Meet Dr Dani
I have found my new equilibrium. I would love to help you find yours.
We are creatures of constant change.
We all have pivot moments in our lives.
None in my life compare to the moment my oncologist asked me one simple question, “How is your fatigue?”.
It was a few months into the pandemic shutdown, a time of seismic change for all of us. It was also my fourth round of chemotherapy for my breast cancer treatment. I stopped to really address his question. “I feel pretty well rested.” He pushed back, “I can see how anemic you are on your labs. This chemo is really affecting you. You can tell me how you are really feeling.” I took my time.
I considered how I felt on chemo; newly menopausal due to anti-hormone therapy, highly symptomatic, hot flashes, mood swings at every turn. Yet, I was sleeping better than I had in years. I wasn’t delivering babies in the middle of the night. I wasn’t waking to breastfeed my own. I wasn’t fighting life threatening emergencies on behalf of my patients. I wasn’t battling insurance on all fronts to provide ethical medical care. I was solely focused on my own battle with breast cancer.
“Yeah, I feel less fatigued than I have in years. I’m sleeping better. I’m less stressed. I get to focus on what’s important right now. So, yeah, that’s how I really feel.”
My oncologist blinked, leaned in, and with a concerned smile said, “You know that’s messed up, right?”
This moment helped me find my new equilibrium.
My path to practicing medicine has been shaped not just by my training, but by my own experience as a patient. True healing requires more than just treating symptoms; it demands a restoration of life balance. My journey has taught me the tremendous strength and continuous care it takes to maintain a healthy foundation. This is what I hope to share with my patients.