New Sassy Blogger Alert: Mother, Doctor, Singer, Writer!
Hey y’all, it’s Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald here! I am a board certified Obstetrician Gynecologist in practice in Chicago. My hospital affiliation is with Prentice Women’s Hospital, but I am a partner in a private practice.
Mother, wife, doctor
I am a wife of 11 years and a mother of 3 children, ages 8, 6 and 1. Being a full-time working mother and wife means that I take life day by day and do the best that I can. I remember after having my third child, my only daughter, thinking “what in the HELL have I gotten myself into.” I had 6 and 4-year-old sons who were both in school, and here I was married to a man who worked more hours than I did.
Trying to juggle it all…
Moreover, I went back to work with all three of my children at 5 weeks. Not months, WEEKS. When I resolved that I may have gotten in over my head, I reached out to the First Lady of my church, Dr. Kara Davis. She is a wife, an Internal Medicine doctor and a mother of 4. Her children were older than mine at the time, but I asked her how she did it, especially when they were young. She told me something that has stuck with me:
“Wendy, you take it day by day. You do the best that you can. Your kids will eat cereal for dinner sometimes, and that is okay. Your house will be messy most of the time, and that is okay too. You survive and life will get better.”
Oh my God, was that a relief. Like Lauryn Hill said, “Oh My GOD is it real.” The First Lady always has her stuff together, right. But, wait. Sometimes she just “makes it” and things aren’t perfect. That was such a freeing moment for me. The pressure came off. None of us are perfect in work or our personal lives, but we can strive toward perfection and take what we can get.
I write as a form of self-help
I began writing years ago as an outlet for creativity, and a venting space for frustrations in the workplace and at home. I wrote about being a physician, learning how to be a happy wife, and learning how to be an effective and “successful” parent. My writings were my own version of a self-help journal. They had not materialized into anything that anyone else could use.
In November of 2016, something both tragic and astounding happened in the world. This life-changing event taught me an important lesson. Anything, and I mean ANYTHING, is possible. I could just wake up one morning and decide to be president, and if I work hard enough, that may just happen.
#songsinthekeyofhealth
I took to the web-ways and began my blog, The Gyneco-(b)Logic on November, 11, 2016. It has grown and evolved into a place where women can learn, laugh and even sing along to my various music videos. I have recently coined the hashtag, #songsinthekeyofhealth. This is because, though I occasionally sing and rap about my kids and my life, most of my lyrical magic centers around physical and mental health and confidence-building. Check me out on YouTube!
My books
I published my first children’s book, My Body Is My Temple, in October 2017. It is a confidence-building self-love book for 8-10-year-olds. My second book, which is for grown folks, is slated for release in December, 2017. It is entitled, It Smells Just Like Popcorn, which was my favorite complaint about vaginal smell of all time.
My goal is to not only build a body of literary work that will make confidence and community-building a norm, but also make women’s health less taboo and easier to understand. I tackle subjects from discharge, to fibroids, to pregnancy. It Smells Just Like Popcorn, feels like my fourth baby. I can’t wait for it to arrive.
I’m joining the Sassy team!
I am so honored to become a part of the Sassy Plum community. I look forward to both learning from and contributing to this supportive and educational space for women like myself with careers and families. We can all lift each other up and survive this thing together. Stay Sassy!
Dr. Wendy
If you want to learn more about Dr. Wendy you can also find her at DrEveryWoman.com.
