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                        <id>https://shanehalpe.com/feed</id>
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                                <title><![CDATA[The Family Doctor · Dr. Shane Halpe]]></title>
                    
                                <subtitle>Reflections on family medicine, health, healing and holistic well-being.</subtitle>
                                                    <updated>2026-09-28T23:02:09+00:00</updated>
                        <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[When Love Becomes Suspicion: A Consultation That Made Me Think About Morbid Jealousy]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/when-love-becomes-suspicion" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/47</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[This case illustrates how persistent jealousy can move beyond relationship conflict and become a psychiatric and safety concern. It also highlights the family physician’s role in assessing the belief without taking sides, screening for violence and coercive control, and arranging timely specialist care.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-09-28T23:02:09+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Numbness That Led to an Unexpected Diagnosis]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-numbness-that-led-to-an-unexpected-diagnosis" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/46</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A young man’s unexplained numbness and pale skin patches led to the unexpected diagnosis of leprosy, highlighting the value of early recognition and timely referral.
Leprosy is curable, and prompt treatment can prevent disability, stop transmission, and reduce stigma.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-09-11T16:40:41+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Nurturing Development Through Play: A Visit to the Paediatric Neurodevelopment Programme at Green Memorial Hospital]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/nurturing-development-through-play-a-visit-to-the-paediatric-neurodevelopment-programme-at-green-memorial-hospital" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/45</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A play-based programme helping children with developmental challenges grow through early support, family guidance, and compassionate care.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-09-10T13:45:33+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Cotton Bud That Went Too Far]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-cotton-bud-that-went-too-far" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/44</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[Why your ears usually do not need cleaning, and what can happen when you try]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-09-01T03:40:15+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Prescription He Thought Would Sharpen His Mind]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-prescription-he-thought-would-sharpen-his-mind" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/43</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A healthy young professional asks for omega-3 to boost memory and concentration but what does the evidence really show?]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-08-22T13:09:01+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Beyond the Pineapple: The Question He Really Wanted to Ask]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/beyond-the-pineapple-the-question-he-really-wanted-to-ask" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/42</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A young man came to clinic worried about pineapple, but the visit became a chance to talk openly about sexual health, STI testing, HIV testing windows and stigma-free care.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-08-19T03:54:43+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Question Behind the Glass]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-question-behind-the-glass" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/41</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A consultation-room reflection on alcohol, diabetes, ageing, and the limits of a hurried answer.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-08-15T11:20:29+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Beyond Beaches and Postcards: Seeing Sri Lanka Through the Eyes of Silvia ‘Nangi’]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/beyond-beaches-and-postcards-seeing-sri-lanka-through-the-eyes-of-silvia-nangi" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/40</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A perspective of Sri Lanka through the eyes of a European political scientist.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-08-09T08:34:37+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Engineer Who Forgot: What Really Protects the Brain from Dementia]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-engineer-who-forgot-on-dementia-and-what-actually-protects-the-brain" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/39</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[Can vitamins protect us from dementia, or does the real answer lie beyond the bottle? A family’s painful story reveals how movement, connection, learning, and healthy living may help protect the ageing brain.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-30T12:53:41+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Earwax Miracle]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-earwax-miracle" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/38</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A consultation I had almost forgotten restored an elderly woman’s connection to the sounds around her.
Sometimes, the quietest miracles in general practice begin with something as simple as earwax.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-30T08:39:01+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[When Breathlessness Wasn't in the Lungs]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/when-breathlessness-wasnt-in-the-lungs" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/23</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A 95-year-old woman came to my clinic complaining of breathlessness—but her lungs were not the only thing struggling. What she revealed next left me questioning where medicine ends and mystery begins.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-24T11:08:42+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[When the Clinic Went Dark]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/when-the-clinic-went-dark" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/22</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A young doctor takes over an old clinic in Hendala, eager to serve his hometown. But as darkness settles each evening, whispered warnings, unexplained lights and the story of a woman in a white saree begin to disturb the clinic’s ordinary routine. What happened within those ageing walls—and should the living fear the dead, or one another?]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-22T11:19:02+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA["Doctor, Is Something Seriously Wrong With Me?" Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/doctor-is-something-seriously-wrong-with-me-vitamin-d-deficiency" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/21</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A worried 27-year-old arrives clutching a lab report. Why vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common in sunny Sri Lanka, what the numbers mean, and how it's treated.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T06:29:32+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Living Healthy After a Heart Stent: What You Need to Know]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/living-healthy-after-a-heart-stent-what-you-need-to-know" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/9</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[After a teacher's sudden angioplasty, a practical guide to life with a stent: medication discipline, cardiac rehabilitation, heart-smart eating, and the warning signs that need urgent care.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:28:24+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[More Than Just Missed Periods: Understanding PCOS]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/more-than-just-missed-periods-understanding-pcos" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/11</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A routine clinic visit reveals more than expected for a 29-year-old with big dreams. What polycystic ovary syndrome is, how it shows up, and why lifestyle change is the first prescription.