The last meal I ate before the birth of our first child consisted of a jar of queso dip and a dessert called Oreo cheesecake cupcake serenity. Those food items, however scrumptious, were not out of celebration or anxiety. They were pretty much the norm. The next day, our son was born. And that’s where…
My husband is currently completing his master’s degree in secondary education with a specialization in English as a second language. Part of this degree requires the completion of a clinical teaching experience. An option for his teaching clinical was traveling to Ecuador to teach English. We researched the opportunity last fall, and in December he…
Now, I don’t want to paint an unrealistic picture of the delivery. I have heard the horror stories of emergency cesarean sections after two days of labor and three hours of pushing. Honestly, my deliveries were much easier, and I wish everyone could have the same experience. While I will say my body in both…
As we moved through the first trimester, every day was full of worry. Worry that I wasn’t doing everything right; worry that we would have another miscarriage. Because I was considered “high risk” from my previous miscarriage and because I used fertility treatments to get pregnant, I had two appointments and two ultrasounds to confirm…
I am 36 weeks pregnant and ready to go. I know baby needs to bake four more weeks, but I am so ready for this one to come out! The nursery is as ready as it’s going to get. Paint is on the walls, and all the furniture is in there. The cute decorating will…
As HIV, antibiotic-resistant infections and other global health epidemics continue to mount fears, the demand grows for infectious disease physicians like Makhawadee Pongruangporn, M.D. However, amid local and international health concerns, Dr. Joy, as she prefers to be called, does what she always does — treats each patient as a person. Born and raised in…
“You’re never going to believe this. I guess we just tested too early.” Those were the words I said to my husband (through tears of joy) when I called to tell him we were pregnant. Who knew so much excitement could come from two blue lines! It came with shock and disbelief because just two…
Jennifer Elmore’s résumé reads like the health care classified ads. “I had the medical calling,” said Elmore, a nurse practitioner with Norton OB/GYN Associates. “It just took me a little while to discover how to get there.” After graduating from high school, Elmore found an Environmental Services position at Norton Hospital. “I knew working in…
Growing up, 25-year-old Leslie Delk loved animals and science. She dreamed of becoming a zookeeper. After earning a biology degree and working in veterinary medicine, she realized animal care opportunities are often limited. Friends who worked at Norton Healthcare suggested she apply for a phlebotomist job at Norton Hospital. She was hired and started working…
One. Two. My son follows my count, breathing through each syllable and the moment slowly passes. Three. Four. Five. These 5-second moments are routine in our house. His heart rate slows and his breathing returns to normal. Since his first emergency room visit at 9 months old, my son, Kaeden, has been living with asthma….
Robert De Niro has been in the news lately for a film he has a personal connection to, “Vaxxed,” which was pulled in April from the Tribeca Film Festival, which the actor co-founded. The film delves into a supposed link between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physicians…
I admit it. During my first pregnancy 6½ years ago, I had no clue as to what baby supplies I needed. None of my friends were mothers. With few easy online resources available (the internet and mommy blogs have come a long way since then) and a 600-page book on baby essentials in hand, I…
Select an appointment date and time from available spots listed below.