- Story by Toby Tannas Photography by Lia Crowe

There isn91裸聊视频檛 much down time when you91裸聊视频檙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 can91裸聊视频檛 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.

91裸聊视频淣ot a lot of men have the life dream of being a gynecologist,91裸聊视频� he chuckles. 91裸聊视频淐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 wouldn91裸聊视频檛 consider was obstetrics/gynecology.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淚t was just one of those things. It91裸聊视频檚 got the medicine component, it91裸聊视频檚 got patient care, it91裸聊视频檚 a lot of conversation, not all surgery.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 love what I do. Women are very communicative. They show gratitude and thankfulness. There91裸聊视频檚 not a lot of specialties in medicine anymore where you hear 91裸聊视频榯hank you.91裸聊视频� I hear those words every day.91裸聊视频�

Nicholas91裸聊视频� love for the work and his commitment to his patients has recently taken him into a new realm of service: a user-pay procedure that91裸聊视频檚 rarely offered in a gynecology clinic.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 called the MonaLisa Touch. It91裸聊视频檚 a non-surgical laser treatment for vaginal dryness, discomfort and irritation.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淵ou see cancer patients 91裸聊视频� they can91裸聊视频檛 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.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淪ex makes up about five per cent of the relationship when it91裸聊视频檚 good,91裸聊视频� he explains. 91裸聊视频淏ut when it91裸聊视频檚 not, or it91裸聊视频檚 absent, it makes up 95 per cent of the relationship.91裸聊视频�

As a male in a field that91裸聊视频檚 shifting to predominantly female care providers, Nicholas takes pride in the rapport he91裸聊视频檚 developed with his patients.

91裸聊视频淚 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 they91裸聊视频檙e being respected and listened to.91裸聊视频�

Nicholas is well practiced in communicating with women as he91裸聊视频檚 married with three young daughters.

91裸聊视频淲e have twins. They91裸聊视频檙e five years old and we have a three year old. So basically, we have triplets. It91裸聊视频檚 busy,91裸聊视频� he laughs.

With more than 100 hours dedicated to work in an average week, Nicholas doesn91裸聊视频檛 get to spend as much time with his kids as other dads with 9-to-5 jobs.

91裸聊视频淢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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter if we91裸聊视频檙e playing a game or building a gate.91裸聊视频�

Nicholas91裸聊视频� wife, Dr. Aisha Manji, is also a physician. It means she understands first-hand the demands of the job.

Nicholas says, 91裸聊视频淚 think that91裸聊视频檚 probably the best thing, that understanding. I think even in a small community where you91裸聊视频檙e hoping to have a better lifestyle than the big city, there are still a lot of demands in terms of what you can91裸聊视频檛 miss, what you have to go to battle for, for your patients.91裸聊视频�

The couple will be getting some extra time together over the coming months, though. They91裸聊视频檝e committed to dancing in support of the North Okanagan Hospice Society.

91裸聊视频淢y wife has a tie to the palliative community, end of life care. It91裸聊视频檚 always been one of her passions.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淔or us to spend that extra time together, dancing together will be nice,91裸聊视频� 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 he91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚 love Vernon. My quality of life is great, I91裸聊视频檝e got great people around me. That91裸聊视频檚 what it91裸聊视频檚 all about.91裸聊视频