Mortician Diaries
Precis: There are multiple stories about my encounters as a Mortician. All off them include others perspective of death, and how each person deals with the tragedies within themselves, there families, and the people around them. I explain how I dealt with their problems, and helped them along the way, to help them understand that death is a part of living, and when grieving over someone's death, you also have to think about the ones you are forgetting about, that are still alive.
Quotes: "I decided to write this book to help readers get started with their own dialogue on death. Which can ultimately have great impact on how we choose to live our lives."(p.3)
"I dreaded mother/baby scenes, but I also wanted to help."(p.19)
"I related to that. If our family were to lose Tiger, our little brown dachshund, my girls would be devastated. She continued...."(p.27)
I think that the book is really good, and the stories that were being told, brought June's personality out. I really liked how well she was able to talk to people who were going through a lot. She made them feel comfortable even in the dirtiest situations. She was always trying to help others, and tried to feel their pain so that she could have a better understanding of what they were going through. Trying to compare their problems with the same problems she went through.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
HW 48 - Family Perspectives on the Care of the Dead
Summary: I interviewed my mother and my father about the topic caring for the dead. I asked them both one question: "What do you think when you hear the term care of the dead. At first, my parents didn't know what I meant by that term, and I had to explain it to them. When the understood, they couldn't stop talking about their thoughts on the care of the dead. one thing that my mom said was "you have to move on, and focus on the living. When your dead, your dead. So you have to move on."
Analysis: My parents agreed with everything each other said during this interview. What my mother had said earlier, about letting the people who died go, and focusing on the living made a lot of sense. I thought about it, and I thought about the term "moving on". They also said that people who dwell on family loses, could possibly cause a perfectly good family to fall apart. The way I interpreted what they said, was by picturing a young boy who could never forget the death of his father. His father was the boy's only role model left, and he felt he had lost everything. keeping this much anger and sadness bottled up inside can cause someone to explode, and a sudden change in attitude and personality. Becoming a "different person" may not "click" with other people, and when something doesn't click, there is bound to be trouble. That is how I helped myself understand the point that my parents were trying to make, and how the scenario plays out as a possible real world tragedy. Families falling apart. That is why letting someone go is a hard thing to do, but it is respectable in a way. You aren't forgetting the one you loved, and at the same time relieving yourself from the stress.
Analysis: My parents agreed with everything each other said during this interview. What my mother had said earlier, about letting the people who died go, and focusing on the living made a lot of sense. I thought about it, and I thought about the term "moving on". They also said that people who dwell on family loses, could possibly cause a perfectly good family to fall apart. The way I interpreted what they said, was by picturing a young boy who could never forget the death of his father. His father was the boy's only role model left, and he felt he had lost everything. keeping this much anger and sadness bottled up inside can cause someone to explode, and a sudden change in attitude and personality. Becoming a "different person" may not "click" with other people, and when something doesn't click, there is bound to be trouble. That is how I helped myself understand the point that my parents were trying to make, and how the scenario plays out as a possible real world tragedy. Families falling apart. That is why letting someone go is a hard thing to do, but it is respectable in a way. You aren't forgetting the one you loved, and at the same time relieving yourself from the stress.
Monday, April 18, 2011
HW 46 - Initial Thoughts on the Care of the Dead
The care of the dead. When I think of that term, I usually think of respect. Ever since I was young, I was always taught to respect my elders, and respect the dead. At that time I really didn't know how to interpret those directions, but now that I have gotten older, and have had more experience, and understanding of dead people, I understand what I was taught growing up.
My family has told me to respect the dead. I have grown up to believe that even if people do horrible things in their life, it doesn't mean they are evil, because no one can sin all their life. There is always some good in the "worst " person, and death is a usually thought of as a horrible tragedy. So even if someone dies, and you didn't enjoy their presence on earth, you should still show your condolences.
Do not disturb the dead. That is why R.I.P. (Rest In Peace) is on every tombstone. That is a common one. Everyone uses that term, so I can consider that a social norm.
Questions I have:
1. What other social norms does our society have in terms of "the care of the dead"?
2. Are there people out there that don't follow the "respect the dead" idea?
3. Are there different ways to care for the dead, in different cultures?
4. If so, what are they?
My family has told me to respect the dead. I have grown up to believe that even if people do horrible things in their life, it doesn't mean they are evil, because no one can sin all their life. There is always some good in the "worst " person, and death is a usually thought of as a horrible tragedy. So even if someone dies, and you didn't enjoy their presence on earth, you should still show your condolences.
