A few years before my diagnosis, I had seen many doctors for irregular bleeding and cramping. Sometimes my paps would come back abnormal and doctors would tell me I had low-grade cell changes on my cervix and that my body would fight it off. Other times I’d undergo an ultrasound to check for endometriosis, but […]
Every parents’ life has been touched in some way by cancer. Whether they or their friends or their grandmothers or someone else has beaten or succumbed to some cancer, all parents know that cancer isn’t something to wish upon their worst enemy much less their own children. There are six cancers caused by HPV that […]
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 […]
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 […]
As the person at the helm of Voices for Vaccines, I frequently hear the newest claims made by anti-vaccine activists about the alleged dangers of vaccines. Part of my job is investigating these claims, talking to experts about them, and helping to communicate to parents about which of these claims are valid and which are […]
Spreading the word about the benefits of vaccinating children is a personal crusade for my family and me. My mother lost her younger brother to meningitis in 1980, when no life-saving vaccine was available for the disease. I never got to meet my uncle, and my mother’s family suffered unbearably from his death. But, fortunately, […]
It was November 2008 when I got the astounding news that I had abnormal cervical cells. It was meant to be a routine GP appointment. I’d only ever had two sexual partners. I’d just started my teaching career. I was only twenty-two. Maybe that part is what was actually my undoing. You see, the Gardasil […]
My second favorite** part of being a pediatrician is talking with parents about the best ways to keep their kids safe. I spend a lot of time discussing safe sleep habits, or how long to keep their child rear-facing in their car seat (at least two!), or wearing helmets when they are riding bikes and skateboards, […]
From what I’ve been told, my maternal grandmother was a vivacious woman, full of life. I have been told many stories about her, but never met her in person. I never knew her because she died young, taken from my mom far too early. My grandmother passed away when I was two years old. My older siblings […]