October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and with the Avon walks and pink ribbons comes the important topic of breast cancer screenings. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States - although men are not excluded from being diagnosed. There are more than 200,000 US cases of breast cancer each year and although it is treatable, lab testing and medical imaging are always required.
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Monday morning, I dropped my partner off at work and took the 40 minute drive to the high risk ultrasound facility the nurses scheduled me to visit. I arrived 20 minutes early as suggested, only to be told at check-in that I needed prior authorization—I was distraught. I called my gynecologist’s office and they contacted the insurance company.
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I challenge us to think beyond our personal experiences. I pursued a career in public health for many reasons, with one of them being the belief that good health is a fundamental right for all persons. I am a firm believer in autonomy and in people being able to make their own decisions. I also believe that there are always instances that will challenge these notions, and population health is one of those.
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“P R E G N A N T” Appeared in the little box and I was in disbelief. I immediately knew I didn’t want it, and as someone who for years wanted a village of kids to sprout from my womb, I struggled to process the decision that lay ahead for me.
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Autoimmune diseases affect approximately 8% of the population. Lupus specifically is even more common among women of color and of childbearing age. It can affect almost any organ in your body, making it difficult to diagnose and treat, and unfortunately, there is no cure.
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The conversation of abortion and loss is very heavy and can be no matter what perspective you have on it. It is politically, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally charged. After making a decision to have an abortion, difficult things will happen; however, the important part is coming back from experience and not being defined by it.
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It is an extreme rarity that a doula would have the opportunity to usher a baby into this earthly world physically. It was such an honor. I bow my head in gratitude. Birth work is a privilege. A blessing, and an honor. To be allowed in such sacred spaces brings me incredible amounts of joy.
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After passing the NCLEX, I worked in a couple of different clinics and health systems, gaining invaluable experience. Despite my fear of rejection, I applied and was accepted into a Master’s program for midwifery. I am now about to graduate from my nurse-midwifery program, stronger than ever.
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