Teenagers

I just wrote a response to a woman, on Circle of Moms, whose 16 year old son is getting into trouble in the teenage years. This hit very close to home. There are some things that I have had to accept. My sons are now 28, 26 and 20. They started getting into trouble in their teenage years. They all, had always been, "special ed" kids, with ADD and ADHD. They have all said that they had good childhoods, with everything, and that what has transpired was their own faults. They made their own decisions after they were adults, or course. It still is not easy for a mother to stand by and watch, but that's about all you can do. I thoroughly endorse two different organizations that I have had the opportunity to observe in my nursing practice and have made many, many referrals to, over the years:

http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/ based in San Francisco CA (with facilities in NY, NC, Los Angeles) and

http://www.thehealingplace.org/ based in Louisville KY

My book, is a tribute to my sons. I of course, love them more than anything. The story The Day I Met You and You Met Me! is a story that I told all of them when they were little. I wrote it down on paper in 1989 and it took until 2008 for me to get it out to the world because I was so busy, working and raising my children. The facts are: they grow up, they make their mistakes, they make their own choices, good and bad. All a mother can do is to provide support, resources and guidance.

How did I ever survive motherhood?

I just responded to a question on Circle of Moms asking how to keep you sanity when caring for two children under the age of 2 years old. That is a tough question, and very hard thing to do. Once upon a time, my children were the ages: 7, 6, 5 and newborn. I've often thought, "I'm surprized they are still alive." First of all, they have so much energy, anything can happen, and I mean anything. My oldest was in the ER, I can't count the times, before the age of 5 because of his high energy, and "nothing scares me" attitude. My Grandson, now three years old, just broke his arm, jumping on a bed and had to have surgery last week. Little boys can get into some kind of trouble. I tried to keep them all busy with activities. Just know that you are doing the very best you can. You will be tired, you will think you are going crazy, and you will look back and wonder, how did I do that? But you will get through it and look back at it with endearment some day, and wish that you could recapture the time. I've thought, "we had everything" during those times. But the times were hard, and we are all still here at different stages of our lives now. One of my children is named: Rachel Morgan, M.D. and is now a pediatric resident. The boys are a different thing, still trying to figure life out. Who knows how long that will take, but you love them all the same!!!

Everybody is Somebody's Baby!!!

I work on adult units and pediatric units. A few weeks ago, one of my friends, who has been a doctor for 40 years (at least), asked me: "are you taking care of new babies, or old babies"? After thinking about this comment, I thought, everybody is someone's baby, and that is how I care for each and every one of my patients, as though they were my child, whether young or old. When I see someone on the streets, I think, that is someone's child. We all need to feel compassion and teach compassion to our children. This world is a tough one, and it looks like it is getting tougher with each day. I will continue my care and encourage many young people to become nurses. It is one of the most honorable professions anyone can commit to. I have a friend who over the last holidays helped serve the homeless dinner at the Los Angeles Mission. One thing about nursing is, that no matter what difficult situations I encounter at the hospital, every single time I enter the doors, I know that when I leave, I have given to someone else.

This would have been my father's 75th birthday!!!

This would have been my father's 75th birthday. He passed away five years ago. If I could only talk to him once again, and tell him I completely understand what I put him through. I'd just give him a big hug right now. Love all of them while they are still here, the time passes quickly.

Raising Children

Raising children has to be one of the most difficult tasks one ever has in life. You always feel a sense of responsibility, no matter how old they are. Even though all of my children are grown adults, I constantly wonder where they are, what they are doing, how they are doing, and if I don't hear from any one of them for very long, I am on the phone, hunting them down. Last week, my little grandson had a surgery, and even though I am a Registered Nurse, and the surgery was minor, I was on pins and needles throughout the event, until I knew he was okay. I spent yesterday with him, with his little cast on his arm, and I've got to say, I was spent at the end of four hours. I was more tired than if I worked a 12.5 hour shift at the hospital with the most difficult patients all night long. I think this is the plight of all parents, exhaustion!!! As I tell new mothers at the hospital when they say they are soooo tired, "I haven't had a good nights sleep in 28 years, since my oldest son was born"!!!!