going to what i hope is a better place.

this topic is all to familar for me. i know all quater i have been talking about my job and how i work for hospice so this was an easy read for me.
i have to share a story that happened to me, it has only happened one other time in the 7 years i have worked for hospice. i always feel bad when iu have to bath someone when they are so close to the end. i leave the choice up to the family. in this case there was not any family around and the nurse said to go a head and do what i do. my patient was not in any pain and very limp to work with. there was music in the back ground, irish music for he was an irishman, as i finished the bath he started to have some apnea and as i finished putting his shirt on he stopped breathing. just as he took his last breath the bag pipes came on over the cd player. i opened the window as i do when some one passes and gave him a shave so he looked good for his loved ones.
point being it was a good death and i felt at peace with how peaceful he looked. it is very hard to see and i did feel the loss of his body but knew his soul was free of pain.
i enjoyed this course and wish you all luck in life.

the body and aging

what caught my eye in the text this week was the wear and tear and cellular theories. I can see how ones body will wear out and just basically burnt out. I can also see the cells getting tired or disrupted while we are aging.
I like to think the more "wear and tear" you put on your body the more and faster it will age. Just like the more you like to party and put chemicals in your body your cells will deteriorate. wrinkles, grey hair, diseases are all going to happen whether we like them or not (maybe not the diease part). all of these are factors in aging and will inevidably happen.
 I just watched a show, "david Letterman," and one of his guests was 100 years young. she looked amazing and said "she only feels about 80" when asked what her secrete was she stated," don't stop moving, don't smoke, and don't over consume." I am still in ahh over how well she looked. I am not sure I want to live that long but if I do I want to be healthy like her and still have my mind like she does.
All the intake you do in your lifetime will determine how well you age. I for some this is common knowledge but for some not so much. all they want to do is live for the moment and not a thought about the future. I want to be here to see my grandchildren and great grandchildren, I just don't want to be here if i have lost my mind.
 i am not sure if many do think about things you put your body through but i for one am going to make sure i am aware of what my body is telling me. I am hopeful for what my years will bring.

week 8

I related to the part in the reading where they talk about "changes in appearence," I can relate because I have a few,not many but a few gray hairs. I do't like it. I am not one to dye myhair to hide some greys but I did not think it would happen so soon. I was not one of the ones who gained weight, in fact I am smaller now then I ever have been I think. I am very careful about what I eat and what I put on my face. Actually I just use hot water, no chemicals at all. I barely wear make up and clothes fit great. My only complaint would be the greys on my head.
     sexual harrassment is a huge issue now days. girls infact like it i think. if you didn't like it why would you get a job at the local coffee shop in your bathing suit showing all your junk. I just don't get it. Strippers, baristas, cocktail waitresses..... why must we show our boobs and asses and curves just to get money and good tips? I don't agree and glad I have all boys so I don't have to worry about it.

friends

In this weeks readings I found it interesting that there was not more saqid about cross sex friendships. I was expecting to read more about this topic. I have found in my experience that men and women cannot be "just friends." I beleive this because I have seen so much happen between men and women in friendship wise that it is not possible. Men can't help but to flirt with the oppisite sex and women can't help but to respond, unless of course one dislikes the other. I have been through this situation and the book is right, if someone is in a relationship with some else then they get jealous and over think or misjudge the situation. By this time you fight argue or have very uncomfortable feelings when that person is around. This goes for both sexes. I myself have more guy friends then I do girlfriends but I think this might be because I have 3  young adult children. I just seem to get along with men better. I feel as though this is because I hate drama and don't like to talk about other people. I have a few girlfriends and all we do when we are together is talk about drama. When I am with my guy friends we talk about sports and fishing and thigs of that nature. My dad was a fishermen and I like sports, especially football. i have always been around men or boys my whole life but you get a girlfriend involved it just ends up with someones feelings hurt and I don't like doing that. Hope it makes since it is just how I feel and what I think. men and women are different species and I truely beleive this.

teenagers

I enjoyed the readings this week. I always enjoy reading about how children develope and the changes they go through. I feel as though teenage years are the most difficult. I have seen how children act towards each other and I have to say they are rough on one another. When in preschool I feel as though it is easier to make friends and get along with one another. As time goes by and different influences have been incountered it has an impacted on how children or kids judge one another, children can be cruel and very judgemental. Being a teenager you are trying to find out who you are and where you fit in. Examples are, athletic, book smart, do you stay to your self, or do you be out going and the class clown? I feel as though these are all stages of life but teens want to choose should I stay this way or should I try some thing new?
Peer pressure is another huge issue. Whether it is drugs or drinking, where do I go? All of these questions are ones that I have heard my boys say or their friends say. I would hatre to be a teen at this time in life. I think it is harder now than it was when I was growing up. I was always someone who did what they wanted or said what they feel no matter what the consequence was. I am still this way and I have learned when and where to say what is on my mind. So I have a hard time with my boys when it comes to some one who is in charge. My boys have gotten better on this issue. I always hear them complain about police officers and what they see them doing and "how come they can do it but if I did it I would get in trouble?' All I can say to them is be cool and just mind your business. Children really do learn from example and if they see cops doing something they have always been told not to do it is hard to tell them not to it. I guess if I had unlimited funds and could do research I would have tro research adults in high leadership roles and find out why they feel that because they wear a badge or are in charge of children (treachers) they can break the rules. I am always curious to know and would love to find out some answers.

Parenting

I enjoyed this chapter, I specifically parenting. I always enjoy reading up on parenting and what not to do's. I especially liked the part about parenting styles. I see all of these kinds of parenting styles in my friends. I consider myself to be the authoritative type. I am loving, I would rather explain why something is the it is rather than just demand. I also try to remember how it is to be young and set idealistic boundaries. I was not always like this and I used to be the authoriatarian type, I changed this because I realized it was not working and changed my way of thinking. This has worked and maked me feel better about my decisions and rules. Although my kids are older they have respect for me and love to talk to me about things that are going on in their life, some of which as their mother I don't want to know. I still listen though. I believe this is very improtant for a working relationship and it is good to be open with explinations on why the answer is no or why the kids can't do something. It leaves room for disscussions and questions to be asked. It does no good to just say "because I said, or because I am your mom" I feel it is demeening and controling.  Nobody likes to feel bad or controlled. They know you are their mom and won't forget it. If I had unlimited funds and did a research I would love to teach parenting classes on parenting styles and how to approach children. I would love to research how has their life changed since they started the classes and how do they feel about it, is it better, the same or no change? It would be interesting.

off to school

School is a very exciting at first (kindergarden) then in my experience with school and children is that someone or something not so positive will happen and then it is very scarey for children. It could be they got bullied or a teacher treats them differently than the rest of the kids and makes them feel bad or like they did something wrong. School is tough and I see it getting more tough in tests and rules. If there is a child with a learning disability and slower then the rest of the children, gets pulled out of class for special one on one time it sets them up to be different and more opportunity to be made fun of. I have been through this with all of my boys and the experience has not always been a positive one. I have been in arguements on their behalf with teachers and very black and white about pulling them out when the class is doing the same learning activity so that they do not miss anything. This has not always happened. My kids wouldn't be there when homework was being passed out or turned in when the teacher asks. This has made them fall behind even more. It is very frustrating for me as a parent to know this kind of thing goes on when specifically asked this not to happen. With that said the text in the book on learning disabilities was what caught my attention. If I had funds to research and help with these children I would want to watch and study the class room to see if they are doing the same learning activities when the kids are pulled out of the class room for that one on one time. I beleive that this is an important peice of successful learning. Help the child stay caught up and not fall more behind.