A few months ago, I came across an article claiming that we can blame the anti-vaccine movement for the mumps cases popping up in college campuses and communities across the country. As much as I wanted to have a villain to blame for outbreaks, I also needed to make sure that all my assertions were based […]
Have you ever strolled by someone in the grocery store who smelled like she just walked out of a package of incense? That was me. I bathed in patchouli oil, smeared crystal rocks on my armpits (and let me tell ya’, people: it doesn’t work). I had Himalayan salt lamps and amber teething necklaces. You […]
I met Jennifer in 2011 when I moved to a rural town in Minnesota so that my husband could pastor a local church. It was clear upon meeting Jen that she was a joy to be around—full of life, vibrant, and beautiful. From the beginning she and I would often spend hours after Bible study […]
I have no underlying health conditions and was and am a generally healthy. I am athletic, active, and enjoy time spent outdoors in any capacity. I had some abnormal Pap tests in my early twenties, which was treated with cryo followed by a LEEP. (note: a Papanicolau Test, or Pap test, is a test that looks for […]
On December 27, 2013, my life changed dramatically: I lost my only daughter, Ashley. She died from the flu at age twenty-three. Her death was completely devastating and horrible. I still can’t believe it happened. A beautiful girl with the most beautiful, piercing green eyes, Ashley was kindhearted, extremely smart, and the most stubborn and […]
I’ve got a secret to tell you. All those “I voted” stickers you see on election day? Those aren’t your reward for voting. You might really, really love stickers, but they actually serve to make you a walking billboard for democracy. Those stickers remind everyone you see that they, too, should vote. They both reflect […]
As my child turns two this year, I’m looking back at some of the earlier memories I have of motherhood. During pregnancy, I recall one of my good friends asking me in secret, “Are you planning on vaccinating your child?” “Yes, of course,” I replied. She said she did as well, and I remember thinking […]
Modern vaccines are very effective. But nothing is 100% effective. As people know, children can – sadly – be harmed in a car accident even if they are in a car seat. But a car seat is a worthwhile protection because it dramatically reduces the chances a child will be harmed or die. The same […]
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and we hope your social media feeds have been inundated with vaccine talk. But we need to remember that people need vaccines all year long. It’s just about time for you to take your family for a flu shot, and babies receive the bulk of their protection against 14 diseases […]
I was raised in a family where it was traditional to challenge authority and the status quo, to buck trends and conventions, and to always ask questions. I had friends who didn’t vaccinate their children, and family members who questioned the number and spacing of vaccines on the current schedule. So I went into motherhood […]