During my time in the trauma ICU, I cared for a young man who suffered a collapsed lung and multiple rib fractures after a car accident. Despite pain medications, he remained in severe pain, sleeping only a few hours each night and struggling to take deep breaths.
I took the time to sit down with him and truly understand what he was experiencing—what was helping, what was not, and how his pain was affecting his recovery. I realized that his medications were based on a standard approach often used for all trauma patients. By creating a treatment plan tailored to him, I was able to better address his pain. The very next day, he shared that he had slept through the night for the first time in a week and finally felt ready to go home.
Moments like this continue to remind me that great care starts with listening. Every patient deserves to feel heard, understood, and involved in decisions about their care. This is especially important when treating chronic pain, which is a complex condition influenced by many factors affecting not only the body, but also a person's emotions, relationships, and quality of life.
I believe the best treatment plans are personalized and consider the whole person, not just the diagnosis. I combine different approaches to create a sustainable, long-term plan that may include therapy, lifestyle changes, activity modifications, medications, and procedures when appropriate—always tailored to each patient's needs and goals.
I am excited to walk alongside my patients on their journey toward not only pain relief, but also the restoration of function, independence, and dignity—helping them return to the activities, hobbies, and people that they love.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with my husband, Ky, and our dog, Dobby. I have traveled to 11 countries and hope to continue expanding that list while discovering new cultures and cuisines around the world.
