Michele Carpenter MD

10/03/2025

Any amount will let us continue our mission! Also check out kinnerbeautywigs.com!

Join Cancer Kinship on Givsum to learn more about their organization and upcoming events to make a difference!

09/30/2025

In order to keep our organization viable, I am hoping some of my friends can find it in their 💜 to donate any amount to our annual giving campaign. This organization is for some their only support in cancer care. Thank you for anything you can do! I truly appreciate it.

Join Cancer Kinship on Givsum to learn more about their organization and upcoming events to make a difference!

02/25/2025

10/08/2024

https://psjhcrmwebsites.microsoftcrmportals.com/event?id=Innovation_in_Health_Care_Technology_and_Patient_Care3055038160

06/23/2024

https://www.facebook.com/678520311/posts/10162120471755312/?

This type of protein may just bey the key to weight loss.

05/06/2024

Let’s talk about protein!

Eating plenty of protein has numerous benefits for weight loss, muscle gain and health. Here are 10 science-backed reasons to eat more protein.

03/17/2024

A day in the life of a busy and compassionate physician copied and pasted with her approval!

“Today was hard.

Today is the first day of my call week, and while our little hospital usually maxes out at about 11, we have a census of 12, and five of them need to be rounded on.

I discharged three of the five and went to Clinic.

I saw a diabetes follow up and then the OB patient that I double booked. Routine prenatal appointment, she’s 17 1/2 weeks. Can’t get a heartbeat on the Doppler. Grab the ultrasound.
No fetal movement and no cardiac activity.
I hold her hand as I show her what I see and what I don’t see, and then after I clean her off she collapses into my arms. 
Got her upstairs for a stat confirmatory ultrasound – baby died probably two weeks ago. Call OB and got her set up for a procedure tonight.

40 minutes late for my next appointment which is supposed to be a wellness. The patient seems off. I ask her what’s wrong and she melts into tears. She’s considering leaving her husband.

In the middle of that visit I get a call from daycare. My baby has had two major diarrhea blowouts and needs to be picked up.
Finish the visit and now I’m in my office. Texting friends and neighbors to see if anybody can pick up my baby and watch her. Finally find somebody. 10 minutes later get a text from the kindergarten teacher. My oldest has a tummy ache. My friend can pick her up too.

My blood sugar is low and I forgot to pump this morning and I’m overwhelmed. I keep getting texts from the nurses in the hospital. I’m crying for my OB patient. The cafeteria lady gives me a free piece of pie because I’m sad.

My Medicare wellness no-shows so I can pump and eat my pie.

I get a text from a patient/friend that her 4 week old baby is sick and she wonders if I can see him. I get him on my nurse practitioner’s schedule. She grabs me. He is pale and listless. His hands and feet are cold, and when I put the stethoscope on his chest it’s hammering so fast I can’t even count the beats. I have Mom wrap him in his blanket and follow me to the ER.
SVT with a heart rate of 300. A bag of ice on the face converts him to sinus. They have to do it two more times before transport arrives to take him to Boise.

I finish my notes. When I get home my big girls are already asleep. I take my baby from the nanny and nurse her and rock her to sleep, and I don’t want to let her go.

Today was hard. “

08/10/2023

A good perspective on the chronic nature of some breat cancers

DR LIZ O'RIORDAN: I noticed it in the mirror four weeks ago while drying my hair after a shower. A little red mark on my chest, just to the left of my scar. I could have sworn it wasn't there the day before.

07/29/2023

It is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement.
I will continue to post on this page things that are interesting and informative.
Feel free to message me with questions.
It has been an honor to serve you, my patients and my community. Those with cancer, I hope I have eased your way into the world of cancer. For those patients without cancer, I hope I have eased your worry and concern and have assisted in ways that have satisfied your questions and have set you on the course of healing and understanding.
I will be finishing projects once started, adding “Grandmother” to my list of names, transitioning to a new role at St. Joseph Hospital and volunteer work with Cancer Kinship and St. Joseph Hospital Foundation.
I thank you, my patients and colleagues for believing in me and making me a better physician than I ever could have imagined.

Photo by Edu Layton

05/17/2023

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/opinion/breast-cancer-screening.html

A breast cancer surgeon’s take on the new mammogram advice.