I have been an R.N. for over 30 years in a variety of settings: Med-Surg, ER, Home Care and Clinic nursing. I also have a Masters degree in Health Services Administration. Women's healthcare issues hold a special interest to me and through my writing, I am able to contribute to women making informed quality choices.
I looked at my middle finger and was surprised to see the intensity of the purple color of my skin. I tried to think, what could have caused this purple episode to occur in a single finger? Was it ...
March 11, 2018 - 5:24am
Debbie proudly standing in front of her country home.
Debbie Parsley of Austin, Texas could be your best friend. Or your mom, sister, coworker or perhaps a friendly neighbor.
It’s just the ...
January 22, 2018 - 9:03pm
As the number of Americans suffering with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia increases, those who are responsible for making choices for loved ones all struggle with difficult ...
December 5, 2016 - 10:36am
The holidays are upon us, and for many Americans that means traveling. Our first thoughts about holiday travel are usually how expensive it is. And it is. But there are some ways to try and ...
November 22, 2016 - 6:37am
Today there are ribbons to signify support for all types of illnesses. It can be a bit overwhelming to see so many colors and not know what at least some of them stand for.
The idea to show ...
November 16, 2016 - 11:32am
Birth control has historically fallen into the laps of women. We have the most to lose if we become pregnant during times we do not want to be. However, men share just as much a responsibility in ...
November 7, 2016 - 10:59am
Health insurance is complicated. The terms are confusing and the entire process can be difficult to navigate. Let’s spend some time discussing some basics about health insurance to make it feel ...
October 25, 2016 - 9:20am
The Internet is teeming with health information websites that appear to have a wealth of knowledge. The problem is that you cannot tell at first glance which of these websites you should trust. ...
October 18, 2016 - 8:46am
Heart attacks occur in about 735,000 Americans every year. “Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack,” according to the Centers ...
October 17, 2016 - 6:21am
The exact cause of stuttering is not known, but researchers believe that persistent stuttering development falls into a few categories.
Genetics: Stuttering tends to run in families and it is ...
October 10, 2016 - 10:24am
We can’t see them but they are there. Germs are waiting to be passed from surfaces to our hands to our eyes, our noses and our mouths. Pretty unsavory thought, but keeping on top of cleaning ...
October 4, 2016 - 9:12am
Finding ways to feel like you are always moving forward can be difficult. Sometimes it may seem like you can never change your situation. You may feel stuck in the same routine, destined to make ...
September 27, 2016 - 9:45am
If an anti-aging product claims to reverse the signs of aging, can it be true? The answer is, no product can turn back the hands of time, but there are products that can help improve the ...
September 22, 2016 - 8:14am
Women who have been treated for ovarian cancer who have a recurrence are considered to have cancer that falls into one of three categories: persistent, refractory or recurrent.
Persistent ...
September 19, 2016 - 9:56am
Ovarian cancer is more difficult to detect than other cancers. The most common symptoms are vague, and can easily be attributed to other conditions or simply female pelvic discomfort. This has ...
September 15, 2016 - 10:28am
Women expect after their middle years to go through menopause. It is the natural course of our lives. However, did you know that going through menopause increases your risk of heart disease? ...
September 6, 2016 - 10:51am
Back in 2002, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) published findings that obesity is connected to increased risk of five ...
August 26, 2016 - 3:23pm
We love our kids and love doing things for them. However, at some point helping is not helping.
Our high schoolers will be leaving home and we are not doing them any favors if they cannot do ...
August 22, 2016 - 6:28am
Health insurer Aetna plans to pull back from participation in two-thirds of the 778 public health exchanges providing individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare for ...
August 18, 2016 - 9:16am
Brachioradial pruritus (BP) is a condition where the person experiences intense itching, burning and/or stinging to one or both arms. The itching often occurs between the shoulder and the elbow ...
August 16, 2016 - 8:25am
When we are young, our bones grow, they strengthen and increase their mass. However, by the time we are around 30 years old, our bone mass level peaks and we start to lose more bone mass than we ...
August 15, 2016 - 7:13am
Here on EmpowHER, we have an ASK section where numerous people have posted concerns about clicking sHere on EmpowHER, we have an ASK section where numerous people have posted concerns about ...
August 8, 2016 - 6:23am
We hear a lot about women and osteoporosis. In fact, half of all postmenopausal women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime, according to the U.S. Preventive Services ...
August 3, 2016 - 11:09am
You have been waiting for what feels like forever, to go away on an adventure. Or maybe you travel a lot for work and find yourself needing some fresh ideas on how to stay healthier while you are ...
July 30, 2016 - 1:46pm
For women, going for a mammogram stirs up a variety of emotions. We're afraid of getting breast cancer — for many it is the disease we fear most. But we dislike the discomfort of getting a ...
July 26, 2016 - 5:53am
Try reading about sunscreens and it is easy to become overwhelmed. Which sunscreen is the right one to use and what is the right way to use it?
Basically, this is what you need to know. ...
July 22, 2016 - 6:11am
Ever notice a dark brown spot under your nail and wonder where it came from? I developed a brown area under my middle fingernail that looked like the nail in this photo.
While I did not ...
July 15, 2016 - 6:22am
My right eye had been appearing bloodshot and red on and off for about a month. At first, I wondered if I had a viral conjunctivitis but there wasn’t any drainage or feeling of irritation.
Or ...
July 8, 2016 - 10:22am
If you talk to a bunch of women about whether they need to have a menstrual period, you are likely to get strong opinions from both ends of the spectrum.
The medical consensus is that women can ...
July 1, 2016 - 10:15am
News that the first uterine transplant took place here in the United States was highlighted in the media in the beginning of March, 2016. In Sweden at least nine uterine transplants have been ...
June 23, 2016 - 9:57am
Yeast infections are never fun but they are fairly common. Nearly 75 percent of women have had a yeast infection at least once in their lives, according to the CDC. About 40-45 percent of women ...
June 22, 2016 - 10:35am
Most of us have headaches from time to time. While they can be painful, they usually do not indicate that something serious is going on. There are certain headaches however, that you should pay ...
June 16, 2016 - 6:31am
Migraine headaches affect about 12 percent of the population, or 36 million Americans, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Migraines also affect women three times more often than men. ...
June 7, 2016 - 9:21am
Noticing more hair in the drain lately? Dealing with hair loss is one of the most emotional experiences people face. Have you thought about whether your hairstyle could be contributing to your ...
June 5, 2016 - 3:07pm
If you are an allergy sufferer, you probably are pretty familiar with what sets you off. However, you may also be avoiding certain activities thinking that you will have a problem, when you may ...
May 25, 2016 - 10:09am
Depression and its effect on mothers and babies can begin long before delivery. One of the concerns about prescribing antidepressants during pregnancy is that they may lead to preterm labor or ...
May 20, 2016 - 9:35am
Look closely at your face and you may see them--those thin reddish facial capillaries that typically appear around the chin, nose and cheeks. Facial capillaries that become enlarged or dilated ...
Michele Blacksberg RN commented on Michele Blacksberg RN's post “Broken” Facial Capillaries: Causes and Treatments