Ask Surly Amy

  • Activism

    Ask Surly Amy: Cheap Health Care

    Hi Amy, I live in a city where alternative medicine is a big thing. I work in safety net health care, and many of the clinics I work with offer alternative treatment. Part of my job is helping low-income or uninsured people find health care. Often, only the alternative medicine clinics are taking new patients without a six-week wait. As…

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  • Random Asides

    Ask Surly Amy: Daisy and Dick and Abusive Relationships

    Dear Surly Amy, One of my female friends (let’s call her Daisy) says she still has “that special something” with one of my former friends (let’s call him Dick). I severed my friendship with Dick because he blackmailed her, caused a humiliating scene outside her house, habitually lied to her, and physically assaulted her. And recently I’ve heard news that…

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  • Science

    Ask Surly Amy: HPV Vaccine For Adults

    Dear Surly Amy, I’m (very nearly) a 30 year old woman who has only had a handful of sexual partners in my life; only one of them entailing vaginal penetration. The HPV vaccine came out in my early 20s and when my doctor found out I was already sexually active he shrugged off the idea of even giving it to…

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  • Random Asides

    Ask Surly Amy: Truth and Consequences

    Dear Surly Amy, I’m not sure if this even scrapes into the type of situation you normally deal with, but I’m hoping you can give me the perspective I’m missing. I’m male, but in the first MMO I played, I created a female character. Later I was asked if I was really female – not knowing then what the opinion…

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  • Skepticism

    Ask Surly Amy: Bladder Infections, UTI’s and Cranberry Juice

    Hi Amy, You’ve tackled some medical issues before now (prenatal vitamins, etc), so here’s another one for you. I am pretty susceptible to UTIs. Any woman (or man for that matter) who has been there, knows that it’s no joke. In addition to the, “aaarrrrgh, it burnnnsssss!” pee moments, I also have this stupid ditty that gets stuck in my…

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  • Skepticism

    Ask Surly Amy: Meditation

    Dear Surly Amy, A lot of my friends are into meditation, and I have seen things in various places that lead me to believe that some of the benefits my friends seem to derive from it have scientific basis. I’d be interested in adding meditation into my overall mental health routine, but a lot of the guides that I’ve seen…

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  • Skepticism

    Ask Surly Amy: Marriage Counseling

    Dear Surly Amy, I’ve been with my boyfriend for several years now and we’re at the point where the topic of engagement/marriage is coming up. We’re interested in going through pre-marriage counseling. This sounds simple enough but the problem is all the programs I’ve heard about have been religiously affiliated (we’re both atheists) or set off my bullshit meter. Examples…

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  • Science

    Ask Surly Amy: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine

    Dear Surly Amy, My sister wonders if she should get her daughters the Gardasil vaccine. My instinct is that she should, though I am also hesitant to recommend or take drugs that have not been around for very long. Would you know of any reputable sources that would allow my sister to make an informed choice about risk of new…

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