Do not disturb the dead. That is why R.I.P. (Rest In Peace) is on every tombstone. That is a common one. Everyone uses that term, so I can consider that a social norm.
Questions I have:
1. What other social norms does our society have in terms of "the care of the dead"?
2. Are there people out there that don't follow the "respect the dead" idea?
3. Are there different ways to care for the dead, in different cultures?
4. If so, what are they?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
HW 45 - Reply to Other Peoples' Comments
To Chris and David
Thanks for reading and writing about my blog. I am a bit surprised that I got at least some information I needed, to learn more about home/hospital birth. I wasn't expecting to be able to talk to a nurse, but I was lucky enough to be able to. This unit was a good experience, and hope to continue exploring birth.
Thanks for reading and writing about my blog. I am a bit surprised that I got at least some information I needed, to learn more about home/hospital birth. I wasn't expecting to be able to talk to a nurse, but I was lucky enough to be able to. This unit was a good experience, and hope to continue exploring birth.
HW 44 - Comments on Other People's Projects
To Chris
Chris,
The main focus for your project, was to find out more information about babies being born based of your research, and interviews. I really valued the way you didn't stop trying to find someone to talk to about birth, even if it was a random person. This project matters to me, because it encourages me to ask whoever I want, in a polite manner, about what I was studying or focusing on.
To Lucas
Lucas,
Even though the video didn't have any sound, I still understand that the main focus of your project was to find more information about birth, based on online research, and interviews.
I valued the way you got a lot of opinions from many different people, and how you didn't always just do a 1 on 1 interview, and at times interviewed multiple people at the same time.
Your project matters to me, because it shows that even though some people may know more than others, every opinion counts.
To Jasper
Jasper,
your post was about finding people to interview, to get more information about birth. I valued the way you talked to a lot of people, even if some of them didn't give you the responses you wanted.
This matters to me, because it shows me that the more information you get from people, the more you understand the way our society feels about birth.
Chris,
The main focus for your project, was to find out more information about babies being born based of your research, and interviews. I really valued the way you didn't stop trying to find someone to talk to about birth, even if it was a random person. This project matters to me, because it encourages me to ask whoever I want, in a polite manner, about what I was studying or focusing on.
To Lucas
Lucas,
Even though the video didn't have any sound, I still understand that the main focus of your project was to find more information about birth, based on online research, and interviews.
I valued the way you got a lot of opinions from many different people, and how you didn't always just do a 1 on 1 interview, and at times interviewed multiple people at the same time.
Your project matters to me, because it shows that even though some people may know more than others, every opinion counts.
To Jasper
Jasper,
your post was about finding people to interview, to get more information about birth. I valued the way you talked to a lot of people, even if some of them didn't give you the responses you wanted.
This matters to me, because it shows me that the more information you get from people, the more you understand the way our society feels about birth.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
HW 42 - Pregnancy & birth culminating project
For my project i got a chance to interview 1 nurse, to get a better understanding of pregnacy and birth. I was unable to have a face to face conversation with the nurse, but I still got a lot of information out of her, from the little time we had to talk. Watching movies, reading books, and listening to guest speakers helped me develope thoughts and feeling about home births vs. hospital births. Before I even got a chance to interview the nurse, I never really thought that home birth was such a horrible thing to some people. I thought that home birth, being such a rare act compared to hospital birth would be acknowledged as something unique to all women.
When interviewing the nurse, I asked her three of my own questions.
1.Do you always feel stressed ot after helping deliver a baby, or question why you chose this profesion?
Her response was: "After 35 years once you've been there for so long, the stress is still as heavy, but you are used to it. It is great to witness a family grow, and it is my job to take care of the patient, and the baby."
My 2nd question was, If you had to choose a home birth or a hospital birth. Which one would you choose/recommend to a woman that is pregnant and why?
Her response was: "Definately a hospital birth. Home births are dangerous, and is criminal. Doing so is risking both the mother's life, and childs life." Talking to her she sounded a lot more dramatic, and sort of angry. At first accepted her feelings, but then wondered why she was so angry, because I never thought someone could hate a way a baby was born. It seemed kind of cruel to say that, but I had to just accept it.
