Form & Function Healthcare

05/27/2026

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WILD PARSNIP. Please share this widely.

Several years ago, when I was in graduate school, I had a patient come in with a terrible blistering rash. She had already been to several emergency departments over a period of weeks, and no one could tell her what it was.

The rash continued to blister, burn, and scar for weeks after it first appeared.

I was determined to figure it out. The pattern looked like it had to be from something outside — a plant, a bug, something in the environment. I contacted OSU Extension and asked if they knew of anything in Ohio that could cause severe, painful blisters that lasted for weeks.

They knew immediately.

Wild parsnip.

At the time, it was still relatively new to Ohio. Unfortunately, it is not rare anymore. According to OSU Extension, wild parsnip is now found throughout Ohio and can cause severe blistering when its sap gets on the skin and is then exposed to sunlight.

This reaction is called phytophotodermatitis — basically, the plant sap makes the skin dangerously sensitive to UV light. The rash may not show up right away; symptoms can start about 24 hours later and the blistering may peak 48–72 hours after exposure. That delay is one reason people often have no idea what caused it.

What to look for:
Wild parsnip can grow several feet tall and has yellow, umbrella-shaped flower clusters. It often grows along roadsides, trails, fields, ditches, and unmowed areas.

Please do not touch it. Do not weed-whack it. Do not mow through it without understanding the risk. The sap is the problem.

Take a minute to look at these photos from OSU Extension and learn how to recognize it: https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2614

This is one of those things most people have never heard of — until it happens to them.

05/25/2026

This June, Form and Function Healthcare is celebrating our one-year anniversary, and we wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU.

When we opened this little “mom and pop” primary care office one year ago, we knew we wanted to build something different: a healthcare practice that felt more human, more thoughtful, and more connected to the people we serve. We hoped the community would understand what we were trying to do — and you have.

One of the most meaningful parts of this past year has been meeting so many wonderful people. We have gotten to know our patients, their families, and the broader Clintonville community in ways that have made this work feel incredibly worthwhile. We have learned so much from our patients: what matters to them, what they have been missing in healthcare, and how we can continue to help people in new and better ways.

05/23/2026

What do you do if you find a tick?

The Ohio Department of Health recently updated its Lyme disease map, and the trend is clear: Lyme disease is no longer something we only associate with “somewhere else.” Blacklegged ticks — the ticks that can carry Lyme disease — are continuing to expand across Ohio - especially to the west. Outdoor exposure matters.

If you hike, garden, camp, hunt, walk your dog, or spend time in tall grass/wooded areas, it is worth taking tick prevention seriously.

What to do if you find a tick:
1) Remove it right away. Use fine-tipped tweezers, grab the tick close to the skin, and pull straight up with steady pressure. Do not twist, burn it, smother it, or use essential oils to “make it back out.”
3) Clean the area. Wash with soap and water or alcohol after removal.
4) Save the tick if you can. Put it in a bag or container. This can help identify the type of tick and whether it looked engorged.
5) Pay attention to timing. Lyme transmission is much less likely if the tick is removed quickly. Risk goes up when a blacklegged tick has been attached for about 36 hours or longer, especially if it is engorged.
6) Watch for symptoms over the next few weeks. Call your healthcare provider if you develop a spreading rash, fever, chills, headache, body aches, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, unusual fatigue, or flu-like symptoms after a tick bite.

Do you need antibiotics just because you found a tick?
Usually, no. Most tick bites do not require antibiotics, especially if the tick was removed quickly and you feel well.

In certain higher-risk situations, a clinician may consider a one-time dose of doxycycline if the tick was likely a blacklegged tick, was attached long enough, was removed within the last 72 hours, and doxycycline is safe for you.

The bottom line: remove ticks promptly, don’t panic, and monitor for symptoms. Prevention and early recognition are key.

Before coming inside after outdoor time: check your scalp, behind the ears, armpits, waistband, groin, behind the knees, socks/ankles, and pets. Ticks are tiny, and the earlier you find them, the better.

https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/zoonotic-disease-program/media/lyme-disease-map

05/07/2026

I say this to patients all the time: healthcare is humbling because we are always learning.

When I got my first degree in art, the history of art started way, way back. Lascaux cave paintings (20,000 years ago). The Venus of Willendorf (30,000 years ago). Humans were making art tens of thousands of years ago.

But when you look at the history of modern medicine? A lot of what we think of as “basic medical knowledge” is actually very new.

Germ theory became accepted in the 1800s.

Penicillin was discovered in 1928. 1928!

That is not that long ago.

So when people act like medicine already has everything figured out, I think it is worth remembering: we really, really do not.

Especially with things we are seeing more and more often now — dysautonomia, mast cell issues, long COVID, Lyme-related complications, strange inflammatory patterns, medication sensitivities, and all the other “weird” symptoms that do not always fit neatly into a textbook box.

There is new information coming out all the time. What we do not understand well today may be something we understand much better six months from now. Or a year from now. Or five years from now.

Not having a perfect answer today does not mean there is no answer.

It means we stay curious. We keep listening. We keep learning. And we try not to dismiss people just because their symptoms are complicated. Sit down, stay humble.

04/27/2026

Botox is medical. Botox is also aesthetic.

That means the person doing it should understand both.

I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to have someone inject something into my face, I want that person to know facial anatomy, physiology, muscle movement, safety, and how to recognize when less is more.

I also want them to have an eye for balance and proportion.

Before I earned my master’s degree in nursing, I earned a fine arts degree in sculpture. I studied form, structure, and how small changes can completely alter the way something is perceived.

That background matters.

At Form and Function Healthcare, Botox is approached with medical knowledge, artistic training, and a commitment to natural-looking results.

We are offering a terrific May special - check it out here: https://www.formandfunctionhealthcare.com/botox

04/26/2026

Did you know that we offer Botox? It's an easy way to soften the lines in your face. Our May special is $11/unit with a minimum purchase of 40 units. This is the perfect deal to treat your forehead and glabellar lines (those pesky '11s').

We now participate in Alle Rewards as well - you will earn points that lead to even more discounts.

Want to learn more? Check out: https://www.formandfunctionhealthcare.com/botox

04/15/2026

Recent review from a new patient.

03/10/2026

If your primary care provider doesn’t have a tooth full of shamrocks, are they even really Irish?

03/04/2026

We are incredibly honored (and honestly a little surprised) to have been named Member Business of the Year by the Clintonville Business Association!

When we opened Form and Function Healthcare, our goal was simple: create a healthcare practice that feels human, approachable, and centered on doing things the right way for patients.

To be recognized by our local business community means so much to us. Clintonville is such a special place, and we’re grateful to be surrounded by so many thoughtful neighbors, small businesses, and patients who trust us with their care.

Thank you to the Clintonville Area Business Association and to everyone who has supported our little clinic this past year. We’re just getting started.

01/26/2026

We will be out of the office on Monday due to the snow emergency. We will be responding to messages. The most efficient way to get in touch with us is through the patient portal.

We will be back in the office on Tuesday!

12/26/2025