Dr. Poppy

I try to tell my kids, "Do everything as unto the L-rd." Not saying they always listen, but. I was talking to a patient the other day who is a scheduler. She is looking for another job but we were talking about how to make it through until another opportunity comes up (never quit a job until you have a new one secured is another one I tell my sons). I was telling her how important her job is & that people really appreciate a kind and helpful scheduler. I told her that I was referring a patient to a cardiologist and I called about the referral myself. The person who answered the phone did not greet me. I told them I was a physician and requested a specific person. She simply said "She's not here today." Then dead silence. I asked if I could speak to the nurse about a mutual patient. She put me on hold without saying anything. RUDE. So yes, every small interaction counts. We are working on that here. Just know, we want to fix your issue even when our communication isn't always streamlined (working on it!). But geez, these days, I would just about hug someone for being nice in customer service. I know your job can seem mundane sometimes, but to the people on the other end, it means a lot. As a mom, I am just so happy if someone unloads the dishwasher without being asked! And yes, if you have a complaint about us, please let us know because I want to FIX IT! ☺️

A cartoon by Jeremy Nguyen.

See more from this week’s issue: https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/md9x5Y

Fight back against the chemical soup.

Stop listening to these people.

I'm glad I kept my college biology textbook (copyright 1988) to constantly remind myself what a female/woman is. 😎

I'm officially a mother-in-law, ya'll!! 🩷🩷🩷

Find your people now.

Make the chili. 💚

Looks like we made it! 🩷🩷🩷

Hey, world! My son Nathan is getting married this weekend!!! Say some prayers for this happy, proud & emotional mama! Some of you may recognize his soon-to-be wife Emily from our office! 🩷🩷🩷 My heart is bursting!!! 🩷🩷🩷

I heard some really awful things this week that were said and done to a patient by their IVF doctor. This is not a "debate IVF" post. I would really like to hear from people whose IVF was not successful or who had a miscarriage or other abnormal outcome after IVF, and how you were treated. I know there are some good people still out there but I'm hearing a lot of not so good, and I would love to hear your stories of treatment after unsuccessful IVF.

Watch your man parts & your lady bits!

Having had the privilege of tasting amazing pastry from this gem of bakery, trust me you're going to want to visit if you are in Mountain Home, AR!

Something special for the weekend -
Crème Brûlée Cruffins!

To all our lost fur babies.

Even babies in the NICU need grounding. The EMFs from all the machines & incubators affect the vagus nerve which is how internal organs are regulated. Grounding improves vagal tone in preemies. GROUNDbreaking! https://www.futurity.org/grounding-nicu-babies-1507412/

C'Mon! 🤠🍊🍊🍊

If you are a Judeo-Christian believer & you are "personally pro-life but I would never tell someone how to live their life because I don't know what they are going through, they have free will, and there are more important issues at hand," please listen to the podcast below when you are free. 👇

People didn't leave their houses for 3 years or invite people for Thanksgiving, but yeah "doomsday prepping" is the real health concern. 🙄

Have your Dem spayed or neutered? Seems like a poor long term plan...

Everyone take a breather once in awhile! 😊🤓

Well that was fun!! You guys realize that civil debate, discussion, point-counterpoint, midrash is an old part of religion and society. Debating in a respectful manner is an important part of how we refine our thinking and positions. The beauty is we do not have to agree with each other on everything to be friends. Cancel culture has really done a number on talking and discussing differences. I've had several in this discussion say, "I can't believe you think that! Unfollow!" Ok. But really, do you think you believe identically on every subject with your friends, family, and other pages you follow? Probably not. You have permission to disagree and discuss, or disagree and not discuss it, or dig a little deeper to see what you think. IT IS OK!

I'm sure this will be a controversial post. Mary was not the biological mother of Jesus. She was the gestational carrier or surrogate. She was His mother who bore him & raised Him, just not genetically.

Progesterone is not just for the first trimester. It's the essential pregnancy hormone which keeps the uterus from contracting and the cervix from dilating. So, especially important for women with miscarriages, second trimester losses, preterm birth and low progesterone levels in pregnancy. Now, some women are asymptomatic with low progesterone levels, but since we don't know which women will start contracting & dilating with low progesterone levels, we err on the side of treating low progesterone levels. Your regular OB, NP, or midwife is unlikely to know how to do this unless they have been specifically trained in the NaPro Progesterone Support in Pregnancy Protocol, which utilizes bioidentical progesterone only, which a very safe hormone. If patients are given progesterone, they are usually advised to stop it after the first trimester. All this without testing & monitoring. This is especially problematic for those patients with the obstetric history mentioned or IVF/fertility patients. They are ASSUMING your levels are ok. We have many patients that have sought care with us from other states because they want this closer monitoring and treatment.

This one intervention could have made a big impact if mainstream HCPs would have recommended it. https://c19early.org/pietzner.html

Find yourself utterly confused here? Well, that's because this is not a transgender issue, it's an issue of biology. And discussing these scientific issues is over the heads of most people. I will try to translate my understanding of the situation to the best of my ability as someone with many hours of biology as an undergraduate and someone who has spent two decades testing & prescribing hormones. These two individuals had previously been disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA). This was a chromosomal test & not a hormone test or physical examination. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ended s*x-specific testing in 1999. During this debate, they stated that whatever s*x was on a person's passport was sufficient & that "a person's s*x category is not assigned based on genetics alone." At play appears to be what is called a DSD (Difference in S*x Development). Remember we don't define biology by rare variations, but by normal chromosomal, internal & external physical s*x characteristics, male & female. The DSD we are specifically talking about is called 5-ARD, 46 XY 5-alpha-reductase deficiency. The person is male chromosomally but does not convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a more potent hormone that causes the development of male genitalia in utero. They can appear female & be raised that way. There are different types & there is variation in appearance. Remember normal puberty begins at 13-15, so the 5-ARDs people will have a surge of testosterone at that time & begin having the masculinizing physical effects as such. They'll have the physical advantages of male puberty/testosterone to their height, muscle development, speed that have made us separate male & female in the first place. So what the IOC has done is abdicate their responsibility to ensure fairness to athletes & protect females from the physical advantages of males. I will link an evolutionary & developmental biologists perspectives on this. Unfortunately, gender identity has been given equal space with biology & thus the IOC doesn't want to be accused of discrimination. Instead, what they have done is fail to have hard rules that should apply to all. 👇

Perspective matters!

Why AP & lateral views are important in radiology 🙌

Pregnant moms who are 21-22-23 weeks, at risk for preterm birth, & are medically stable & have been told the hospital won't do anything, should ask for a transfer to a hospital that would resuscitate their micropreemie baby. This is usually a tertiary care referral hospital in a major metropolitan area. It's terrible to be told there's nothing that can be done, when there are places capable of at least trying, and as you will see below, can succeed in saving the baby. Check out on FB. 👇

Birth control for literally everything dumbs down doctors, & NPs/PAs/CNMs.