
school.
Dr Damas (55:17):
There's a saying in med school, right, it's like the
road to happiness is spelledr-o-a-d.
Okay stands for radiology,radiology, ophthalmology,
anesthesiology and dermatology.
That's an anesthesia, hey.
I ain't no fool I had plenty ofmedical school bills.
Angella (55:42):
I ain't no fool.
Leslie (55:44):
It's so funny because I initially thought about internal
medicine and with my debt, Isaid I couldn't afford to be an
internist.
You know, it's a shame that ithas to be like that because
there's a shortage of primarycare docs.
But I said I had to be aspecialist.
I'm glad, I love it, but youknow, I just had too much debt,
(56:04):
you know, yeah, Wow.
Listen, we can talk all nightlong.
I appreciate your time.
You are the bombcom and seetech nights forever.
Listen, I got my gear.
(56:27):
We appreciate you so much we do,and we'll leave a link to all
of your information and yourwellness center and all of that,
and then at some point in factI'm going to I'll send you the
videos that we have of that, ofthat night.
Dr Damas (56:42):
All right, but I'm going to get sexy to send you
guys a little goodie packagefrom us.
Oh, thank you so much, we'reready, yeah, yeah.
Angella (56:53):
We're trying to do things right, right, we're,
we're, we're, we're just reallycommitting to taking care of our
bodies, mental, physical selvesbetter.
And so this is just in time.
And when Leslie says we'regoing to see you in Miami, we're
going to see you in Miami.
Dr Damas (57:12):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
I told you bring some of thatanesthesiology bail money, the
bail money.
Listen, I'm going to back awayfrom you guys.
Leslie (57:28):
Clowns, I'll provide the weed like the coach said, that
guy got the weed though a atanother point I'm to tell you a
story about how.
Ange and I were flying home onetime oh my.
Lord.
Dr Damas (57:44):
What you did to me.
That's for another time whatyou did to me.
Angella (57:47):
The next time when we see you in Miami Exactly.
Leslie (57:50):
We'll tell you that story.
Anyway, thank you guys forlistening.
This has been another episodeof Black Boomer Besties from
Brooklyn, brooklyn, brooklyn,bye.
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