My final question was connected to the second, but I asked her if she has ever helped with a home or hospital birth, and if you have which one was most stressful?
Her respose was:"I will never help or support home births. They should be illegal, and whoever participates in it, or supports it should go to jail. If women want to have home births so badly, they can just come into the hospital, because there are rooms there that look just like a living room, and make you feel like you are in a home and not a hospital."
Those are all the questions I was able to ask her, before she hung up on me. Not in a rude way, but she really needed to get back to work.
Two things that I learned from interviewing her(I learned a lot more, but im only stating two)
1.Everyone has their own opinion, sometimes what they say/feel might be hard to understand.
2.There are rooms in some hospitals to give women the feeling that they are in an actual home, while having their child, and not just under a spotlight with doctors and nurses surrounding you.
When interviewing the nurse, I asked her three of my own questions.
1.Do you always feel stressed ot after helping deliver a baby, or question why you chose this profesion?
Her response was: "After 35 years once you've been there for so long, the stress is still as heavy, but you are used to it. It is great to witness a family grow, and it is my job to take care of the patient, and the baby."
My 2nd question was, If you had to choose a home birth or a hospital birth. Which one would you choose/recommend to a woman that is pregnant and why?
Her response was: "Definately a hospital birth. Home births are dangerous, and is criminal. Doing so is risking both the mother's life, and childs life." Talking to her she sounded a lot more dramatic, and sort of angry. At first accepted her feelings, but then wondered why she was so angry, because I never thought someone could hate a way a baby was born. It seemed kind of cruel to say that, but I had to just accept it.
My final question was connected to the second, but I asked her if she has ever helped with a home or hospital birth, and if you have which one was most stressful?
Her respose was:"I will never help or support home births. They should be illegal, and whoever participates in it, or supports it should go to jail. If women want to have home births so badly, they can just come into the hospital, because there are rooms there that look just like a living room, and make you feel like you are in a home and not a hospital."
Those are all the questions I was able to ask her, before she hung up on me. Not in a rude way, but she really needed to get back to work.
Two things that I learned from interviewing her(I learned a lot more, but im only stating two)
1.Everyone has their own opinion, sometimes what they say/feel might be hard to understand.
2.There are rooms in some hospitals to give women the feeling that they are in an actual home, while having their child, and not just under a spotlight with doctors and nurses surrounding you.
Friday, April 1, 2011
HW 41 - Independent Research
1A. http://www.epigee.org/fetal/post_bleeding.html
1B. This is piece of evidence explains what a woman would always go through after every birth, and relates to my topic about what the people who experience birth/witness birth.
2A. http://www.nursesource.org/labor.html
2B. This piece was to identify the different types of nurses that usually help the women before and after birth.
3A. http://www.charminghealth.com/applicability/post-delivery.htm
3B. This piece explains how women can feel stressed out, and and experience emotional problems, just after giving birth.
4A. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-care/PR00142
4B. This piece of evidence states what women should be prepared for, after their baby is born. These things may not seem important, but they are still the basic steps to recovery.
5A. http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/111.html
5B. This last piece talks about the difference between a midwife, and a hospital birthing nurse. It also talks about what midwifes should usually do/have to do, to support the women who are pregnant.
-What I want to base my project on, is what are some of the roles certain nurses have, to help women give birth. I also wanted to focus on the affects every delivery has on the body and mind of both patient,nurse/midwife.
1B. This is piece of evidence explains what a woman would always go through after every birth, and relates to my topic about what the people who experience birth/witness birth.
2A. http://www.nursesource.org/labor.html
2B. This piece was to identify the different types of nurses that usually help the women before and after birth.
3A. http://www.charminghealth.com/applicability/post-delivery.htm
3B. This piece explains how women can feel stressed out, and and experience emotional problems, just after giving birth.
4A. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-care/PR00142
4B. This piece of evidence states what women should be prepared for, after their baby is born. These things may not seem important, but they are still the basic steps to recovery.
5A. http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/111.html
5B. This last piece talks about the difference between a midwife, and a hospital birthing nurse. It also talks about what midwifes should usually do/have to do, to support the women who are pregnant.
-What I want to base my project on, is what are some of the roles certain nurses have, to help women give birth. I also wanted to focus on the affects every delivery has on the body and mind of both patient,nurse/midwife.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)