The wind slaps wickedly at my face, laughing as it sends whisps of hair every which way, assuring me I have no control. Defiantly, I insist I will prevail. I hold myself steady against it to snap a photo of a seagull soaring over a roiling ocean just in front of the dark storm cloud sheading its water burden on those who did not fly fast enough. I think about how this scene plays out over and over again in nature and in our lives. I respect the gull. With the strength to get the business of life (fishing/eating) done, despite the circumstances, s/he still has the wind beneath wings beating a forward-facing flight path.

Chase me if you dare.

Your powerful wind and rain

Pushes me forward.

As you may gather from the above, I was recently out in California during the Bomb Cyclone. Like many areas of the country, California has been experiencing crazy weather patterns. With two children living in the Bay Area, I am RR a frequent flyer. One of my favorite pastimes is hiking along the coastline, but the weather made extended journeys difficult. I was amazed, however, at how quick forays out revealed another side of the coastline that had previously remained hidden to me. How life goes on despite the brutal wind and rain. How eating and fishing and foraging still happens. Just yards from a seawall, the gray skies and gray ocean waves unfolded their message to me: LIVE like you mean it.

It has been a while since I last sat down to BLOG about what is going on in our practice, and in our medical world, and for this I apologize. It leaves me with a LOT of catching up to do, as a LOT has transpired. If you have been in the office recently, no doubt you have seen increased activity, new people at work, and hopefully had a visit that served your needs and exceeded your expectations. A quick summary:

Yes, I have reduced my hours, and am no longer taking new patients, but I am not retiring. I very much hope to remain an active part of this practice for the next two years. I continue to meet all the American Board of Dermatology requirements for Board Certification, perform Continuing Medical Education, and stay up to date with multiple platforms for education. My cancer has remained in remission, and I have transitioned in my mind from worrying about (what I consider premature) dying to every minute living. In order to accommodate an ever-increasing patient base, we have added Nurse Practitioners and Board-Certified Dermatologists, all of whom have excellent training. Additional staff has also been added to support the above. Like most practices in our current environment, we are seeing an increased need for medical care, and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have been able to find and add great members to the team. We do appreciate your accommodating any growing pains. Fortunately, these are now translating into the growing gains of easier access and quicker responses to your needs, as well as better coverage in the event any of our team needs a time out to outfly the storm clouds of life.

The past two years of my life has been a crazy adventure, and I want to briefly share with you what I have learned and what I see on my horizon. When someone who really considers themselves to be pretty healthy and in pretty good shape comes up with not just one, but two life changing cancers within a five-year period, it initiates a HMMMMM response. Is there an underlying theme? As a physician, I knew I had to address these things in a scientific manner, and I am THANKFUL to my fellow physicians and the scientific community that have surgerized and medicated me back to the land of the living. But how do I stay here?

I have done a deep dive into that water and have been amazed by all the information swimming in the deep. I have learned about the role of microbiomes, epigenomes, diet/nutrition, sleep, supplements, exercise, yoga, meditation, prayer, play, therapy, connection, creativity, joy, cold immersion, heat, sunlight and the scientifically based role they play in our survival. (I am not claiming expertise, only insight) I have explored many new therapies on the horizon for cancers and other diseases utilizing our own bodies capabilities (immune system), and some impressive technology to address better ways of treatment. (Again, I do not claim expertise, just insight). I have learned about how important it is to be your own advocate in your health journey when you can, and to be sure to have help navigating this world when possible if you can’t. I am very grateful for those who have helped me along this new path; trail blazing scientists who are stepping into the arena with new knowledge and are painstakingly translating complex concepts into easily digestible information bites on podcasts and websites that are readily accessible and, in most cases, free to those who are looking for information.

The trip to the coast during the storm generated photographs that just begged for accompanying poetry, a lot of which is a reflection on my health journey. I am hoping to share that with you soon. That lone seagull is, after all, just making her way back to her flock. There she will put one foot up, rest, and share the news of her incredible path out of the storm with her fellow gulls, who may one day encounter something similar.