Yes, Pinkies, I am a doctor. And I know many of you have burning medical questions you’re dying to have answered by an OB/GYN, so I’m posting this entry to address this. I desperately care about each and every one of you and your health questions- that’s why Owning Pink exists. I WANT you to Own Your Health- it’s a critical step in finding your mojo. And asking the right questions is a crucial part of getting at the root of your essence, your vitality, and your joie de vivre. But I need your help.

Here’s my quandary. I want to be available to you all, and if I could, I would answer each of your medical questions personally, I swear. This is what I live for- helping women understand their bodies, embrace their health, and feel empowered. The best thing I do in life (aside from raising my three year old) is sit one-on-one with women in my office and help them sift through the confusion, misinformation, fear, and overwhelming data related to their individual health concerns. At work, I’m blessed with a whole hour to be with my patients, to really listen, to get at the root of what’s wrong, and to partner with women to find their inner healing and uncover solutions.

But I can’t do that on the internet. Not only can I not examine you, see you, feel you, I can’t get a sense of the ever-changing, beautiful, complex, rounded being that you are. Which makes it hard to answer medical questions on a website. Many of you have been asking and believe me, it tears me up to hear your stories. Wow, Pinkies. I’m blown away. You all have the most incredible stories! You’re so powerful and brave and amazing, and I want to help. But I need you all to understand that I’m just one doctor, sitting in an office in California, far away from many of you. To try to answer your big-picture questions with one paragraph answers diminishes both you and me. You deserve to find a doctor who will hear your whole story, hold space for you to be all that you are, assess you holistically, and help you find solutions to your health issues. And certainly, if you’re in Northern California, please come see me at The Owning Pink Wellness Center (opening in April). I would love to be your real live, in-person physician. If you don’t live here, fly out for one of my Owning Pink workshops, where I often open up the floor to medical Q&A. I would LOVE to help you, and I have so much more to offer when I can hold your hand, look you in the eye, and be present in the moment with you.

So forgive me, Pinkies. I could do an entire website that’s nothing but medical Q&A, but that’s not my mission for Owning Pink. I want this to be bigger than just medicine. I founded Owning Pink because I wanted to address the big picture of being female- of which medicine is only one small brick in the big Pink wall. And I want Owning Pink to be about you. This is YOUR community, your place to shine, your mojo-building Pink Palace. If you have non-medical questions or comments, PLEASE- POST THEM! Every single comment will be read, and I want to know each beautiful Pinky who is part of our collective Pink Posse. I want to encourage dialogue, build community, and give you tools to help you reclaim your Pinkest self.

Please understand that I need to focus on that mission to make Owning Pink really sing. I am here for you, in spirit, and my heart will be right there with you when you go to your own doctor in your own town, ask your questions, and really Own Your Health. Part of Owning Your Health is being accountable to yourself, which means that if you have health questions that need answers, pick up the phone, make an appointment, and assert yourself to make sure your questions are answered.

Most doctors are care-junkies, so it's very hard for me to ask this of you. I really am committed to helping you all, but I want you to get the very best health care you can and not settle for some watered down internet doctor. If you insist upon seeking health care over the internet, post your questions to me at Betty Confidential, where I field OB/GYN questions in my column.

It's your health, baby. Own it!

Pink speculums & stethoscopes,

Dr. Lissa