Surviving and Thriving
— Paris Dancy

My wife and I have been exploring the huge city of Houston, where we recently moved. She came across the downtown Buffalo Bayou Park for us to check out. I thought this would just be a park we could walk around a few times to take in nature. I…

“Life threw me a curveball” is a saying people use to describe an unexpected situation that’s come up in their lives. In baseball, a curveball is a common part of a pitcher’s arsenal. It’s used to throw off the batter’s timing and keep him off balance, not knowing where the…

In the Cushing’s disease support groups I belong to, I often see questions about medications. People frequently respond by giving advice about these medications based on their personal experiences. I take medications to treat hypogonadism, a result of having a pituitary tumor. I’m often asked about testosterone…

Last week, I had a conversation with someone who injured their knee and will need an MRI. They expressed concern about the procedure, so I tried to advise them about what to expect and how long the process lasts. This got me thinking about the times I’ve had an MRI…

In January 2016, I returned to work after having my pituitary tumor removed, through transsphenoidal surgery in November 2015 and a gamma knife procedure a month later. I figured returning to work would be a good distraction as well as a way to test how I was feeling.

When I was younger, I was very active as a two-sport athlete. I also spent a lot of time outdoors with friends. I was constantly getting bruised and scarred. Sometimes I knew where the scars came from, while other times, I’d notice them later when someone pointed them out. Scars…

Leadership is very important to me. When I was little, my father taught me that leadership skills can be displayed in many forms. A leader is not always the loudest or the most talented person, and leadership is not about power or being able to control others. How do you…

How would you feel if you woke up every day feeling less and less like yourself, until one day you no longer recognized yourself? What if you told someone with the expertise and the ability to help, but their response was along the lines of, “What you’re saying isn’t true;…

Last February, my wife and I were out walking our dogs. On the way back I stepped on some uneven concrete and severely injured my ankle and foot. For the next two weeks, I had a noticeable limp and decided I should probably get some X-rays, just in case. As…

Michael Corleone is a central figure in “The Godfather” film trilogy, played by Al Pacino. In the third film of the series, he refers to a life of crime when he declares, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” So what does this have to…

March Madness is the time of year for sports fans and nonsports fans to get together and watch the magic take place. Pools are created at work, some with small, friendly wagers and others with a more hefty prize for the winner. As for the basketball tournament itself, this is…

There came a time on this journey with Cushing’s disease when I became exhausted both mentally and physically. Yes, I was tired of having to deal with the symptoms, but I’m talking about constantly going to doctors’ appointments, getting MRIs (with the dye contrast), and having bloodwork…