Friday

I found a TV series produced by the BBC (I think) called BallyKissAngel. It's a really nice show about a small imaginary town (Ballykissangel) in Ireland. The story starts out when the new priest shows up in the town. He is from England. Yup, and English priest in Ireland. Well, there is a pub, a small store, a policeman, his future wife, and the wife's dad, Brian. Brian in the story is quite a character. They throw in a few other characters along the way, but overall it's a very fun series and the scenery is 'grand'. They even have a bunch of times when it's raining. One comment for a show was, 'they say there are a thousand shades of green in Ireland, but they should have said a thousand shades of gray...from all the rain. Ah, well, that's how it gets so green.'

We watched the first two seasons through Netflix. I'm not sure how available it it to get otherwise, but it is fun. The priest, so far, has been true to his faith, much to the annoyance of the owner of the pub, Assumpta (single woman) who hates 'the church'. Oh well, catch it if you can. Or buy it, even better.

This week, week 2, was harder than last week. Maybe not physically, but mentally. Not necessarily intellectually. It's more of, "What in heaven's name have I gotten myself into???" rather than "I can't learn all of this." I can, but the strain of trying to go too much is really hitting me this week. And missing a birth that I wanted to get to, and would have like to earn the money from, has bummed me out a bit.

I like the comfort and familiarity of the life I used to have. I don't think it will ever be again, and I guess I'm just missing it a bit, while I adjust to a new life. I have been going over the kids homework with them every night, as well as trying to get my homework done, too. And still grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning (well what is really BAD I've been cleaning) and running kids to soccer and back. I don't think I will be able to watch N's game tomorrow, but maybe I catch J's game on Sunday?

I have 3 test/quizzes next week. I am still pretty steamed that no one told me I could have taken two of my nursing classes over the summer. What a difference it would have made to me to have two less classes this semester! But I can't get into it for now. I just have to do what is on my plate to do and let it go, but it will be in my feedback comments, for sure!

I'm studying childhood diseases for Peds this week. I hate the pro-vaccination stand they take, without really addressing the obvious things about vaccines that are bad. They say, "Some parents are concerned because more kids die from the vaccines than from the diseases" and they say, "It's the nurse who must give the vaccine" but they don't say, "Don't feel badly that you might vaccinate a child who DIES from the shot you give him/her," which is what will happen to someone. I don't think I will ever be able to tell someone that it's best to give their child shots. I respect the intelligence of the individual parent to make that decision. Get the facts. Read the materials. Read the research. Make your own decision. If you want the shot, then I will give it to you, but I will never try to tell you that it's risk free, or the best choice, or even that it is right. I don't know that it is. Herd immunity is what we are going for, not what is in the best interest on any ONE child.

I am also doing a search of research articles for my Nursing Research class. If I had more time, I'd really love to check out a bunch of research. There are all kinds of things I'd like to know if anyone has published on. I find that part of it very interesting. What I was looking for originally was if there was a link (any link) between the great increase use of ultrasound imagining of babies prenatally and autism. Only one article spoke of this, but it didn't do anything more than raise the question. I did find an article that broached the idea that autism might be an 'ultra-male' syndrome. They meant that an over exposure to testosterone in the unborn child might make it 'too male'. The research is out there that a chemical change happens in the brains of the unborn that changes the social/language development of male babies. The idea of this study was that maybe too much of that hormone (testosterone) actually damages the children and makes them TOO antisocial and too language impaired. So my thought it, what if heating up the brain at a critical point in it's development causes that release of extra male hormones washing away the social/language development and results in autism. (btw, it's 4:1 time more likely in male children than female).

Ah, the studies I could do if I have the money, time and inclination. Maybe I should go into nursing/medical research??? I'd love to study a bunch of things that make no sense to me (like induction rate and bad outcomes of births.....ah, there are so many I don't even want to get started!)

The other thing that happen this week is that a good friend of mine is no longer in my life. I will miss them and I hate that we are no longer good friends. I hate losing my friends! It's hard when someone moves away, for whatever reasons...geographically or otherwise. It seems like there is such a small group of people we ever really can call friends. Some of the people I have really loved in this world have moved away. It's never the same, even if you try to keep in touch.