People Who Have Acromegaly Can Lead Meaningful, Fulfilling Lives, Mississippi Attorney Haley Zelenka Says

Living with any chronic disease can be a trial, Mississippi healthcare and family law attorney Haley Zelenka says, but people who have rare conditions confront a plethora of uniquely difficult challenges. Just getting an accurate condition can take years, and many people who have poorly understood illnesses like Zelenka’s acromegaly struggle with loneliness and isolation.

But some people with rare, challenging conditions learn how to overcome them and live great lives.

Many people who have acromegaly, a chronic condition caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain, suffer a baffling variety of symptoms. The classic symptoms of acromegaly are continued growth of the hands, feet, tongue, and nose after adulthood. The growth that doesn’t quit can cause problems with vision, breathing during sleep, taste, and coordination.

Acromegaly also changes appearances in many of the people who have it. Add to these problems complications such as the increased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, goiter, and precancerous growths in the colon.

Acromegaly is used to presage an early death. But with modern treatments, most people who have acromegaly can expect a normal life expectancy. Some people with acromegaly can live very meaningful lives even with their disease.

Haley Zelenka is a native of the Gulf Coast. She currently lives in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Ms. Zelenka earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Mississippi State University and her JD from the University of Mississippi. Zelenka devotes most of her professional energies to her work as Vice President and General Counsel of Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, but before she went into healthcare law, she was an attorney for the Eighth Chancery Court District of Mississippi. The chancery court, among other things, hears cases involving adoption and family matters. She developed a passion for child advocacy. She remains close to the families she helped adopt children.

One of the social workers who knows Haley Zelenka professionally described her this way:

‘Haley is both passionate and compassionate. Moreover, she is ridiculously smart. You couldn’t have a better lawyer in your corner.”

She carried that same passion and comparison to her service on the inaugural Board of Directors of the Acromegaly Community.

Haley was diagnosed with acromegaly while she was still in college, in 2002. The Acromegaly Community came along in 2005. It offers a variety of services to the 2800 people living with the condition in the United States.

It takes an average of 10 years for the average acromegaly patient to get an accurate diagnosis. The Acromegaly Community helps people get an accurate diagnosis and gives them information on surgery, radiation, medication, and how to pay for them. Most importantly, The Acromegaly Community helps its members find the emotional, financial, and physical resources to live with their condition.

In her spare time, Haley is also a pet parent to two rescue cats and keeps up with six nieces and nephews.

Folks might be thinking 2022 is a lousy year to put money into an individual retirement account or IRA, but there’s never a wrong time to do so, even when older. Barry Bulakites has seen this same question play out again and again with each recession.

An IRA is one of the few tax shelters allowed by the government that anyone can use. It’s a great way to park long-term savings, avoid more income taxes than necessary, and build up reserves for one’s later years all in one package. Unfortunately, IRAs get a lot of bad reps because they take a long time to build up; the government limits how much one can deposit in an IRA per year, which is the downside of the financial tool.

With the 2022 market in the doldrums and the word “recession” whispered in every corner, many folks might feel keeping extra funds in a savings account or in cash is a more intelligent move. In fact, it’s probably the opposite, argues Barry Bulakites. After taking care of living expenses and emergency savings, leftover funds kept in basic savings of cash form are essentially eroding and losing value thanks to a double-whammy of income taxes and inflation. Always present, even in good times, Bulakites reflects that inflation continues to chip away at the value of a dollar, which is why that 25-cent comic book you remember as a kid now costs over $5 to buy today. Instead, folks have two choices: put their money in an account that avoids taxes as long as possible, gaining the maximum value of the income when it’s finally pulled out, or investing it to increase the value more than it is.

Barry Bulakites reminds folks an IRA does both for a saver. First, IRAs can be combined with investment platforms to allow owners to market play, increasing their IRA value while waiting for the eventual withdrawal. That in and of itself allows the funds to grow considerably with the right investment choices and timing. Secondly, pushing the withdrawal out to one’s later years means a lower tax bracket, also producing serious savings on those funds when actually withdrawn versus income taxes now while earning.

Some might argue that an IRA makes no sense for those who are older and have a shorter span before needing retirement funds, like folks in their 50s. In reality, people are living much longer. Granted, even if 2022 went into recession, the likelihood is that many people, thanks to medical advances, will still live decades longer. And that means funds saved in an IRA will come in very handy in those late and later years.

Where possible, contribute the maximum amount possible each year, put to $6,000 in 2021 and 2022. After age 50, eligible account holders can also contribute an additional $1,000 catchup amount, for a total of $7,000 per year. As a couple, both could contribute up to a combined $14,000 total per year with this feature. And that starts to become a real nest egg after a decade or so, Bulakites says.

So is 2022 a rough year so far? Maybe, but it is no reason not to keep contributing or even starting an IRA. Instead, it’s a vivid reason why an IRA makes so much sense. Barry Bulakites notes good times and recessions will come again in the future.

Graphic design is an art that demands both creativity and logical thinking. It also requires patience and an eye for detail. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re trying to improve your craft, here are some steps you can take to become an even better designer, says Griffith Littlehale.

1. Show your skills

Your portfolio is a representation of your skills as a graphic designer. It is a display of your design work that shows off your capabilities and your ability to meet client expectations. 

Your portfolio should be more than just a collection of your best work. Instead, it should be a visual representation of your career progression, explains Griffith Littlehale. So make sure it showcases the skills you’ve acquired while working at your current firm or during your internships and student placements.

2. Don’t Stop with the Fundamentals

As a beginner, you will find yourself trying to learn everything at once. We know you want to build your skills as quickly as possible, but you have to remember that you can’t do everything at once. 

Instead, it’s important to start slowly and work your way up. You have to master the fundamentals and build a solid foundation for yourself. But don’t stop there! Keep up with industry trends and push boundaries with your work. 

Many designers do one or the other–what will help you stand out is innovative work that is built on a mastery of the basics, says Griffith Littlehale.  

3. Stay Up-to-Date with the Latest Design Trends

The best graphic designers are the ones that are up-to-date with the latest design trends. You should be keeping up with what’s popular so that you can incorporate those ideas into your work. 

Being up-to-date with the latest design trends will help you create unique designs that are relevant. Remember, graphic design thrives on new concepts and fresh interpretations of the world. The last thing you want is for your designs to be labeled as “dated.”

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

As a beginner, you may find yourself focusing on getting the basics right. Form, color theory, composition – and these are all important- but don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new, says Griffith Littlehale. 

If you’re nervous about shaking things up this early in your career, try the 70/30 approach. When you’re creating mockups, let 70% be solid basics based on the client brief. But let 30% be something new, creative, and fun. As your clients are drawn to your more creative offerings, it will give you confidence and allow you to grow a customer base that believes in your vision.

5. Know Your Tools

As a beginner in the design field, it’s important for you to learn about the tools that you work with. You should not just learn the basic tools but also the advanced ones. Knowing your tools inside out will help you create designs that are unique and original.

From software to drawing tablets, dive into the functionality and hacks for every tool that you use, advises Littlehale. You’ll be surprised how learning about the quirks and possibilities in your tools inspires creative and unique work.