Dr. Henry Cabrera, MD ’03, created an aromatic oasis that soothes the soul.
Anesthesiology ranks among the top 10 medical specialties at high risk for burnout. Dr. Henry Cabrera, MD ’03, an anesthesiologist in coastal Rhode Island, is not immune to the stress that contributes to that statistic.
“When I’m at work and someone dies, or there’s a code, and I’m running to intubate someone or doing chest compressions, that’s a rough day,” he says.
At home he’s found a unique way to unwind. Home is a lavender farm.
Lavender Waves Farm is no ordinary lavender farm—if there is such a thing. It is 14 acres carefully cultivated and curated to create wonder and wellness for his family and the visitors who flock there on summer weekends.
With an aesthetic that’s luxuriously rustic, the farm is designed to inspire. At the center is a Victorian gazebo with lines of lavender radiating outward like purple rays of sunshine. They are formed by more than 4,000 fragrant, well-manicured plants in over 10 varieties. It’s a popular spot for yoga, meditation, and sound baths.
Animals Play a Special Role
Adding to the ambiance is a menagerie of animals, many rare in New England. That includes white peacocks, gold laced Brahma chickens, and camels—Dromedary (one hump) and Bactrian (two). “We are pretty sure Rhode Island has five camels, and we have three of them,” says Dr. Cabrera. His are available for events and movies but haven’t appeared on the silver screen just yet.
Dr. Cabrera’s medical skills have come in handy on the farm. Four years ago, he successfully delivered breeched babydoll sheep twins with help over the phone from an obstetrician friend. There’s video on the farm’s YouTube channel.
Also on the farm is Minnie, a Great Dane who loves to herd the birds to their enclosures in the evening and welcome guests in the morning. She features prominently in many online reviews.
And there’s Leonard, the black cat with white feet that Dr. Cabrera calls a medical miracle. He was feral, struck by a car, and spent months at an animal hospital recovering from a fractured pelvis. Now he catches mice in the barn and visits Dr. Cabrera at his window.
Everything in Harmony
Dr. Cabrera purchased the farm in 2016 and has grown it into a regional attraction with the help of his extended family. His parents emigrated from Cuba, where their parents and grandparents once owned a tobacco farm. He grew up loving the outdoors, spending time boating in Miami and fishing on Lake Michigan when he was practicing in Chicago.
The lavender farm started as a hobby where he could enjoy the wellness aspects of being active in his backyard. Today it’s nearly a self-sustaining business and a vital part of his work-life balance. That’s always been important to him. He was attracted to anesthesiology during his clinical rotations while a student at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in part because it is often shift-work. Rather than having a caseload of patients to constantly follow, when it’s time to go home, another anesthesiologist takes over. That didn’t stop him from quickly rising to chief of anesthesiology and serving in that role for well over a decade.
“I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t get a specialty where I could have a work-life balance,” he says.
“Everything fits together on the farm. The lavender is soothing, the animals are engaging, and when people leave, I can see that they are more relaxed than when they arrived.”
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