In my eyes as a Public Health MD, there is a fundamental difference between prevention and intervention. I practice prevention if I proactively address an outcome that has been experienced by some, and I make a concerted effort to trace that condition up stream and work to find opportunities for change, especially for those most […]
self reflections
Who Makes the Decision
Mother’s Day gives us the chance to reflect on our mother, the women who have been our mentors, and the mothers around us. Motherhood is a messy, crazy, amazing, life-altering, life-long journey. It is not for the faint hearted! Before my first child was born I couldn’t have imagined that within seconds of holding her […]
What is YOUR Switch Point Moment?
When was the last time you attended a conference where you were challenged with new ways of thinking, seeing your work and the world around you? The SwitchPoint conference hosted by IntraHealth recently convened unusual people from many different industries to create social change. I had the opportunity to participate and my head is still […]
Going for Gold, Fostering a New Generation of Women Leaders
While Girl Scouts cookies are without a doubt delicious and somewhat addictive (fess up – how many of you have eaten a whole sleeve of Thin Mints in a day), Girl Scouts as an organization has a long and proud history of providing girls with learning and leadership opportunities from Daisies (kindergarten) to Ambassadors (high […]
My Doctor DIDN’T Fat-Shame Me And It Was A Radical Life-Changing Experience
OR: A brief history of why I hated doctors for so long, and why I finally stopped. “Your blood pressure is a little higher than I’d like. It’s 120 over 90. If it isn’t lower by the time I next see you, I’ll have to take you off the pill.” I am 20 years old, […]
Goals for 2015: Feeling MOTIVATED, Overwhelmed, and a little discouraged…
In the last couple of months, I have been to at least five different conferences and meetings in Kentucky on various Maternal and Child Health issues. At these conferences, I’ve heard some really excellent speakers, been exposed to new ideas, participated in brainstorming sessions, and even celebrated how far we’ve come in our efforts to […]
Ducks!
Over the years, I’ve had lots of people ask me how I manage to “do it all”. And I certainly have asked other women the same question. While the smile and shrug response is the quickest rejoinder, I think that we need to be more transparent with each other and either admit that we don’t […]
Election Day Spending Hangover
I am so glad the November elections are over. Living in a battleground state, I felt like it was the carpet baggers all over again, spending their money in North Carolina to tell me just how bad one or the other of our US Senate Candidates was. The ads would pop up on Pandora, internet […]
Being a first-time Mom of a child with special healthcare needs
My son, Jaymes, was born in August 2004, and to me at least, he was the most perfect baby. He never fussed or cried, and people would always remark how quiet and well-behaved he was. Everything seemed to be going along great when I took him to his fifteen month checkup at the doctor. As […]
A New Perspective on the Starfish Story
There is a story that has been told for years in many different settings. Two people are walking along the beach and come across a large group of starfish that have washed onto the shore. One person begins to pick up a starfish and toss it back into the sea. The second person questions the […]