Surviving and Thriving
— Paris Dancy

This is the season of joy, jolly fun, and gifts. In my opinion, this is the greatest time of the year. The end of the year allows us to finish strong and to reflect on the growth and progress we have made toward our goals. The greatest gift I have…

Everyone faces adversity, trauma, and tragedy at some point in their lives. But does it always show up in the same way? No. Do these life events affect us all in different ways? Absolutely, but something else also takes place. Some of us experience the drive and determination that comes…

One of the earliest lessons I learned as a former competitive athlete was how to deal with adversity and make adjustments during a game. Playing sports taught me about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and what being pessimistic does. The combination of these lessons helped me…

If you’ve been reading my columns, many of you already know that gratitude is near and dear to me. It is a major part of my life, and I practice it every day. For me, it’s not a mindset, but rather a lifestyle one chooses to live. Because November…

It’s not uncommon when dealing with a rare disease diagnosis to want to draw comparisons to another person’s disease experience. But that’s not always helpful. In my junior year of college, I took a class on criminal investigations. During one of the classes, the professor staged a fight between two…

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the year 2020 was unprecedented, not only for the U.S., but for the entire world as well. So many things have happened, but none were more difficult to respond to than the pandemic. And we’re still dealing with it. The coronavirus has affected every industry…

The potential benefits and risks of cannabis have long been a topic of discussion. There are various stigmas attached to the plant because people have different opinions about it. Is cannabis a drug? Can it be used as an alternative to Western medicine? Is it dangerous? The answers are frequently…

I worked as a child protective investigator for the state of Florida some years ago. The job was extremely demanding. I had to acquire information, analyze it, and make a decision about a child’s safety and the capacity of a caregiver to provide that safety. Being an investigator was a…

What happens when we don’t properly deal with unresolved trauma? I asked myself this question years ago after speaking with my wife and realizing how a pituitary adenoma had affected my life. One of the hardest things for someone with this type of tumor to deal with are…

I often come across social media posts in which people are bashing doctors and saying that as patients, they aren’t being treated the way they should be. Now, I understand that there are doctors who strictly care about money and look at each case the same way. For this reason,…

On Saturday, I will turn 39 years old. Six years ago, I wasn’t sure what my life would look like after being diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma. Every year since my transsphenoidal surgery, I reflect on my personal growth. It has taken me about five years post-op for…

One of the hardest emotions to deal with is grief. Processing loss is difficult. Two weeks ago, I lost a great friend and supporter when my mother-in-law, Felicia Jearlds, lost her battle with cancer. I dedicate this column to her loving memory. In my career, I often work with…