The law of physics dictates that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another. Diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in the midst of a thriving cardiology practice, author and physician Dhaval R. Patel tells the story of his own transformation from doctor to patient in this candid new memoir. Patel's writing reveals both the heart-rending challenges and the unexpected and uncommon joy he encounters as a person living with ALS. The Impulse of Energy explores the kaleidoscopic nature of memory, mixing reflections on the author's life today with cherished recollections of his youth and days as an itinerant med student. It is a guidebook of honest encouragement for anyone living with or caring for someone with a serious illness.

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.