SOMETHING MORE: A Doctor’s Journey to True Wellness
She had come to my office for the third time in a row. Her test results were normal, and her medications were working, yet she still didn’t feel well. This time, instead of offering reassurance and sending her on her way like I might have done before, I decided to listen a little longer—and I’m so glad I did.
In listening, I realized she wasn’t well at all. I was reminded of something we often overlook in medicine: health is not just the absence of disease. It’s the state of total physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being. This moment was an awakening for me—a recognition that true healing requires more than treating the physical body. It demands attention to every aspect of a person’s life.
This realization took me back to my time working in a hospital ward filled with men who refused to be discharged. Each morning, they would feign symptoms to stay in the hospital. When I finally asked one of them why, he opened up: at home, unpaid bills were piling up, a young child needed diapers, his large family was waiting for food, and he had no job. His health problems weren’t just medical—they were social and financial. A pill alone could never solve his challenges.
I also thought of the teenagers who couldn’t walk, and despite countless medical tests, no physical disorder could explain their condition. We were close to publishing a new neurological diagnosis, only to learn, after speaking gently with them, that they could stand up and walk without intervention. They suffered from conversion disorder, a psychological condition linked to stress in their home and school environments. No pill could address that—what they needed was for us to treat the issues in their lives, not just their symptoms.
These experiences have shaped how I practice medicine today. I now see every patient as part of a broader story—connected to their family, their diet, their job, their community, and sometimes even their faith. Beyond giving a prescription, I need to help treat the whole person. Sometimes that means helping someone improve their sleep, walking with them through weight loss, or guiding them to change their diet. And for some, the path to healing involves prayer or journaling. Every solution is unique, and that’s what drives me each day: the joy of seeing my patients achieve lasting wellness.
I’ve learned that every patient is craving something more. More than just medication, more than lab tests, more than clinic visits—something more for their health and well-being.
If you’re reading this today, I encourage you to reflect: what might be contributing to your lack of wellness? Is it more than just a physical issue? If you need help uncovering the full picture, I would be honoured to be your coach on the path to total wellness. Call or text me, Dr. Diane, at 0702250009, and together, we’ll find your “something more.”
Dr. Diane: Personalized Wellness Solutions for a Healthier You.