The Impulse of Energy
A physician lives with ALS
What is the impulse that starts our hearts when we are born? And what keeps them beating? As both a skilled cardiologist and a humanist, Dr. Dhaval R. Patel contemplates this mystery in his new memoir, The Impulse of Energy. Diagnosed with ALS in 2020, Patel was forced to radically alter his lifestyle and adapt to the pernicious and degenerative affects of his disease. With candor and immediacy, he shares his process of adaptation. But far from being simply a lament over what has been lost, The Impulse of Energy counts the gains and demonstrates the profound vitality of memory. Patel conjures up seminal moments from his life— from childhood to the present— as he generously opens up his treasure box of memories for the reader. The Impulse of Energy demonstrates that when all else fails, it is our memories that regulate our hearts, keeping our heads above the waves and reminding us that, even in the wake of unimaginable difficulties, ours is
still a life worth living.
DHAVAL R. PATEL, MD grew up as the only son of first-generation Gujarati Indian parents. After discovering a passion for playing the drums at young age, Patel chose to fulfill his father's dream for him by becoming a doctor. He studied medicine at Tulane and Emory Universities and continued to practice cardiology after he was diagnosed with ALS in 2020. He retired in 2023 and lives in Virginia with his family. The Impulse of Energy is his
first book.
