- Story by Toby Tannas Photography by Lia Crowe

There isn害羞草研究所檛 much down time when you害羞草研究所檙e a busy obstetrician/gynecologist in a small but growing community. When Dr. Nicholas Half does have a moment to glance out his corner office window at the picturesque view of Vernon, he can害羞草研究所檛 help but be grateful.

Over the past decade, Nicholas has built a beautiful life and practice in the North Okanagan city, but as a young med student this was not the vision he had for his career.

害羞草研究所淣ot a lot of men have the life dream of being a gynecologist,害羞草研究所� he chuckles. 害羞草研究所淐ardiothoracic surgery was my number one choice; orthopaedic surgery was my second choice, and at the top of the list of things I said I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 consider was obstetrics/gynecology.害羞草研究所�

In his third year of medical school, when students started seeing patients on rotation in the hospital, Nicholas quickly ruled out his top two choices for various reasons and kept coming back to obstetrics/gynecology.

害羞草研究所淚t was just one of those things. It害羞草研究所檚 got the medicine component, it害羞草研究所檚 got patient care, it害羞草研究所檚 a lot of conversation, not all surgery.害羞草研究所�

Ultimately though, it was the patients who cemented his medical future.

害羞草研究所淚 love what I do. Women are very communicative. They show gratitude and thankfulness. There害羞草研究所檚 not a lot of specialties in medicine anymore where you hear 害羞草研究所榯hank you.害羞草研究所� I hear those words every day.害羞草研究所�

Nicholas害羞草研究所� love for the work and his commitment to his patients has recently taken him into a new realm of service: a user-pay procedure that害羞草研究所檚 rarely offered in a gynecology clinic.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 called the MonaLisa Touch. It害羞草研究所檚 a non-surgical laser treatment for vaginal dryness, discomfort and irritation.害羞草研究所�

After seeing many women suffer through sexual issues post menopause or after battling diseases like cancer, Nicholas decided to make a significant investment in an option that could improve their quality of life.

害羞草研究所淵ou see cancer patients 害羞草研究所� they can害羞草研究所檛 even touch estrogen and they suffer. These are women in their 30s and 40s and their sex life is gone. This is who this machine is for.害羞草研究所�

Regardless of why a patient is referred to his gynecology clinic, sexual health often comes up in conversation. Nicholas believes that when you can do something to improve or make sex more comfortable for a woman, her life and her relationship improve.

害羞草研究所淪ex makes up about five per cent of the relationship when it害羞草研究所檚 good,害羞草研究所� he explains. 害羞草研究所淏ut when it害羞草研究所檚 not, or it害羞草研究所檚 absent, it makes up 95 per cent of the relationship.害羞草研究所�

As a male in a field that害羞草研究所檚 shifting to predominantly female care providers, Nicholas takes pride in the rapport he害羞草研究所檚 developed with his patients.

害羞草研究所淚 think as a doctor you want to be someone a patient can talk to comfortably about whatever they want to talk about, and that feel they害羞草研究所檙e being respected and listened to.害羞草研究所�

Nicholas is well practiced in communicating with women as he害羞草研究所檚 married with three young daughters.

害羞草研究所淲e have twins. They害羞草研究所檙e five years old and we have a three year old. So basically, we have triplets. It害羞草研究所檚 busy,害羞草研究所� he laughs.

With more than 100 hours dedicated to work in an average week, Nicholas doesn害羞草研究所檛 get to spend as much time with his kids as other dads with 9-to-5 jobs.

害羞草研究所淢y work life and home life balance could always be better; we all struggle with that as physicians. I just try to give them quality time. They just want to be with you, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter if we害羞草研究所檙e playing a game or building a gate.害羞草研究所�

Nicholas害羞草研究所� wife, Dr. Aisha Manji, is also a physician. It means she understands first-hand the demands of the job.

Nicholas says, 害羞草研究所淚 think that害羞草研究所檚 probably the best thing, that understanding. I think even in a small community where you害羞草研究所檙e hoping to have a better lifestyle than the big city, there are still a lot of demands in terms of what you can害羞草研究所檛 miss, what you have to go to battle for, for your patients.害羞草研究所�

The couple will be getting some extra time together over the coming months, though. They害羞草研究所檝e committed to dancing in support of the North Okanagan Hospice Society.

害羞草研究所淢y wife has a tie to the palliative community, end of life care. It害羞草研究所檚 always been one of her passions.害羞草研究所�

Dancing with the Vernon Stars takes place this September. Between now and then, dance practices will become date nights.

害羞草研究所淔or us to spend that extra time together, dancing together will be nice,害羞草研究所� he says with a smile.

The dancing commitment is another weekly appointment in an already very full calendar. But as I sit across from Dr. Half, I get the distinct sense he害羞草研究所檚 the kind of man who can juggle it all and do it well. Family man, physician, and for the next few months, fundraiser and dancer in support of a cause and a community very close to his heart.

害羞草研究所淚 love Vernon. My quality of life is great, I害羞草研究所檝e got great people around me. That害羞草研究所檚 what it害羞草研究所檚 all about.害羞草研究所