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  O.D. SCENE

THE ENTERTAINING SIDE OF OPTOMETRY

Q&A

In the book, “Project Everlasting: Two Bachelors Discover the Secrets of America’s Greatest Marriages,” listed among the “musts” for a successful marriage are “cherishing life together” and “mutual respect.” In this, our final installment of optometry’s power couples, I speak with Dori M. Carlson, O.D., F.A.A.O. and Mark Helgeson, O.D., F.A.A.O., and Carl H. Spear, O.D., and Katie Gilbert-Spear, O.D., two couples who definitely exemplify these “musts.”

With regard to “cherishing life together,” Dori, Mark and the rest of their family do this by ice fishing and even jumping through the hole for a brief swim. (Now, I have done a polar bear swim in Charleston, but the water was not frozen, and I had a few cocktails!)

In terms of mutual respect, the Spears value each other’s skills and opinions and provide support for their individual endeavors on the lecture circuit. Enjoy!

Jack Schaeffer, O.D., F.A.A.O.,
Editor-in-Chief
O.D. Scene

KEY OPTOMETRIC COUPLES WEIGHS IN...

DORI M. CARLSON, O.D., F.A.A.O., & MARK HELGESON, O.D., F.A.A.O., Park River, N.D.,

CARL H. SPEAR, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O., & KATIE GILBERT-SPEAR, O.D., M.S. Pensacola, Fla.

Q: CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PRACTICE?

DC: We have two practices: his and hers. One is rural, and the other is urban. The rural practice is in Park River, a town of 1,400 people.

MH: The metropolis of Grafton (pop. 4,200) supports our urban practice. Despite a continually declining population of 1% per year, we have managed to grow our practice by 5% per year.

CS: Currently, we have four private optometric practices and an ophthalmology practice in the Florida Panhandle. We have 12 O.D.s, one M.D. and one occupational therapist in the group.

KS: We practice full-scope optometry with several subspecialties in contact lenses, pediatrics, binocular vision, vision therapy and sports vision. Additionally, we conduct several clinical research trials each year for various products and companies.

1: The Spears having Christmas fun. 2: The Helgeson family on a trip to the Grand Canyon. 3: The Spears clan taking in a baseball game.

Q: WHERE DID YOU MEET?

DC: We met at an off-campus party. I was eavesdropping on a conversation that Mark was having with a classmate of mine from Minnesota, and I decided I should get to know Mark, since we had friends in common. (And, he was cute!)

MH: It was at a house party. The house members threw it to raise funds for repairs to the house, specifically to fix the toilet in the upstairs bathroom.

CS: Pensacola, Fla. Katie started working in one of the practices at which I worked.

KS: Then we bought a practice together, and the rest is history.

CS: I have been working for her ever since.

Q: WHERE AND HOW DID YOU GET ENGAGED?

DC: Mark proposed to me while we were camping in the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest after he’d returned from an internship in New Zealand.

MH: I presented her with a hand-rolled gold and diamond ring styled by a jeweler whose shop was down the street from where I had a preceptorship.

KS: I don’t think we ever got engaged, but we got married July, 7, 2007 on the beach in Pensacola, Fla.

Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED?

DC: 27 glorious years!

CS: 8 happy years!

Q: WHAT MOVIE BEST DESCRIBES YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND WHY?

DC: The “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies: “Parley?” This is definitely Mark’s saying!

CS: We are not big movie fans, but the movie “The Butterfly Effect” and how small decisions and changes affect the later state would describe how we ended up together.

KS: It is incredible everything that had to happen for us to meet and be together.

Q: WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF A STRONG RELATIONSHIP?

DC: Two words: “Yes, Dear.” And again, this is definitely Mark’s saying!

MH: Dori would say, “humor.”

CS: Trust.

KS: Respect.

Q: HOW DO YOU RESOLVE ARGUMENTS?

DC: ”Yes dear.”

MH: “Sorry dear.”

CS: I finally give up because Katie will never lose an argument.

Q: WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE BEST QUALITY OF YOUR PARTNER?

DC: Mark has a wonderful sense of humor – especially when you least expect it.

MH: Dori is optimistic and forward thinking. She easily accepts challenges and is not hesitant to try new things.

CS: Katie’s intelligence and tenacity. Do not tell her she cannot do something. She is a bulldog underneath that pretty exterior.

KS: Carl is like MacGyver. He always figures out what to do in any situation. I would trust him to take care of me anywhere, in any situation.

Q: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE VACATION TOGETHER?

DC: A Mediterranean cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary.

MH: We went with our two boys and two other families throughout Italy, Greece and Turkey for two weeks of travel.

CS: Last year, we took all five kids to Seattle and Vancouver and had a great time.

