Dr. Meenakshi Natarajan - Family Physician

04/19/2026

6 years ago, Nova Scotians endured a heartbreaking tragedy when a lone gunman shot and killed 22 victims.

One of those victims was a dear friend and classmate Constable Heidi Stevenson.

She stopped this man and the horror he inflicted by ramming his car on the highway, then entering into a shoot out in which she was killed.

Every year, I and some of her classmates honour her life and tremendous bravery with a scholarship and band award at our former high school in Antigonish Nova Scotia. In a few weeks we will be reviewing applicants for her award.

Though I had not seen her in some time through the magic of social media we started to reconnect.
In fact the last conversation I had with her was literally a week before she was killed.

It was during the pandemic when I could not source N 95 masks and she offered to send me some from her RCMP precinct. We laughed about what is to be a front line, first responder type worker.

Sadly, she never got to send those masks. Sadly we never got to laugh about our respective jobs. And given the places I work now, where there are so many social determinants of health that are lacking, resources lacking and people fall into abuse and addiction… I work very closely with law enforcement. I see the daily heroic work of those committed to our safety

So today, I take a moment to honor Heidi and to be forever grateful for the persons who chose law enforcement and public safety as their profession.

We are all better when we chose peace and security of person, locally and across the world

03/22/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Fkm4RUCro/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/10/2026

Wow!! This was 8 years ago. I miss doing these community and children’s events so much. It gave me such joy!!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year!

12/14/2025

Throwing a little Christmas party for the kids in Fort Hope with the folks from Resolution counseling.
They’ve brought crafts, chocolates and cookies. I’ve brought crayons stickers and little felt trees…. And my reindeer antlers

12/08/2025

It’s official! I am now reviewing articles for the Canadian Family Physician Journal

En raison de l'interruption de service chez Postes Canada, nous prévoyons un impact sur la livraison des versions imprimées du Médecin de famille canadien.

12/01/2025

bought these super cute felt Christmas tree and ornaments to put up on the wall of the clinic. The ornaments are also felt and held by Velcro so kids can decorate and redecorate! Yes. I finished the tree tonight hence the look of pride on my face!! And they are easy to put in my
Luggage for Christmas gifts for the northern clinics I go to… now I just need reliable reindeer transport!!

12/01/2025

Some of rooms were freezing, so i removed the screens, found ice blocking the window panels from closing fully. So I found the largest object I could use. Mixed up water and 70% alcohol hand sanitizer to help melt some of the ice and smash the rest of it with the largest heaviest object I could find. 🦾😅

11/27/2025

There a pretty bad storm raging through northern Ontario right now. Stayed in Timmins last night as I normally
Do and made it to Moosonee just now but the last few km will be the most challenging. It is the shoulder season and the river is wet and slushy so no boats and no ice road. This means helicoptering….the most finicky and weather dependent aircraft

Very fitting that the little airport here has the Flying Ace himself Snoopy here!

Some of the more challenging issues of flying north. 1. Even if your plane goes north… the landing community may not have de icing equipment to safely take off again… thus grounding a crew and aircraft

2. If the aircraft is stranded in such a community…there are minimal hotels or lodges in these places. Moosonee has a hotel but imagine some of the indigenous communities I fly to, there is really nothing. Those of us who work in these areas, and remote, rural, and resource scare areas tend to think in multiple step contingencies…

And again, as always imagine if this is a patient that is being transported. A medical student was so surprised when I asked her to consider the weight of a few days dialysis fluid… as cargo weight when arranging transport.

The things you never consider and realize how grateful you are for systems and contingencies that are in place.

Off to find some warmth!

I’m sticking close to the flying Ace Snoopy!!

11/19/2025

I say. Start them young! This young orthopaedic surgeon has mastered the art of checking for reflexes and tone with the most expensive reflex hammer one can use.

To be fair he did attempt to auscultate his belly earlier with better technique

And as you can hear.. mother has given me
Permission to post for a lead in to another little write up

11/07/2025

You know it’s pretty accurate. Trying to smile… a little nervous the patient will code

10/27/2025

This was last week. I just left moose factory but the yarn was a hit. The elder in question did not like doing her carpal tunnel exercises … but loves crochet…. Great exercise for her sore tired old hands… full of wisdom and work through the ages