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:24:30+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Fastest Way Back to Health: Intermittent Fasting]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-fastest-way-back-to-health-intermittent-fasting" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/16</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A real-life transformation through 16:8 intermittent fasting, what the science actually says, and a physician's own experience of trying it — with a quick-start guide.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:21:54+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[The Hidden Cost of a Painkiller: When Relief Turns Risky]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/the-hidden-cost-of-a-painkiller-when-relief-turns-risky" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/17</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[Even doctors fall into the trap of self-medication. How everyday painkillers can silently damage the kidneys, and the simple rules that keep relief from turning into risk.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:21:02+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Too Young to Die: Heart Attacks in Young Sri Lankans]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/too-young-to-die-heart-attacks-in-young-sri-lankans" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/18</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[One in five heart attack patients in Sri Lanka is now under 45. Why coronary disease is striking younger, the warning signs too often ignored, and what prevention really takes.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:20:20+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[More Than a Common Cold: Health Advice for Newly Married Couples]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/more-than-a-common-cold-health-advice-for-newly-married-couples" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/12</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[What starts as a simple clinic visit for a cold becomes a wider conversation about the health checks, vaccinations, and habits every newly married couple should consider.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:07:44+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[When Pain Isn't Just Physical: How Depression Can Hide in Plain Sight]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/when-pain-isnt-just-physical-how-depression-can-hide-in-plain-sight" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/19</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[Depression rarely announces itself. It hides behind body aches, tiredness, and poor sleep — and is missed by patients and doctors alike. How to recognise the disguise.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:05:14+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Screen Effects on Children and Adults]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/screen-effects-on-children-and-adults" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/13</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A neighbour's question about her children's screen time prompts a doctor's reflection on what screens do to developing minds and adult wellbeing — and how families can set healthier limits.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:01:54+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[A Bite, A Lesson: Why Rabies Still Matters in Sri Lanka]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/a-bite-a-lesson-why-rabies-still-matters-in-sri-lanka" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/6</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A young engineering student's dog bite becomes a lesson in why rabies remains a real threat in Sri Lanka — and what everyone should know about post-exposure treatment.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-10T05:01:30+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[A Costly Prescription: A Doctor's Dilemma in a Broken System]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/a-costly-prescription-a-doctors-dilemma-in-a-broken-system" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/7</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[When the hardest part of treatment isn't the disease but affording the cure: a general practice encounter that exposes the hidden financial burden behind every prescription.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T05:18:54+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Staying or Leaving: A Doctor's Reflection in a Time of Exodus]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/staying-or-leaving-a-doctors-reflection-in-a-time-of-exodus" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/15</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[With thousands of health professionals leaving Sri Lanka every year, one doctor reflects on the question colleagues keep asking — "when are you going?" — and why he chooses to stay.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T03:40:24+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Silent Burdens and the Power of Listening]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/silent-burdens-and-the-power-of-listening" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/14</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[An elderly patient arrives carrying something heavier than any diagnosis. On the healing that begins when a doctor puts down the prescription pad and simply listens.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T03:31:14+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Missed Period, Negative Pregnancy Test: What Could Be Happening?]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/missed-period-negative-pregnancy-test-what-could-be-happening" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/10</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A young couple hoping for pregnancy face a confusing result: no period, but a negative test. What a missed period can really mean, and when to seek fertility assessment.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T03:29:00+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA["Doctor, Is It Too Late for Me to Get the Cervical Cancer Vaccine?"]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/doctor-is-it-too-late-for-me-to-get-the-cervical-cancer-vaccine" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/20</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A 47-year-old patient asks the question many women silently carry. HPV, who the vaccine helps and when, why Pap smears still matter, and the message for mothers, fathers, and sons.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T03:24:32+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Chickenpox Before a Wedding: A Family Doctor's Reflection on Varicella, Vaccines, and Shingles]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/chickenpox-before-a-wedding-varicella-vaccines-and-shingles" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/8</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A groom falls ill with chickenpox one week before his wedding. A family doctor answers the questions that followed — adult varicella, vaccination after exposure, isolation, and shingles.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T03:22:54+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Prof. Kolitha Harischandra Sellahewa: Clinician, Teacher, Leader, and Humanist]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/prof-kolitha-harischandra-sellahewa-clinician-teacher-leader-and-humanist" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/5</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A tribute to a mentor whose uncompromising standards at the bedside were matched by deep humanity — and what his example still teaches a generation of Sri Lankan doctors.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-07-08T03:18:58+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Bhutan: The Country That Refused to Chase the World]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://shanehalpe.com/writing/bhutan-country-that-refused-to-chase" />
            <id>https://shanehalpe.com/1</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Dr. Shane Halpe]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[A journey through a land that measures wealth in happiness — and what it taught me about slowing down.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-06-18T09:00:00+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
    </feed>