KS: From whale watching in Vancouver to walking along Pike Place Market in Seattle, it was awesome because we had everyone together.

Q: WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU THAT YOU FEEL IS INTERESTING OR THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU DON’T KNOW?

DC: We lost our youngest son, Ian, in Rome, Italy. We were a group of 12 and got separated from Ian somehow in the mob of people at Trevi Fountain. We thought he was right behind us, but he likes to shop, so I personally think he got distracted by the gift shops. (He just says we left him.) It was the longest two-and-a-half hours of our lives trying to find him. All the remaining members of our travel group searched high and low until a phone call to the hotel receptionist connected us to two police officers who had him safe. He had turned himself in to the police and happened to remember the name of the hotel where we were staying.

MH: You will always find that no matter where you are in the world, everyone, stranger or acquaintance, will drop everything to help find a lost child. Street vendors, petitioners, tourists… everyone.

CS: When Katie was 16, she was a finalist in Miss Teenage America and was featured several times in “Teen” magazine.

KS: Carl enlisted in the military at age 17 and jumped out of the very first plane he was ever on.

1: The Spears and two of their sons enjoy the SEC football championship. 2: Dr. Helgeson with sons Seth and Ian and friends participating in the annual winter ritual of plunging into the frigid Minessota water. 3: Drs. Katie and Carl Spear at a football game.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST MOVIE AND CONCERT YOU HAVE SEEN TOGETHER?

DC: The best concert was Paul McCartney at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the early 1990s — unforgettable.

MH: The best movie we’ve seen together was “Murphy’s Romance,” which included Sally Fields and James Garner. It was our first date movie.

CS: The best concert was Lynyrd Skynyrd — all 10 times we have seen them.

KS: We are not big moviegoers, but we do love travelling together and just getting some time with just the two of us. Believe it or not, after 8 years, we actually still like each other and are best friends who just like doing things together.

Q: DO YOU DISCUSS OPTOMETRY WHEN YOU ARE AT HOME? COULD YOU ELABORATE?

DC: We do bring work home with us, whether it’s office operations or patient care conundrums.

MH: During Dori’s tenure on the AOA Board of Trustees, travel schedules and politics were a constant topic.

CS: We always discuss our offices and practice management and ways we can increase efficiencies and implement processes to make sure all patients are receiving the best care possible.

KS: We do not necessarily discuss clinical care or cases, but focus more on the business of optometry.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE OPTOMETRIC MEETINGS AND WHY?

DC: Optometry’s Meeting. What more can we say?

CS: AAO meeting. The level of education and the amount of subspecialty courses, along with cutting edge information and research make it our favorite.

KS: Vision Expo East (I love New York).

Q: WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY, AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN?

DC: We have two boys ages 19 and 16. Seth, the oldest, is a freshman at the University of North Dakota studying computer science and electrical engineering. He is a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has discovered martial arts with weapons. Ian, the youngest, is a sophomore in high school and plays football and basketball. He just finished an undefeated season in football, and the team earned a second consecutive state championship.

MH: For fun, we do almost anything, and most of it is outdoors, especially at our lake cabin in Minnesota. Dori likes to garden, weight lift and kick box, while I like to race mountain bikes, road bike and ski on snow and water. I make certain our sauna is always cooking at the lake to cleanse the soul followed by a plunge into the lake to refresh the soul — open water or hole through the ice.

CS: We have five children ages 21,19,11,8 and 5 (Jurgen, Roman, Alexandra, Bowen and Zara), along with two dogs. With five kids, five practices, Katie in law school and serving on the Florida Optometric Association board of trustees, (me consulting for several companies in the industry and on the Florida Board of Optometry) along with our other obligations, we do not have a lot of time for recreation. However, last year we found a lot of enjoyment in 20 practice management roadshow events we did with our friend Dr. April Jasper.

KS: It was great to meet so many optometrists and see their passion for our profession. It is awesome when your profession is this fun, and we look forward to more events in 2016.

1: The Helgesons posing for a family photo, sans frigid waters.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES, BOOKS, BANDS AND ADULT BEVERAGES?

DC: Movie: all the Harry Potter ones; Book: Harry Potter series; Band: I like all kinds of music; Adult beverage: An Oregon Pinot Noir.

MH: Movie: all the “Pirates of the Caribbean” ones, Book: “A Tale of Two Cities;” Band: I like all kinds of music; Adult beverage: traditional old fashioned with Buffalo Trace bourbon.

CS: Movie: “Stand By Me;” Book: what is a book?; Band: Lynyrd Skynyrd; Adult beverage: Crown Royal.

KS: Movie: “Dirty Dancing;” Book: All (avid reader); Band: Lynyrd Skynyrd; Adult beverage: Champagne. OM